Thanks to Evan Stein, Vice-President of Brand & Marketing for Acclaim; and David Dienstbier, Creative Director for Acclaim Studios Austin for this interview. (Please note that these questions were written before E3 2001.) Enjoy!

Planet GameCube: Why is Sega having you all handle the port of Crazy Taxi for GC? What additions/improvements could Nintendo fans who had Crazy Taxi for Dreamcast expect to see?

Evan Stein: Sega and Acclaim have a relationship that goes back many years.

Sega is confident that Acclaim will deliver a version that not only takes advantage of the power of the GameCube but also respects and enhances the license. Nintendo is equally confident in Acclaim's ability to deliver a version that takes advantage of the graphic power and speed of GameCube.

PGC: How would you compare development on the GameCube with development on the N64 in terms of development time/cost and difficulty?

David Dienstbier: The Gamecube is actually a lot more friendly from a development platform. We have been seeing great results with Gamecube at a far earlier state than we did when we were developing for the N64.

PGC: Has Nintendo's attitude with third parties changed with the move to the Game Boy Advance and GameCube? Are they more restrictive, more relaxed, somewhere in between?

Evan Stein: Nintendo has always been fair to Acclaim and we very much look forward to

continuing our mutually beneficial relationship.

PGC: Having displayed a deep interest in multi-player gaming with your ever-evolving Turok line is Net-play on the GameCube something you've looked into? If so, what are your plans and what state would you say Nintendo's GameCube networking plans are in? Will Turok be able to have a mouse/keyboard setup?

David Dienstbier: Obviously we are intensely interested in pushing all of our products' multiplayer capabilities through both split screen and online vehicles. We have looked into the online possibilities for all of our

titles for all 3 platforms we are currently developing for. That being said, it would not be responsible for us to comment specifically on any of our specific online plans for GameCube at this time. Suffice it to say that when you hear Nintendo's plans, you will hear ours shortly thereafter.

PGC: Are you keeping Brett Favre as your spokesperson for Quarterback Club?

Evan Stein: It is our plan to utilize Mr. Favre as the spokeman for NFL Quarterback Club 2002.

PGC: Are you planning on doing games that use the GBA and GameCube linking feature? Do you think this concept could benefit your future Nintendo titles?

Evan Stein: We do plan on using this link feature for a number of future titles that

will be announced shortly.

PGC: Will Turok 4 have any presence at E3?

Evan Stein: Turok: Evolution was featured as part of our "sneak peek" looks into the

future. It was very well received by retailers and the press alike.

PGC: Acclaim was certainly a major third-party ally for Nintendo during the N64 era & seems positioned to be the same bringing back many of Acclaim's hit franchises for the GameCube early on. Is this initial support just a sampling of what's to come or is Acclaim just "sampling" the GameCube as it

did with Dreamcast?

David Dienstbier: By no means are we just "sampling" the GameCube. Nintendo has demonstrated a knowledge and love of games that few companies can match. As gamers, we are always extremely excited to see what Nintendo will bring to the market next, and that enthusiasm carries over to our

GameCube development strategies as well.

PGC: Will you make use of the "1 cart 4 players" feature on the Game Boy Advance?

David Dienstbier: We cannot comment on any specific titles just yet, but the ability to use a single copy of a game to allow up to 4 players to participate is one of the most exciting aspects of the GBA hardware, and

something that we will certainly support.

PGC: What are your views on the launch dates and prices of Xbox and GCN?

Evan Stein: The launches have been announced with both planned to hit shelves the week

of Nov. 5 . We will leave pricing questions to the hardware companies.

PGC: "Analysts" are proclaiming that the GCN will be a "kiddie" console. Of course, we all know that this is reflective of Nintendo's past, and the company is trying to extend its image. Acclaim has certainly been one of the forerunners since the N64 with the Turok series and Shadowman, but are other companies willing to help Nintendo get out of this stereotype?

Evan Stein: As mentioned, Acclaim will support the GameCube from launch onward. Based on the scope of software planned for the system, we are confident that the

system will be appealing to younger and older gamers alike.

PGC: Any final comments on GameCube and GBA?

Evan Stein: As longtime partners with Nintendo, Acclaim is very excited to

be working on a compelling portfolio of titles for both the GameCube and Game Boy

Advance. Equally exciting is the opportunity to link the titles together,

which will offer gamers an even greater interactive experience. We have every confidence that the sytem will be very successful and that our games will generate a good deal of revenue for both companies.

PGC: Thanks for your time!