Atari has today announced that it plans to release Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 later this year. Currently in development at Dimps, the game will purportedly be packed with new features, although no further details have been released at this time.

　　"Right from the start, our main aim was to create a faithful Dragon Ball Z video game experience," said Martin Spiess, senior vice president of marketing, Atari Europe. "By working closely with Bandai throughout and hitting the high standards the franchise demands, we have seen the fan base grow beyond the hardcore Dragon Ball Z audience. With an incredibly strong 2004 product lineup on the way, it's a trend that looks set to continue."

　　"Atari's work to date has established Dragon Ball Z as a very significant franchise within the interactive entertainment industry. What most of our fans want are games that not only satisfy their devotion to the Dragon Ball Z universe but also offer a great gameplay experience in their own right," added Naoki Eguchi of Bandai Europe. "Atari's skills in these areas means it is uniquely placed as a company to bring these elements together, and, as a result, [it] continues to release fantastic DBZ games."

　　We'll bring you more information on Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 as soon as it becomes available.