Slew of new PC games and hardware for 1999 and beyond.

Thirteen is not a lucky number but that’s how many new PC games Microsoft has on its plate. These games - along with some nifty new hardware devices - were demonstrated at Gamestock, the annual press day Microsoft’s games division holds on its Redmond, Washington campus.

Heading up the software line up is Age of Empires II, the sequel to one of the best-selling realtime strategy games last year. The new edition is subtitled The Age of Kings, as it covers a thousand years of history, from the fall of Rome to the end of the Middle Ages.

Also highly visible were a trio of new games from Digital Anvil, the start-up founded by Chris Roberts. The flagship title from Anvil is probably Freelancer, a Wing Commander-type game that Roberts himself is personally overseeing. Other games from Digital Anvil include Conquest and Loose Cannon.

On the sports front, Microsoft hopes to challenge EA Sports, with Baseball 2000, Microsoft NFL Football, Championship Soccer, and NBA Drive 2000. Two vehicle combat games are also in the works - Midtown Madness and Full Auto - as well as a massively multiplayer RPG, Asheron’s Call. Rounding out the games are Allegiance, a space combat game, and Pandora’s Box, a puzzle collection.

Along with the games, the hardware division is also introducing two new controllers, the SideWinder Pro and the SideWinder Zule. The SideWinder Pro is a redesigned version of the current gamepad, with new styling and USB functionality, while the Zulu is a brand new product, a 3D controller designed to replace the keyboard and mouse in first-person shooters. Both will be released this autumn.