Already rumored earlier this week, it is now slowly becoming fact.Franco-American video game publisher Infogrames Inc., in an effort to increase its profile with consumers by reaching back into gaming history, on Wednesday said it would change its name to Atari. To mark the new Atari Inc. and the new ticker symbol 'ATAR', Chief Executive Bruno Bonnell is set to open the Nasdaq on Wednesday. On top of that i have noticed that one of my PR contact changed the Infogrames account to Atari.

Crowd Control Productions has issued the first patch for EVE Online: the Second Genesis, bringing their just-released MMO space game to build 1000. This patch can be used if the auto-updater doesn't work, but there are no details on the changes in this patch (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

Galactic Civilizations is a strategy game set in space at the dawn of the 23rd century, where you become the leader of the human civilization. The galaxy has 6 major civilizations and the race is on to colonize, conquer, and dominate the galaxy using whatever means necessary. Strategy First/Stardock have released a new demo which lets you play the Federalist party in a small galaxy until the year 2190. Read more for download links ...

The Sims2, the next generation of the #1 PC franchise of all time, is currently under development at the company's Walnut Creek-based Maxis studio. For the first time, players control The Sims over an entire lifetime for the very first time. Every choice that is made has a relevant and dramatic effect on the life of a Sim. More life-like Sims, all new gameplay, and the ground-breaking addition of genetics, with the DNA of Sims passed down through generations, gives players a more vivid, realistic, and in-depth Sims experience. All of this takes place in a new amazingly life-like 3-D world. Read more for the first screens and they look quite amazing screens!

Konami of America, Inc. announced today that Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow has shipped to retail outlets nationwide. From the creators of the critically acclaimed Castelvania: Symphony of the Night for PlayStation, and last year's handheld game of the year, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is the 16th U.S. video game release in the 17-year-old series and marks the franchise's third installment on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance.

Vivendi Universal Games announced today that Kent, England-based Pocket Studios is developing the handheld video game The Incredible Hulk for GBA. The video game is based on the enormously popular original Marvel classic comic book series The Incredible Hulk. Players must guide the Hulk through six destructible worlds including military compounds, barren deserts, subterranean cities, underground caves, and earth's distant future. Thirty-three intense levels of gameplay challenge players to defeat infamous villains from the original Hulk comics. Read more for new hulkilicious screens as well as a spiffy new trailer ...

As U.S. Army Sergeant John Baker, players join the battle at Kasserine Pass in North Africa, race to capture Messina in Sicily, and finally repel the German army at the historic battle of Monte Battaglia in the heart of Italy. Armed with a new arsenal of weapons, players will fight alone and with squad mates as they rush to stop the Axis powers. Some more screens ...

Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII, the second expansion pack to the highly acclaimed Battlefield 1942 title, significantly enhances the gaming experience by bringing the most bizarre and deadly weapons from the German and Allied laboratories to the Battlefield. From top secret, cutting edge weapons to secret forces and secret places, a new level of drama and excitement will be added to the Battlefield experience. Check these new screens!

Today we have another motherload of new screens from various PlayStation 2 titles that will be displayed at the coming E3 event. We got screens from : BattleStar Galactica, Big Mutha Truckers, Alter Echo, Arc The Lad, Baldur's Gate:Dark Alliance II, Celebrity DeathMatch, FireWarrior, Finding Nemo, The Great Escape, Dead Aim, Futurama, The Hulk, Splashdown2, Hit & Run, Speedkings, Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain and Hot Wheels Highway 35 World Race.. Njoy!

Port Royale presents a dynamically open ended world, featuring a unique style which is totally unscripted. Discover the secret pirate and player hideouts as you battle with up to 12 ships in 3D sea battles. You have the freedom to trade in each town, each with over 100 dedicated missions. The computer will randomly generate new missions, giving you thousands of possible outcomes, displaying expansive gameplay. Try your hand at real-time 16th and 17th Century piracy, trading, construction, and buccaneering in this fully playable demo of Port Royale! The v1.4.0.2 update patch rectifies errors relating to the Autosave Crash, Copy Protection, Allgemeine Exception, and Scripting on Mission Descriptions. Some language translation issues have also been addressed. Read more for details and download links ...

In production at Firefly Studios, the creators behind the million selling Stronghold series, Space Colony promises a gaming experience that's out of this world. Through a series of unique and pioneering missions players will be given the opportunity to combine all the intricacies of running a Space Colony with the most disfunctional crew ever assembled, whilst fighting off aliens and attempting to make a profit. Read more for details and the first screens ...

Take on the role of John McClane, probably the unluckiest cop in motion picture history. Die Hard: Vendetta is a first person shooter (FPS) where tactics and stealth are as important as having a big gun and being a quick shot. With unprecedented character interaction, superbly rich environments and some amazing in-game cinematics, this game will explode Die Hard into the 21st century. We've seen the Gamecube and PS2 version, now its turn for John McClane to get on the Xbox. Check out the first screens!

Microïds is proud to announce today the development of Memorick, The Apprentice Knight, an innovative 3D action adventure platformer based on the Arthurian legends and exclusive to the Xbox. The game is being created at the developer/publisher's Montreal-based studios and is scheduled for a Christmas 2003 release date. Read more for details and first screens ...

Already revealed yesterday, but today the official announcement rolled in. Activision, Inc. will plunge players into the dark and gritty vampire underworld of modern Los Angeles with the announcement of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines for the PC. Seamlessly combining role playing with intense first-person action combat, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines allows players to become a dangerous creature of the night as they assume the role of a recently embraced fledgling vampire in the service of the city's dark prince. Vampire: The Masquerade- Bloodlines is being developed by Troika Games, whose founding members' credits include the award-winning Fallout, and is based on White Wolf's renowned pen-and-paper Vampire: The Masquerade RPG series. Built using Valve's Source Technology - the same game technology used to power Half-Life 2, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines has not yet received an age rating and is expected to ship in 2004.

Xicat Interactive, Inc. today announced that it will present a fresh line up of titles at the 2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo May 14 -16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Xicat is set to exhibit highly anticipated titles such as ChopLifter: Crisis Shield for the PS2, Motor Trend presents Lotus Challenge for the Xbox, GameCube and PC, and Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal for Playstation2, Xbox and GameCube. In addition, several new titles will be announced at the show and others displayed behind closed doors, including one GameCube title, one Xbox title, and two PC titles. The stand will also feature live demos, interactive media, and exclusive contests.

Unlike other Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) that confine the player to a server with only several hundred other players, Wish raises the bar by defining Ultra Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (UMMORPG). Wish employs a server cluster architecture that scales to tens of thousands of players in a shared and seamless 3D fantasy world. Read more to check out 10 new screens ...

In Full Throttle: Hell On Wheels, players climb on a Corley motorcycle to become the biker they've always dreamed of in this humorous adventure that blends bare-knuckle brawling and hard-driving action. As Ben, leader of a renegade motorcycle gang called the Polecats, players engage rough and tumble rivals in brutal high speed motorcycle combat as well as tough bar room brawls. Read more to check out 4 new screens ...

In the savage, rough and tumble days of the American West, a hard working, homestead family is attacked by desperados, robbed of their possessions, and left for dead. One lone survivor, a boy named "Red", is taken in by an Indian, given a home and taught the ways of survival. Years later, a mysterious gunfighter appears in town and the lawless begin to fear for their lives. The old West will never be the same as Red fights with honor, seeking vengeance on the savage outlaws of the frontier.

Simon & Schuster Interactive announced today Crowd Control Productions' (CCP), highly anticipated massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) "EVE Online: The Second Genesis" has shipped to retail in North America and will be arriving at retailers over the next several days (Rated "T" by the ESRB; $49.95 estimated street with one month online time included).

Hercules is pleased to announce the launch of its new XPS X.100 range of speakers, providing high-fidelity audio performance combined with an attractive high-tech design for a variety of multimedia uses. The first entry in the range will be XPS 2.100 Silver, the perfect 2.1-channel speaker kit for families and audio enthusiasts, followed by XPS 5.100 Silver, a 5.1-channel solution for a home theatre experience.

Spanish publisher Planeta DeAgostini Interactive is preparing the release of the award-winner developer Revistronic's adventure Fenimore Fillmore: The Westerner in October. The company is still negotiating with different partners its distribution worldwide, and will be presenting it next E3 2003.

Atari announced today that worldwide retail orders for Enter the Matrix for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, the Nintendo GameCube and personal computer (PC) have surpassed 4 million copies. The game will be available worldwide on May 15, in conjunction with the release of the highly anticipated second installment of the Matrix film trilogy, The Matrix Reloaded.

Infogrames is taking a wild trip around the world with RollerCoaster Tycoon 2: Wacky Worlds. The new expansion pack, shipping today to retail outlets nationwide, takes gamers on the ultimate trip around the globe - no passport or luggage required. Developed by Chris Sawyer, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2: Wacky Worlds is rated "E" for Everyone, and carries an approximate retail price of $29.99.

The most successful football management series ever for video game consoles is set to evolve this October as Codemasters confirms LMA Manager 2004 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Introducing major new gameplay elements, LMA Manager 2004 will be a true advancement for the series, renowned as the most emotive and entertaining football management game designed exclusively for console players. Making it as stimulating visually as it is mentally, LMA Manager 2004 will give the series a whole new look. There are also more flexible management options, even more 2003/2004-season player stats, an engrossing new Fantasy Team game mode and, for seasoned managers, a challenging Expert setting in the full game.

Ubi Soft Entertainment, one of the world's leading video game publishers, today announced an exclusive agreement with Sony Online Entertainment to publish the eagerly awaited PlanetSide in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Quebec and Japan. Currently in development, the game is the first massively multiplayer online action game that allows literally thousands of gamers to play at the same time. Its global release on PC CD-ROM is scheduled for the week debuting May 19, 2003, with the UK release date scheduled for May 23, 2003. European gamers will benefit from a server that is based in Amsterdam, thus providing great service with regards to connection and customer support. Check out the screens!

MCV UK reports that Infogrames will be making the switch to the Atari brand name tomorrow (May 7th). As the firm prepares to ship a staggering 3.5m units of Enter The Matrix around the world, strong rumours of a name-switch to Atari have been growing for some time – with logic suggesting that an announcement would be made at the looming E3 trade show in Los Angeles. It appears, however, that the switch will be completed ahead of the show, giving Infogrames staff a little time to get used to the new corporate identity ahead of the LA expo.

TDK Mediactive, Inc. a global publisher of interactive entertainment software, is set to officially debut its 2003 product lineup, its most extensive and most powerful to date, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles May 14-16, 2003. Check out the lineup below!

Open your diary and put a big red circle around Friday 13th June. That should be enough to remind you not only to avoid walking under ladders or approaching black cats, but also that Ash is back. And he's back in the biggest bloodiest hack and slash gore-fest imaginable. Ash is the chainsaw-armed hero of Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick: a brand new action adventure title due for release by THQ Inc. on Friday June 13th for both PS2 and Xbox.

For the first time ever, consumers and game enthusiasts will get a first-hand virtual look inside the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3Expo), the world's preeminent interactive entertainment trade show, the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) announced today. The Web site, E3Insider, will launch on May 14th at 10am when E3Expo's doors open to thousands of industry professionals at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Majorem is on its way to E3 with the latest available demonstration of Ballerium, and today we received a small progress report. Ballerium is a fully persistent MMPORTS (Massive Multiplayer online Real-Time Strategy Game) with final release set to occur Q4 2003... Read more for the progress report!

Renowned for their daring stunts, racing on all terrain and competing against all comers Motorcross Mania 2 takes this to the 'X'! Containing all the action of the thrilling first Motorcross Mania but with improved turning accuracy, enhanced graphics, updated bikes and stunts to leave you in awe! Man and machine battling side by side across 3 levels, each with 3 different courses. There is even an Edit Track feature to make your style of racing even more extreme. Catch big air on jumps to do awesome stunts and get ready to experience the 'X' for yourself! Read more for some screens ...

Empire Interactive plc ("Empire") is pleased to announce a key distribution deal with Canadian company Digital Leisure Inc. ("Digital Leisure") to launch the eJay music software range for PC in North America. The deal, which covers the USA and Canada, consists of 24 SKUs scheduled to debut from mid May 2003.

Based on a true story, players take on the role of Roman, a cockney criminal mastermind and leader of a gang of accidental heroes known as the Lionhearts. Armed to the hilt with an arsenal of outrageously powerful firearms, Roman and his crew of Robin Hood wannabes - Jonesy, Q1-11, and Rexus - set out to pull off the ultimate heist and are unwittingly drawn into a rebellion against a tyrant king. In the process the Lionhearts learn some treasures aren't worth stealing and some things are more valuable than gold. The game is being developed in conjunction with Planet Moon Studios and is expected to release winter 2003 for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and PC.

War Times is a Real-Time Strategy game that lets players follow the tumultuous era of the Second World War through the actions of Germany, Great Britain, the USA or the USSR; each nation is totally different and uses unique strategies in their attack and defense and all the campaigns are based on real historical events, bringing an unparalleled realism to the fight. Check the new screens...

Microsoft is planning some major changes to its Xbox online gaming experience, even before its launched, industry sources said on Monday. The tech giant is readying a new version which facilitates advanced community features, allowing players to voice chat with their friends online as well as use the Xbox as a media centre. Detailed improvements are expected to be unveiled at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.