Officials from Atlus U.S.A. have announced that the company has signed the North American publishing rights for Luminous Arc, an upcoming isometric strategy RPG from Marvelous Interactive (Harvest Moon DS) and Image Epoch. The game is planned for release later this year.

Key features in the upcoming SRPG include the ability to create new weapons and equipment with the game’s ‘Vitae Imbuing’ system, and an emphasis on relationships between characters so that stronger bonds yield more potent attacks on the battlefield. Luminous Arc will include multiplayer support over Nintendo’s WiFi Connection, as well as a variety of characters and voiced dialogue.

We’ll certainly keep an eye on this one in the march up to its release. Early reports have noted that the game’s original Japanese release was plagued by control issues and unimpressive presentation, so it will be interesting if these sorts of things are addressed during the localization.

Publisher Strategy First announced that it has partnered with Los Angeles-based video game and film production company Union Entertainment to bring the Jagged Alliance to the big screen. Union and Strategy First have signed on Nick Nunziata (Grizzly Park, Meg) to help develop and co-produce the project.

The original Jagged Alliance game was released in 1994 and has spawned five sequels, with another currently under development at Strategy First.

The project’s title, Jagged Alliance, describes the cutthroat relationships between members of a mercenary team who are ready to sign over their services to the highest bidder. Each a specialist in his or her own discipline, these operatives know that in order to survive their missions, they must rely on, but never trust, each other. The team is assembled from the best of the best by the Alliance of International Mercenaries, an apolitical private organization with its own covert agenda.

With the 2007 Game Developers Conference in full swing, invites for the recently reorganized E3, now to take place this July 11-13, went out yesterday. As you might be aware, the event has been heavily scaled back, and is now an invite-only event, no doubt an effort to keep the number of attendees at a manageable number instead of the 70+ thousand that climbed the walls of the convention center in years past.

Also, the event has been moved to a set of hotels instead of iconic LA Convention Center, so no doubt the event will exude a much different atmosphere. I almost feel like I need to buy a suit. Regardless, invite in hand, look for us to bring you the latest from the event this summer.

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Last night’s Game Developers Choice Awards were very posh. Sitting right next to Rare’s table, it was a hoot earing them cheer each time Viva Pinata was nominated, even if it didn’t win anything. Okami and Wii Sports were big winners for the night, as was the ever popular Gears of War, which took home the award for Game of the Year.

Other event highlights include some hilarious commentary from event MC Tim Schaefer (Psychonauts), and a thought provoking speech by tabletop icon and Manifesto Games co-founder Greg Costikyan, who took home the Maverick award. Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto even took the stage a few times, including for the Lifetime Achievement award, which was presented to him by none other than last year’s winner, Richard Garriott.

Guitar Hero II walked away with the award for Audio, Titan Quest’s Iron Lore Entertainment took the nod for Best New Studio, and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was recognized with the award for Best Writing.

Music composer George “The Fat Man” Sanger was awarded the Community Contribution for his efforts in the field of audio, and the year’s First Penguin award, given to those individuals who pioneer unproven territories, was given to Tetris originator Alexey Pajitnov.