Microsoft have landed themselves what seems to be another exclusive of sorts, as like Splinter Cell, the new Rainbow Six 3 game (which we're assured is almost entirely new content, and only a bit like Shield) will be available exclusively on the for the duration of the year. This was announced by publisher Ubi Soft today. We expect this deal to represent something similar to the Xbox situation, where versions for other formats were announced and released in the following year (which would be 2004 in this case).

Anyway, developer Red Storm are promising a title that will make the most of the Xbox's ample hardware, with all manner of dynamic lighting, 5.1 audio, as well as gaming and new downloadable content through Xbox Live. What's more, multiplayer aficionados will no doubt be relishing the idea of being able to offer team mates instructions via voice recognition software, using the Communicator headset.

Thirty weapons, nine multiplayer maps and fourteen single-player missions will feature, all powered by the latest incarnation of the mighty Unreal engine. We are also pleased to report that the game will be out this on the Xbox, and that's an exclusive.

By Luke Guttridge