Video-game linking planned

Catapault Entertainment Inc., a small technology firm backed by Blockbuster Entertainment Corp., yesterday introduced a modem and phone service that will let people play video games with friends in other homes and neighborhoods.

The $50 device won't go on sale until this fall and will be available first in large cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta. Catapault will charge $5 to $10 a month for people to subscribe to the phone service that links video game players.

The Catapault service will work with popular titles of the Sega and Nintendo game systems.