The reason for the above oration? Well, Eidos has announced today that the developers of the excellent Hitman series, which I love, are working on a new title called Kane and Lynch, which will feature "...a flawed mercenary and a medicated psychopath...and their brutal attitude towards right and wrong." Apparently this will, when combined with unnamed "innovative technologies", lead to "an unparalleled gaming experience."

And umm, that's about the size of it really, bar the session of corporate circle jerking which ensues with the quotes from a couple of Eidos bigwigs, also telling us about how wonderful this title will be.

For your pleasure I've attached the entire release below. I hope that if you do find the time to read it that you will be equally as saddened, if not enraged, as I am at the precious moments of life that you have wasted in the pursuit of learning absolutely nothing worth knowing.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Eidos Interactive, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, today released the first details of its intense action title Kane and Lynch: Dead Men. Currently in development by IO Interactive, the team behind the Hitman franchise, Kane and Lynch: Dead Men will be released in 2007 initially for the Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows.

"Eidos is pleased to announce the next hit from the award winning development
team lang="EN-IE"> at IO Interactive," said Bill Gardner, President and CEO, Eidos,
Inc. "IO's history of success as a developer assures us that we can look forward
to only the highest quality and standards for this new title. IO gives gamers
something to look forward to in 2007."

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is a violent and chaotic journey of two men -- a flawed
mercenary and a medicated psychopath -- and their brutal attitude towards right
and wrong. This volatile partnership combined with innovative technologies allow
for an unparalleled gaming experience.

"Using state-of-the-art technology, Kane and Lynch: Dead Men delivers a raw and
compelling story-driven gaming experience not previously possible on current
generation hardware," said David Bamberger, US Marketing Manager, Eidos, Inc.
"The power of the Xbox 360(TM) and Windows allows us to dive deeper into a world
of disturbing realism."

IO Interactive was established in 1998 and released Hitman: Codename 47 in
November 2000. Immensely well received by reviewers and gamers alike, the game
re-invented the 3D action game genre with its depth of story and intense
gameplay. Since then, IO has developed three sequels to the first Hitman
franchise on both current and next-generation consoles as well as for PC, and
the developer is responsible for the critically acclaimed game Freedom Fighters.

IO Interactive's latest game in the Hitman series - the chart-topping and award-
winning Hitman: Blood Money has been a huge international retail success. This
amazing and genre-establishing franchise has established IO as a leader in the
video game industry.