Atari Australia have signed a deal with SouthPeak Games, which will see the publisher distribute the upcoming, multiplayer-centric first person shooter Section 8, which is due for release in the third quarter of this year on the PC and the Xbox 360.

Currently in development at TimeGate Studios, Section 8 takes players to a science-fiction universe where "mankind's greatest battle is about to begin". With an insurrection ravaging the frontier colonies, the elite 8th Armoured Infantry division is sent to deal with the matter, using the "most advanced arsenal of military hardware".

The 8th Armoured Infantry division is nicknamed "Section 8", in reference to US military regulations that would see a member of the armed forces dismissed due to mental illness. The 8th Armoured Infantry is given the nickname as they often volunteer for "near-suicidal missions".

The game will see players deployed from drop ships, with the fairly simply missions "scout and secure difficult objectives" and destroy "enemy defences in lightning-quick assaults".

In the game, players will be able to "dynamically alter the flow of combat", using on-demand vehicle deliveries and "tactical assets". Players will be given the ability to drop into the action from Orbital drop ships, allowing hem to enter the battlefield straight away.

The game is powered by the Unreal 3 Engine, which means the net code and multi player functionality should work directly out of the box. The graphics aren't looking too shabby either. (We've got a bunch of screenshots on the mirror!). Whether the gameplay mechanics are well executed or not, is a question that probably won't be answered until the game sees release.