Here's some good news for Descent fans. Interplay's latest entry in the series, Descent 3, has gone to manufacturing a bit earlier than expected, and with any luck, could be on store shelves as early as this week. The game was originally scheduled for a June 15 release, but fast production times pushed that date up a few notches.

　　If you haven't already heard, Interplay will soon be hosting an online Descent 3 Championship in conjunction with Heat.net. The semifinals are open to anyone with a retail copy and starts later this month. The top-four players will then advance to the finals in Las Vegas, where they'll compete for a US$50,000 cash prize and a complete gaming computer system from Gateway. Additionally, the winner automatically becomes my new best friend.

　　Can't wait that long to show off your Descent 3 skills? Try your luck against GameSpot's very own Elliott Chin and Greg Kasavin in the GameSpot-sponsored Descent 3 "In Your Face Tour" during the week of June 21. We'll be sending our editors cross-country on a four-city jaunt - beat them, and you could win tickets to the championship competition in Las Vegas.