Encore today announced that it has signed a new, exclusive North American agreement with UK-based Ascaron Entertainment UK Ltd. to publish Sacred, a fantasy action role-playing game for the PC. This agreement follows one signed by both companies this summer to publish Pirate Hunter and Patrician III, both of which shipped this fall. Read more for details ...

Spread holiday cheer in Electronic Arts/Maxis' SimCity 4 for the PC this December. Just in time for this season’s festivities, players can download a replica of New York’s magnificent Rockefeller Center and the famous Christmas tree that adorns its plaza. The download is available now for product-registered users at www.simcity.com.

The second rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club. However, gamers will surely be talking, as Vivendi Universal Games announced today the development of Fight Club for the PlayStation2 and the Xbox. Due out in late 2004, Fight Club, developed by Genuine Games, is set to deliver an intense experience that will combine the characters, settings, artistic style, and story elements from the movie with a realistic fighting system that will appeal to both hardcore and casual gamers. Read more for details and the first screens ...

The Leisure Suit Larry videogame franchise began in 1987 with The Land of the Lounge Lizards, the first of seven games in the series. Since then, the Leisure Suit Larry games have sold more than 35 millions of units worldwide and its games are considered collector items. Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude is scheduled for release on next-generation consoles and the PC in late 2004. Read more for 30 or so new screens ...

Got Game Entertainment today announced a North American publishing deal for "Alida", an atmospheric graphical adventure game for Mac/PC. The enveloping story of a missing musician unfolds on a deserted island theme park. Mac version is expected Q1 2004 and the PC version of the game is expected later in 2004. Read more for details & screens ...

Pirates is broadband only, with high-end hardware specifications for graphics -- a GeForce 3 or better is required in at least a 1GHz machine, and the game is optimized for the latest DirectX 9.0-class cards. Pirates is being published on-line directly to gamers using Valve's new Steam technology, the same delivery system used by Half-Life 2 and Counterstrike 2. Check out the new seaworthy screens ...

Early this year Sega revealed the next installment in the Crazy Taxi franchise, but only for Xbox. Today the first details emerged about an upcoming PC version, to be published by Empire Int. The king of crazy driving games is back and taking to the streets of Glitter Oasis with new cars, new drivers and new thrills. Whether it's making crazy money, conquering the new batch of mini-game challenges or trying out new tricks in the completely overhauled West Coast and Small Apple levels, "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller" guarantees the best odds to beat the house. Read more for details and screens ...

'Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow' is being developed as a multiplatform title and is slated for release in the first quarter of 2004. The game will bring back more of the single-player intrigue that made the original game a bestseller. With exciting new action scenes and a strong cinematic feel, the player will experience new and even more realistic surroundings. Building on Ubi Soft's strong commitment to online gaming, Pandora Tomorrow will the be the first stealth game ever to feature multiplayer online missions allowing several players to simultaneously share Sam Fisher's shadowy world of espionage. Read more for some new screens...

Flying aces rejoice! Microsoft Game Studios today announced that new content for Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, the smash-hit action game of the holidays, is now available for download via Xbox Live and from the official site. The free content includes the brand-new Fury plane, the Caverns multiplayer map and a Windows Media Player skin.

Take-Two Interactive has released another patch for PopTop Software's 3D management strategy Railroad Tycoon 3. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.03 (suitable for all language versions) and addresses various gameplay and balance tweaks, new interface features, various multiplayer/editor bugs & fixes, etc. Read more for detailed fixl ist & download links ...

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. today announced Gates of Discord, a new expansion for the incredibly popular PC Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), EverQuest. This expansion will offer exploration of a newly discovered continent; a new class (the Berserker) and Alternate Advancement Abilities that will offer new and unique skills to master. Gates of Discord will be available February 2004 at retail outlets such as Electronics Boutique, Best Buy and Gamestop, and as a secure digital download from SOE. The retail version of Gates of Discord will also come with a unique in-box gift and special in-game magic item. By purchasing the retail version of Gates of Discord, players will be able to claim the in- game item.

Launching the next generation of solo play and online combat, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero is imminent. The #1 online action game of all time goes single-player with Counter-Strike: Condition Zero. A stand-alone product, Condition Zero is the comprehensive successor to the 2000 Multiplayer Game of the Year. Condition Zero completely replaces the current Counter-Strike, and combines six story-driven episodes, three different single player modes and multiplayer enhancements to drive the future of Counter-Strike gamers everywhere.

WarBirds gives players the chance to jump into the cockpit of the most famous aircraft of WW2. Master the controls and prepare yourself for some grippingly realistic air combat. Version 3 of WarBirds, the thrillingly realistic online flight simulator, has just taken off over Europe. Get ready and try out WarBirds for free at www.warbirdseurope.com! Read more for details and screens ....

Way of the Samurai 2 takes place at the end of the Edo period in 19th Century feudal Japan and is set in a town called Amahara, located on the island of Dejima. The citizens of Amahara once lived in peace and harmony, but as policy shifted within the powerful Magistrate’s office, they have found themselves the victims of extreme justice. Read more for details and screens ...

Bioware has released the final patch (last week there was a beta) for their 3D role-playing game Neverwinter Nights, and its addons Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.61 and addresses a massive list of changes and game tweaks, including synchronization of the previous titles to the latest addons. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

Blizzard has released new patches for Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. This upgrade brings either game to v1.13 and addresses a quite lengthy bunch of fixes and game tweaks/improvements to the game and World Editor, as well as adding Acts II and III to The Frozen Throne's bonus Orc campaign. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

As King, it is your duty to lead your people in their struggle to raise your kingdom from its humble beginnings to a position of power and prestige. War, diplomacy and a burgeoning economy are the means by which you increase your power and expand your influence. A unique Knight-management system will offer you brand new possibilities to enhance your personal strategy.

Diversions Entertainment has issued the first patch for their 3D fighting/action game One Must Fall: Battlegrounds. This upgrade brings your retail game to v2095, no details as to what it fixes are available (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...