Sega of America (thanks Frans) offers the promised announcement of the first-person shooter under the new Alien license (story), confirming Gearbox as the developer (story). No platforms or release date are specified, though the term "next-generation" is bandied about:

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (December 15, 2006) - SEGA® of America Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced the signing of critically-acclaimed developer Gearbox Software to create a first-person shooter title based on the Alien film franchise for the next-generation systems with license from Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising. The agreement complements the recent announcement of an Alien RPG title for the next-generation systems to be developed by Obsidian Entertainment.

Gearbox Software is a leading developer in the first-person shooter genre, producing titles for the industry's top franchises including Brothers in Arms, Halo and Half Life. They consistently produce best-selling titles and have garnered numerous industry awards. Gearbox Software's FPS Alien title will retain the atmospheric look and feel of the original films while leveraging next-generation technology to create an entirely new interactive Alien experience.

"Gearbox Software has a storied history of bringing innovative and compelling design to the FPS category," said Simon Jeffery, President and COO, SEGA of America, Inc. "Combining their design talents with the intense action of the Alien franchise ensures that gamers will have an immersive and action-packed experience."

"The Alien series has been a tremendous influence for myself, the people at Gearbox Software and the video games industry in general," said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. "The opportunity to work with the amazing people at SEGA and Fox to build a next generation video game in the Alien universe is one of those dream projects that is a perfect fit for our capability and our passion."

Since its 1979 debut, Alien and its three sequels have grossed more than $557 million worldwide, garnering numerous awards, including two Academy Awards®. In 2002, Alien was deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. For more information, please visit www.sega.com/aliens