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Giz update: 89 titles announced

Meaning, they've announced the fact that there will be 89 titles. But not what most of them are.

The race to be Europe's number one handheld has gotten off to a bumpy start as one contender steams ahead, another still hasn't bothered turning up on the starting line and the third is best known for its associations with Sting and John Lewis.

But plucky underdog Gizmondo persists despite dismal predictions from the critics and appallingly offensive headlines by childish journalists who can't resist a cheap innuendo.

Giz could spurt into first place, however, with Tiger Telematics' announcement that 89 games are in development for the console.

Of the total, 25 games were mentioned by name. These included titles previously announced as well as new offerings Battlestations: Midway, from SCi, and Supernaturals, Race, Ghost, Jump and Hit and Myth, all by Gizmondo Studios.

JoWood's Verbier Ride, Factory 1's Goal and Casino from Hustler were also listed, but their publishing deals have only been agreed in priniciple. Tiger said it will also be announcing games from Microsoft, Disney Buena Vista, Ubisoft, Team 17 and Fathammer.

And indeed not much later in the day it had, at least in the case of Ubisoft - which has pledged to release versions of Rayman and three other titles.

"Our games will be comprised of original titles, both internally and externally developed, as well as very high profile licensed products," said Eric Peterson, head of Gizmondo's global development.

"Our goal is to deliver a broad spectrum of high quality games, canvassing all genres. Gizmondo owners will be spoiled with all the choices they will have for games entertainment, this in addition to the music and video content already available."

Erin Roberts, Director of UK Development, added: "Until now our games have focused on exploiting each of the Gizmondo's functions as standalone features.

"Over the coming months, we will begin to divulge how the functions and hardware can be used in combination to make the handheld greater than the sum of its parts."

Gizmondo launched in the UK on March 19 and is now available in selected branches of John Lewis, GameStation and Carphone Warehouse, as well as a flagship Regent Street store. Ireland will get sloppy seconds this April 19, with launches in the US and Continental Europe set to follow soon.