KOEI Corporation today announced the next phase of the top-selling video game, Dynasty Warriors 4, with the upcoming release of Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires. The Tactical Action game will be available exclusively for the PS2.

Rumoured and revealed by TeamXbox a few weeks ago, today Microsoft Corp. said it would turn to International Business Machines Corp. for microchip technology that it will use in the next version of its popular video game console, the Xbox. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft, the world's largest software company, used a chip from the No. 1 microprocessor maker, Intel Corp., in the first version of its Xbox, which was released in 2000.

Atari, Inc. and Major League Baseball have announced that Backyard Baseball for the PS2 has shipped to retail stores nationwide. Starring Alex Rodriguez, the New York Yankees newly acquired third baseman, Backyard Baseball is the newest game in the award-winning Backyard Sports franchise - the only sports series that let kids play with their favorite pro players as kid sized versions of themselves.

Bethesda Softworks is proud to announce the 10th anniversary of its award-winning RPG series, The Elder Scrolls, and will be celebrating the event over the next month on the official Elder Scrolls web site: www.elderscrolls.com. The series, which began in 1994, helped usher in the resurgence of computer role-playing games and the series as a whole has been played by millions of gamers around the world and won hundred of awards.

Wargaming.net has released a fully functional trial/demo version for Massive Assault Network, an online 3D strategy game based on original Secret Allies political concept, where two commanders fight for global domination in sci-fi environment. Everyone can play the fully functional version for free until the release, set for April 13. Read more for download links ...

The game will provide players with extremely dynamic gameplay of fast and tough combats, where players are to oppose dangerous and wise enemies, a large set of multifarious weaponry, possibility to control various machinery, incredible detailing and game world interactivity, story-driven single player with original team gameplay, a well-balanced multiplayer with numerous modes: DeathMatch, CTF, Cooperative, various team games and much more. Read more to check out 12 new screens...

UK developer Sick Puppies, who recently worked on 'Ghost Master', has been closed down, due to disappointing sales of their latest ghost hunting title, according to Empire Interactive. No further details are available at this point.

Lagsters is an arcade racing title, where the action takes place in closed environments - tubes. The player will be able to use a vast number of different weapons and upgrades to their cars to become the winner of one of the 32 races. The tracks are compiled into 4 different championships of the single player mode. The multiplayer mode will offer three different modes of play: 'Last Man Driving', 'Fox and Hounds' and 'Divided Glory' where up to 8 players may participate in one race.

Ubisoft today revealed the critically acclaimed and best-selling Myst franchise will launch its newest adventure, Myst IV: Revelation, this fall. Peter Gabriel, world-renowned recording artist, composed an individual song to compliment the soundtrack of award-winning composer Jack Wall that creates the game's immersive and ambient soundtrack. Read more for details and screens ...

Electronic Arts today announced that its new boxing game, EA SPORTS Fight Night 2004 has begun shipping to retail locations nationwide for the PlayStation2 and Xbox. The game is published under the EA SPORTS brand and features Light Heavyweight Champion of the World Roy Jones Jr. as its cover athlete.

Midway Games Inc. announced today that NBA Ballers, an all-new and unique one-on-one NBA lifestyle basketball videogame, has shipped for the PlayStation2 and the Xbox.

Anyone who has ever fancied themselves a detective to rival Poirot can test their mettle when Agatha Christie's murder mysteries become PC games. Christie's grandson, Mathew Prichard, has given permission for computer game experts to develop a series of five computer games over the next six years. He hopes it will bring her many novels to life for a whole new audience (thanks EvilAvatar).

Atari and Digital Bros have collaborated to bring intrigued gamers a free seven day trial of the Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game Horizons: Empire of Istaria. Horizons: Empire of Istaria takes place in the world of Istaria, with huge environments which include cities, towns, castles, strongholds, villages and mystical structures. The environments range from tropical jungles and arctic tundra to windswept plains and mountainous wilderness.

Novalogic has released the first patch for their Joint Operations multplayer demo addressing server stability, game fixes and weapon balancing. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

The Wildlife Park AddOn "Wild Creatures", appearing in spring 2004, will transfer you into a world of amazingly exotic and wild animals from the present - and from the past! The new research centers and genetic labs offer you the possibility to breed back endangered animals and even extinct species, as well as different kinds of plants. Read more for some new 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.

Set in the 60s and using the Cold War as its inspiration, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater forces the player to adopt a number of new skills to survive in Snake's new jungle environment. Danger lurks everywhere as Snake explores the beautifully-realised forests, encampments and rivers, with guards patrolling key routes, dangerous animals to contend with, and the uneven terrain and noisy foliage making the silent approaches the Metal Gear hero is famed for virtually impossible. Read more for some new screens ...

With the GBA’s large market and relentless good sales, established studio; Talos Interactive announces the public revealing of their “DeltaAdvance Engine” . The “DeltaAdvance Engine” supports First-Person Shooter games in a full 3D dynamic experience. The engine even boasts MIP-mapping so that means no more random pixel-fests as you otherwise find in many games on the GBA!

Developer Intelligent Systems, who brought us the original Paper Mario on the N64, is back to make the sequel Paper Mario 2 for GameCube. Mario and the other characters are 2D, but they move in a fully 3D world. The result is a game like no other, a full-bodied adventure with a whimsical look and feel and all those great touches you've come to expect.

Thrones and Patriots adds a multitude of new features to Rise of Nations, introducing six new nations, a wide variety of new single player campaigns, more than 20 new units, new wonders and an innovative new Government feature. With the new Government feature, any nation, old or new, can choose exactly how to be governed, which has far-reaching effects on how units perform in various situations. All-new single player campaigns will allow gamers to control the course of history during historical events that changed the world. Read more for a batch of new screens ...