Praetorians is an epic 3D strategy game set at the time of Julius Caesar's campaigns to expand the frontier's of the Roman Empire. Taking on the role of a Roman General you are transported back to the deserts of Egypt, the frozen lands of the Gauls and to the heart of the Empire itself, Italy. Eidos has released some screens earlier today giving us a glimpse at the Gauls showing "Barbarian troops destroying armies, villages, basically anything that stands in their way".

"Lufia: The Ruins of Lore", the next title in the wildly popular Lufia role-playing series has been delayed from its original shipping date in March to late April. Developed for the Game Boy Advance, the title will be released in North America in the Spring of 2003. This exciting new chapter follows the adventures of Eldin and his childhood friends, Torma and Rami, as they strive to solve the mystery of the ancient ruins and halt the resurrection of an evil beast whose power could eradicate humanity.

You are Skye of Lynlora, a shepherd with a restless spirit, a taste for adventure, and a smart mouth. Your humdrum existence of Dwentil herding is changed forever the day you find a strange orange object - a Skittle. No sooner do you seize it than you are gifted with mysterious power - of the fireball hurling variety. Unfortunately, a nasty rift also opens up in reality, belching forth a horde of nightmare creatures who seem to regard you as Public Enemy Number One. They want your little discovery. There was never a demo released by US publisher SSI, but now UK publisher Oxygen released an official demo featuring one playable level from the retail product (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

Battlefront.com has just released the v1.02 patch for Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin (PC Gamers Turn Based Strategy Game of the Year). This patch includes 17 new and improved vehicle and gun models, refinements to several commands and further tweaks to the fatigue and moral systems. Added Features include a new "pure armor" Quick Battle force type which will only allow "armor" units to be purchased plus dozens of unit and weapon/armor data updates and bug fixes. CDV will be releasing the v1.02 for the European Windows version of CMBB in the next few days, if not sooner. Read more for download links and detailed fix list ...

Somewhere far away lays the land of powerful demons and breath taking beauty. The land of brave knights, doom and salvation. Land of many faces where marvelous adventures await your arrival. Sharpen your swords and gather up enough magic power because in the end of this summer a strategic delicacy arrives - Empire of Magic. Check out the new batch of screens as well as a DiVX trailer ...

Players will experience fast-paced shooter action through 10 huge varied levels and additional expertly designed multiplayer maps. The Ancient Greek/Roman setting allows for unique weapons that support the game's theme, including a Medusa Gun, Flaming Crossbow and Acid Rifle. The game's "real-time shattering" technology allows for a wealth of breakable objects, providing gamers with the experience of a truly interactive environment. With Will Rock's advanced gameplay technology and level design, players must rely on both quick thinking and reactions to solve environmental puzzles and survive the hardcore action!

Electronic Arts has just released the long-anticipated patch for James Bond 007: NightFire, bringing the superspy first-person shooter by Gearbox Software to version 1.1. This release adds two new multiplayer maps (Combat Training map Istanbul and CTF map Space Station), a dedicated server executable, gameplay tweaks, AI and crash fixes, and more (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for details and download links ...

Ubi Soft Entertainment announced today that the popular squad-based combat game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon for the Nintendo GameCube has shipped and will arrive on store shelves shortly.

For 2003, Hasbro, Inc. delivers a host of new Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers and Tiger Electronics games that are fresh and contemporary for today's kids (both young and old), yet provide a familiar game play pattern that is comforting for all members of the family.

id Software and Activision announced today they are canceling the retail release of Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory. Despite a strong effort from talented developers, the single player portion of the game did not progress as anticipated. Canceling the release was a difficult decision made in the best interest of the Wolfenstein franchise and fans. However, we remain excited about the progress and direction of Enemy Territory multiplayer. Over the next several months the focus of our development will be to complete the multiplayer portion of Enemy Territory and provide it as a free downloadable expansion to Return to Castle Wolfenstein.

Origin Systems, an Electronic Arts development studio, today announced that it has begun shipping Ultima Online: Age of Shadows, an exciting new expansion in the award-winning Ultima Online (UO) series. Ultima Online: Age of Shadows delivers just what fans requested including a new house building tool, more professions, a new land to explore and settle and a new magic items system.

Codemasters, a UK-based videogame publishing giant, today announced that its upcoming title, IndyCar Series, will feature Penske Racing, the most successful Indy car racing team in history. Read more for details and a batch of fresh screens ...

Infogrames Europe and Thrustmaster are pleased to announce that they have joined forces to take aim at the world of Xbox gaming with two exclusive new offerings for hours of adrenaline-filled excitement. Thrustmaster will launch its Beretta 92FS light gun for Xbox to coincide with Infogrames' European release of The House of the Dead III, the latest installment in Sega's blockbuster series and the first Xbox title to feature light gun support.

Konami of America, Inc. announced today that Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters for the GBA has shipped to retail outlets nationwide. We'll try to get our hands on a copy asap and give it the WP treatment (not sure wether that is a good thing or not though ;)

Sabotage 1943 is an upcoming WWII FPS by German developers Replay Studios. Not much information is yet available as their website is mainly in German. Read more to check out the promising looking screens and stay tuned for more details shortly!

'Nam - Tour of Duty, is Atomic Planet's exciting new take on the first-person action game: an innovative blend of adventure and tactical gameplay recreating all the tension and ferocity of combat in the Vietnam War. 'Nam - Tour of Duty is currently in development for the PlayStation2 and all other major platforms. Today we got some screens and a trailer to show you what its all about ... Read more to check out the candy!

Developed by Ubi Soft's Montreal studio in close collaboration with Red Storm Entertainment, Raven Shield features a brand new Tom Clancy storyline in which Team RAINBOW is led all over the world in a series of dramatic operations. The game will utilize graphics technology provided by the next-generation Unreal engine to power 15 new single-player missions that include the discovery of a cache of biological weapons and stopping an armed gang from terrorizing a London bank. Yesterday we had some screens and a trailer showing off the opening door maneuver, today we yet again got some brand new screens as well as a new trailer showing off some in-game footage that highlights a few basic commands from the Fluid Peek and Door Opening maneuvers in the game. Read more to check out the goodies!

Midlands developer Blitz Games has made a new appointment this month, promoting Project Manager Darren Wood to the newly created role of Development Manager. This new role will be to assist and support the Chief Technical Officer and to oversee the development of all the company's projects, working closely with each of the development teams. He will report directly to the company's four directors. This will leave CTO Andrew Oliver to focus on the strategic progression of the company's development tools and services, including its out-sourcing policy.

Independent developer Blitz Games has just signed a development deal with publisher Empire Interactive under a license with Sony Pictures Consumer Products to develop games based on the upcoming film Bad Boys II. Martin Lawrence and Will Smith are back - and oh, so bad - on the streets of Miami in Bad Boys II, reuniting them with producer Jerry Brukheimer and director Michael Bay for a Summer 2003 release. The multi-million dollar marketing support has already kicked off with an action packed teaser spot in this year's Super Bowl - which is one of the most important advertising events of the year.

ITE Media is proud to announce another release from the Hugo range, Hugo - Black Diamond Fever which will be available on PC from 11th February and PS One from 14th April.

As the world prepares to celebrate the 100th anniversary of powered flight, Microsoft Corp. today announced that "Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight" is in development and cleared for takeoff this July. With "Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight," the next milestone in the award-winning "Flight Simulator" franchise, Microsoft celebrates 20 years of developing and perfecting computer flight simulation.

THQ Inc. today announced the release of PRIDE FC for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. Created exclusively for PlayStation 2 by Anchor of Japan, PRIDE FC is now available at major retail outlets nationwide... Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today that World Tour Soccer 2003 from the 989 Sports group is now available in stores, marking the latest release of the critically acclaimed videogame franchise, developed exclusively for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

Vivendi and Interplay today announced the development of Hunter: The Reckoning Redeemer, developed by High Voltage Software exclusively for the Xbox. Based on the gothic world of White Wolf's pen and paper role-playing games, Hunter: The Reckoning is returning to Xbox fueled with more intense action than the original. An all-new character joins the original team of four to destroy hordes of new supernatural enemies in never before seen areas. Single or multi-player battles will be waged with the addition of new weapons, power ups, edges (spells) and Hunter-specific combat moves.

UPDATE: 11 screens are added!

Unleashing an exciting new action hero within the popular platform gaming genre, Acclaim today announced that it has shipped its eagerly anticipated title, VEXX, for the PS2, Xbox and GameCube. Developed by Acclaim's internal development studio in Austin, Texas, VEXX is an original game that allows players to assume the role of the title character as he embarks on a heroic, combat-laden quest to seek vengeance on those that enslaved his people.

Electronic Arts today announced that The Sims turns three this month. The Sims, the wildly popular computer game, now available on the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and online, skyrocketed to the top of the charts when it began shipping to stores in February 2000 and remains a top seller in virtually every major game market worldwide.

Eutechnyx have announced that their redneck racing simulator, Big Mutha Truckers is thundering its way toward release on PC and Nintendo GameCube. The downside is that PC and GameCube owners will have to wait until April to get their hands on the unique driving game that's received rave reviews following its release on PlayStation2 and Xbox in December 2002. The good news is that developers Eutechnyx are adding additional features not present in the previous releases.

Developed by THQ’s studio, Volition, Red Faction 2 is the sequel to one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed original game franchises of 2001. Featuring an enhanced Geo-Mod engine that allows players to strategically alter and destroy the game environment in real-time, Red Faction 2 expands and builds upon the experience and technology of the original game. Defend your country as Alias, a demolitions expert, with the help of five elite squad members, each specialized in their own means of destruction. Fight through diverse levels using vehicles, an arsenal of specialized weapons and explosives in a rampage to overthrow the government... Check out 16 new shots!

GET READY, GET WET, GO! Splashdown 2 takes the sport of watercraft racing to an all-new level! Theme park spectacle and wild arcade fun is the heart of this game. Incredible, dynamic environments with plenty to see and do, blazing speed and even more acrobatic tricks, and a whimsical, imaginative sense of fun! 14 new screens below!

AlienPants Ltd has been contracted by Nicely Crafted Entertainment, creators of the Massively Multiplayer Real Time Strategy Game Time of Defiance to provide Public Relations for the company and the game. AlienPants will bring their expertise in large online communities to assist Nicely Crafted in raising the profile of Time of Defiance in the UK and Europe, as well as managing the release of information regarding the monthly updates.

BigWorld Pty Ltd, Micro Forte's official licensing agent for BigWorld massively multiplayer technology today announced its Early Access Program for the highly anticipated BigWorld Technology. With over $8M and three years in development, the technology offers the world's most scalable, fault-tolerant, and customisable MMOG middleware available. Microsoft is using BigWorld technology in its eagerly-awaited new title by MicroForte on the Xbox.

Multiplay, the UK's leading "LAN Party" organisers today announced the sponsorship of their upcoming i15 event by the game publisher Codemasters. This sponsorship will bring prize-winning tournaments to the event for two of the latest games from Codemasters, the first-person shooter Project IGI2 and long awaited sequel to Toca Touring Cars 2, Toca Race Driver. A prize fund of £1,500 is up for grabs in the IGI2 tournament, which will be played on the retail version of the game due for release on the 21st February. The tournament will see up to 48 clans (teams) battling it out for a share in the prize money. To make things interesting, the i15 tournament play will include a completely new map, pre-released exclusively to i15 attendees.

(Reuters) - Video game publisher Nintendo said on Tuesday that three January raids in south China netted 300,000 counterfeit games, spotlighting the ongoing war by western firms against piracy in China. The games were seized at three factories in Guangdong province -- a hotbed of pirating activity in China for high- and low-tech products alike, experts said. Nintendo spokeswoman Jodi Daugherty could not give a value for the products seized. She said Nintendo, maker of Game Boy hand-held consoles, seized one million counterfeit products in 2002, and backed 135 raids on Chinese factories that year. Nintendo estimates counterfeiting cost the company and its licencees about US$649 million in lost sales in 2002. Daugherty said a main focus of the company's efforts to combat the problem has been on China.

Software giant Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday said it would cut the price on some best-selling titles for its Xbox video game console, a week after rival Nintendo cut some game and hardware prices in a bid to spur sales.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said the "Platinum Hits" program would start with more than a dozen titles at a price of about $19.99 each. Top titles for the Xbox, which holds the No. 2 position in the U.S. market, usually retail for $49 or in some cases $39. Among the titles to be offered at the discounted price are Xbox hits like Microsoft's "Amped Freestyle Snowboarding" and "Project Gotham Racing" and third-party titles like Electronic Arts Inc.'s "Bond: Agent Under Fire" and Activision Inc.'s "Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions."

Today the Dutch-based company TRC Development b.v. launches SimKits. This is a unique product line of kits with simulator parts, that allows cockpit self-builders to build gauges for twelve different airplane cockpits. The new website with the SimKits shop features the complete line of kits.

Mindscape, a leading software publisher is proud to announce the release of GI Combat - Episode 1: Battle of Normandy for PC CD-ROM on 7 March 2003. GI Combat is a real-time tactical combat game that engulfs players in the battles of Normandy, from the beaches to St. Lo, during the Second World War.

Mindscape is pleased to announce the release of O.R.B (Off World Resource Base), licensed from Strategy First. O.R.B will be released in March 2003 for PC CD-ROM, priced at £19.99... More about Off World Resource Base below!

UPDATE: Six screenshots added to celebrate the imminent UK release.

In Dual Blades it’s a duel to the death as all-mighty immortality is at stake. Alperen, the World’s Greatest Warrior summons all combatants past and present to release the immortal curse or face death. Alperen possesses the ultimate prize, Dual Blades, a mysterious sword that gives powers beyond belief and bestows the coveted immortality. It’s a battle for challengers to gain the Dual Blades or die.