Hamburg - PC game manufacturers are among those who do not like summer as many consumers prefer to be outdoors enjoying the weather rather than playing computer games. As a result, manufacturers slashes the number of releases dramatically during this period. 

Meanwhile, marketing campaigns are kicking into high gear to build up hype for autumn releases and this year is no exception. There's Spore, which has already been widely praised. Other highlights include the online role-playing game, Warhammer, and the real-time Starcraft II, which hopes to build on the success of its successor. 

Much has already been written about Spore. The game is unlikely to play a less prominent role in the media in the run up to its September release. Excitement is running high owing to the game's concept and its creator, Will Wright, who has already enjoyed worldwide success with Sim City and The Sims. 

Spore will try to explore new gaming concepts and use a familiar gaming approach. Players have to create new life forms and shepherd them up the evolutionary ladder from single-celled organisms into an independent and successful culture that can rule the world by the end of the game. Released by Electronic Arts (EA), Spore borrows concepts from standard jump and run games, but also elements from design and real-time strategy games. 

German game company dtp draws on other familiar gaming genres: namely role-playing games. Once a niche industry, role-playing games are now central to the computer gaming industry, whether online or for individual players. 

Dtp's latest offer, The Dark Eye: Drakensang, is due out in August. The single-player game draws on the same rules as the pen-and-paper version of the role playing game and is designed to bring the fantasy world to 3-D life on a computer screen. 

Ascaron is another German company trying to make its mark with role-playing games in the second half of 2008. Its offer, Sacred 2, is intended to build on the success of the first game. While the first game often relied on conventional 2-D imaging, the new version has been upgraded to 3-D. But at its core, it remains true to the original: players spend their time defeating monsters and gathering treasure. 

Since the release of the World of Warcraft (WoW), gamers have tended to prefer role playing games where they can go online together, exploring strange worlds and defeating opponents. The next big title in this vein is Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. EA plans to release it in September. The game's graphics hearken back to WoW. But gameplay focuses more on confrontations between players. 

Another online role-playing game scheduled for an autumn release is Chronicles of Spellborn. WoW will also release the Wrath of the Lich King. 

The focus on role-playing games does not mean a vacation for other branches. EA plans to release Command & Conquer: Red Alert, building upon the successful real-time strategy game. Vivendi Games has announced the release of Starcraft II. The first version of the game enjoys almost cult status and has become a national pasttime in South Korea. 

Games with plenty of weapons remain popular. One of this year's highlights will most likely be Far Cry 2, from Ubisoft. Like the first version of the game, the game promises impressive graphics. While the first game was set on a lush island, the action moves to Africa this time. 

There are also a few surprise titles, like Ghostbusters - The Video Game. More than 20 years after the movie's release, Sierra is bringing the Ghostbusters to the PC. Just like the movie, the game's script and dialogue were written by Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis, which keeps the plot familiar. Players have to rid Manhattan of ghosts and other bizarre objects. 

But all these releases are weeks away, giving gamers a little more time to enjoy beer gardens and swimming outdoors before returning to the serious world of computer gaming. (dpa)