John Woo has optioned Nintendo's video game franchise "Metroid" for the big screen. It's the latest move demonstrating the director's commitment to interactive entertainment properties because it comes as Woo is developing three original titles at his Tiger Hill video game studio using Hollywood talent.

Mnemonic Studio is the latest addition to the game development community in Denmark and while the studio has barely seen the light of day, its founder and current President & CEO, Hans F. Olsen has burned plenty of midnight oil.

Atari, Inc. today announced the launch of the Company's first online software service that delivers its back-catalog titles over the Internet to Atari fans worldwide. The service will distribute the software to personal computers in pure digital form, bypassing the need to install from a disk. Unlimited access to Atari's growing e-catalog of games, productivity software, and kids' software is available at www.atariondemand.com for a monthly fee of $14.95.

Interactive entertainment publisher, Mastiff LLC announced today that they will be publishing another of Nippon Ichi Software Inc’s great tactical RPGs, La Pucelle: Tactics, exclusively for the PlayStation2 in early May 2004. La Pucelle uses a similar battle system to the 2003 award-winning game, Disgaea, also a Nippon Ichi Software title. Read more for details and screens ...

Crimson Tears takes place in Tokyo--50 years from now--where a biotechnology company named Weponix secretively controls the world as an underground manufacturer of war machines. Crimson Tears consists of randomly generated dungeons. In the beginning of each dungeon, the player is situated in a base where characters and equipment can be chosen. Once in the dungeon, the player must fight enemies, find items, beat the middle boss, and then return back to the base.

Another day, another batch of game trailers were released. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are trailers for :

• The Matrix Online - Trailer
• Transformers - Trailer
• The Bard's Tale - Trailer
• Red Ninja: End Of Honor - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

A few weeks ago SCEA revealed that Naughty Dog is working on the next installment for their top selling 'Jak and Daxter' franchise. Not much details have been available on this third installment so these screens and intro movie (thanks GameInformer) will have to do for now. Read more to check out the goodies ...

Burnout 3 takes the series even further, now featuring a unique 'crash and burn' racing concept and a one-of-a-kind special effects engine that delivers spectacular visuals. The intensity heats up as players race, and often crash, their way through oncoming traffic in an attempt to claim the top spot. Check the new screens ...

ESPN Videogames today announced that ESPN Major League Baseball has shipped to major retailers across North America. Boasting stunning visual realism and unparalleled gameplay, ESPN Major League Baseball offers the most authentic baseball experience on the market. ESPN Major League Baseball is the only game to feature ESPN telecast elements and a variety of new features. ESPN Major League Baseball and all other ESPN Videogames titles are produced by Visual Concepts-Sega's sports studio.

After the successful commercial launch of BiosFear, and a frantic 24 hour endurance gaming event, Tiscali Games today announced the first major update for BiosFear. “Battle for Winter Castle” will open the doors to a new world with a totally unique style that blends Asian-inspired architecture with the might of Western Castles.

Capcom today announced Crimson Tears for the PlayStation2. Crimson Tears is a futuristic 3D action game set in Tokyo, year 2049. Players take on the role of one of three inhuman “biological war weapons” that must battle hordes of enemies and maneuver through maze like environments as they investigate the cause of a mysterious disaster that has left the city incapacitated. Crimson Tears is planned for release throughout North America this July.

To commemorate the 15th anniversary of its world renowned street brawlers that started a phenomenon and created a generation of video game fighters, Capcom today announced Street Fighter Anniversary Collection for the PS2. Bringing together an all encompassing fighting title, the collection will be comprised of Hyper Street Fighter II, a blend of the previous Street Fighter II editions which will incorporate the character variations and features found throughout the series, and the arcade smash hit Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

Encore has released a playable beta demo for Wings Simulations online multiplayer shooter SÖLDNER: Secret Wars. This beta demo features 2 maps (Cold Winter & River Side), 3 game modes (Conquest, TDM & Hostage Rescue) and already has several of the weapons and vehicles enabled. A working version of the demo has been uploaded/old file replaced. Read more for details & download links...

Activision, Inc. has released a special retail edition of its blockbuster action game Call of Duty. The Call of Duty: Game of the Year edition features Infinity Ward's original award-winning WWII first person action game in addition to post-release product updates, including a new multiplayer mode and maps, EAX 3 sound support, mapmaking toolkit and multiplayer gameplay enhancements.

Shrek 2 takes players on a twisted fairy tale adventure with Shrek and his buddies. Gamers revisit key locations from the movie sequel while discovering all-new locations and characters. Shrek 2 combines squad-based action with traditional action-adventure elements. Players can control their team of four and play as Shrek or any of his 10 friends, switching between each to best utilize the character’s unique abilities to solve puzzles, fight monsters and complete wild and dangerous adventures. Read more for some new screens ...

Ubisoft today announced it will release Rocky Legends for the PS2 and Xbox as part of an exclusive licensing agreement with MGM Interactive, a Unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. Rocky Legends will let players experience the pummelling action and untold backstories that lead up to the events chronicled in the blockbuster Rocky movies. Read more for details & the first screens ...

Magnum Games announced today that its squad-based, strategy shooter, Beyond the Law: The Third Wave has shipped and is available in North American stores. In Beyond the Law: The Third Wave the player commands a covert team of specialists to stop a renegade criminal element intent on destroying the United States of America. Read more for details, screens or teaser trailer ...

Space Hack is a sci-fi RPG/action title with Diablo-inspired gameplay mechanics. The storyline puts you on board of a quite 'peculiar' spaceship, trapped inside a space warp. Being a tough guy, whose axe is almost as quick as his wit, it's not surprising that you promptly find yourself confronting angry monsters, one wave after another. Space Hack is scheduled to be released in first half of 2004.

After a few open beta versions, Garage Games has released a final demo for MaxGaming Technologies’ Dark Horizons: Lore, a fast action FPS style mecha game where the player’s stats will affect the outcome of the war and ultimately write the history of the Dark Horizons universe. This 'Early Adopters Release' demo offers six single-player training missions, as well as a multiplayer mode. Read more for download links ...