Max Payne 2 coming to PC this Autumn

Take-Two has confirmed in an announcement to the financial community that it will release Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne in the Autumn of 2003 on PC, with PS2 and Xbox versions following "shortly thereafter". Take-Two is usually pretty reliable with its release date announcements, so we're confident it will actually make the all-important October release slot.

If you're wondering why no screens shots are available to view as yet, then wonder no more. The Remedy/3D Realms-developed action shooter was shown off to a select few at E3, and to maintain existing print magazine relationships elected to shy away from revealing it to online scumbags such as us. Hey ho. In a conversation with Rockstar's European PR chief today, it was apparent that the game will debut in various print magazines shortly, possibly as soon as next week. Scan city, then.

Elsewhere, look out for Manhunt, Rockstar North's next PS2-only game later in the year, which we're hoping to get our peepers on relatively soon, while Hidden & Dangerous II will be welcomed with a street carnival at Eurogamer towers when it finally trudges over the finishing line sometime in Q4. Hail to the king of delays, baby, however, with no sign of bloody Duke bloody Nukem bloody taking bloody Forever. When it's done, indeed. Three words, 3D Realms; Half-Life 2.

Financially, the firm appears in predictably rude health, posting record figures for its second quarter (to April 30 2003), which reveal a net profit of $15.2 million on net sales of $194 million (up 58 and 14 per cent year on year, respectively).

In addition, Take-Two is raising its estimates for the financial year to $975 million in net sales and $2.28 of diluted net income per share. Buy buy buy!