Vivendi Universal Games today announced a new strategy game from Elixir Studios, the developer of the upcoming Republic: The Revolution. Evil Genius is a comical take on 1960s spy movies, but there's a twist: instead of playing as a gadget-laden spy hero, players get to be evil. As the villain, players will be in control of a secret island base complete with devious henchmen, loyal minions, and a bunch of gadgets and traps.

　　To keep the action heroes at bay, players will have to build and maintain the lair, develop doomsday devices, train minions to develop evil technology and superweapons, and engage in real-time combat against invaders. Players will have to find and recruit henchmen from a variety of locations and send agents to war zones in search of talent. There will also be dangerous away missions players can undertake to increase their power and notoriety, including stealing the Eiffel Tower, kidnapping pop stars, and appropriating priceless treasures and art.

　　"We're having a lot of fun making the game and we think players will have just as much fun playing it," said Demis Hassabis, chief executive officer, Elixir Studios. "The lighthearted, mass-market appeal of Evil Genius, combined with the publishing power of Vivendi, is a perfect combination for a highly successful franchise."

　　Evil Genius will be unveiled behind closed doors at E3. The game is scheduled for release in late 2004.