Well this is a funny story about Microsoft posted on The Register (thanks Fragzone). Seems like MS ***** again.. Here is a clip:

If a PC shipped with Windows preinstalled, can you remove the OS and install Linux instead? Well, no, according to Microsoft. A somewhat obscure Microsoft site aimed at helping schools deal with donated computers flatly states: "It is a legal requirement that pre-installed operating systems remain with a machine for the life of the machine." Read full article here!

Atriarch is a 3-D, massively-multiplayer online, persistent game depicting life on the alien and organic world of Atriana. Today we tossed up the first Atriarch Bolera Caverns "dungeon" area screens. Check them out!

id Software and Activision, Inc. announced that Activision will be the worldwide licensed distributor for DOOM III, the latest installment in one of the most successful franchises in PC gaming history. Built on id's revolutionary new 3D graphics engine, DOOM III draws players into the most frightening and gripping 3D gaming experience ever created. DOOM III is currently in development for the PC by id Software and will debut at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Activision's booth #1224 in the South Hall.

The team from Gaminggroove today tossed Vladimir Nikolaev "Burut's Project Head" into a corner and wouldn't let him out until he agreed to pen (type) a Kreed Developer Diary for them! Here is a clip:

After that we gather the whole team together and started on mission projection, describing each step of the player in detail, thinking of traps and all kinds of level tasks, making up tactical and logical riddles, creating mission plans and numbering each level, each room, even each single polygon. We made 9 missions, each consisting of 3 or 4 episodes and it took about 4 weeks of working hours, 3 packs of paper, about twenty pencils, and lots of Tonic. It was one of the hardest parts, a long brainstorming exercise.

In 2038, a war rages between the EMA ( Economic and Military Alliance) and the Great Empire. You must choose what side you want to be on, as you are going to undertake 25 infiltration, reconnaissance, and wipe out missions behind the wheel of the most powerful military hardware that the Special Forces possess... Find out more and download the NEW 82MB demo HERE!

Why do you still need an editor? To create cards and missions according to your own taste of course! How? The new card is ready by simply placing objects such as routes, trees, and buildings on any spot you like. Even playable missions can be created by setting units and markings. The editor to the long-awaited RTS-Game will be included in the game. Find out more here!

Pax Romana is a real time empire building game which combines strategic and political elements and which also has strong multi-player functionality. Developed by Antik Games, the team behind Europa Universalis, Pax Romana is a game of great depth and sophistication with two main game modes: pure strategy and strategy and politics.

Belgian site Spelletjesgarnaal has gotten the new Divine Divinity demo available for download. Larian Studios just made it public, but beware its 400mb big!! (even on high bandwith the server seems to be slow already). The game is scheduled for a Q2 2002 release. Grab the demo here! Seems like Spelletjesgarnaal has capped the download at aprox 30k/s .. An uncapped link can be found at Telenet, HERE.

Interplay today send us some screens and artwork showing the progress in the development of its science-fiction, survival-horror PS2 title "Run Like Hell". Njoy!

Rebel Mind, the makers of Grom, has sent us some interesting Alpha-screens, which we want to show immediately. As a goody we have composed a great location-episode of the highly promising Action-Adventure-title.

Have you ever dreamt of creating your own character and admiring it in your favourite game? Stop dreaming! The first official Neocron skin contest has just started in the community forum of the eagerly-awaited MMORPG. Prove your creative abilities and design cool skins for a Private Eye, Spy, Tank or Psi-Monch. As first prize for the best skin you’ll win a Neocron Beta Account and have your skin included in the final game!!!

Wanadoo and Antik Games have just signed an agreement by which Wanadoo will publish and distribute Pax Romana, the new strategy game from Antik Games, throughout the world. The game is due for release in the winter of 2002

You own your own Armored Core Unit and you’re always looking for ways to earn hard cash to buy upgrades and weapons. Do you want to tell the Earth Government that the Corporations have also been calling for your services? Don’t think so. Let them handle the political stuff, you’re just interested in getting the best missions from the highest bidder – it doesn’t matter who signs the cheque – right Raven! Yesterday we announced Metro3D's latest product, today we bring you 20+ screens ...

HomeLAN chats with Contraband Entertainment talking about Abducted, their upcoming sci-fi action game for the PC/Mac & Xbox. Gaming Groove has a new Q&A with Jeff Tunnell of GarageGames talking about Realm Wars, their multiplayer fantasy action game. RPGVault has a new Q&A with Liu Yu Bin and Liu Gang of Object Software talking about their upcoming action-RPG Prince of Qin. Action Vault has yet another Q&A with Vince Desi of Running With Scissors talking about their upcoming Unreal engine powered FPS Postal 2. GameSpyDaily serves up a G.I. Combat Q&A talking with Freedom Games's Eric Young about their upcoming WWII themed RTS title. HomeLAN chats with Red Storm's Deke Waters talking about The Sum of All Fears, the upcoming tactical shooter based on the Tom Clancy novel and the upcoming movie. GameSpy has a small Q&A with Turbine Entertainment CEO Jeff Anderson talking about some aspects of Asheron's Call 2, the upcoming sequel to their massively multiplayer RPG.

A new movie trailer from Activision and their upcoming title, Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix, is now available for download. The movie runs for 2 minutes and shows some kewl in-game action.. Fileplanet offers 3 diffrent versions from 45 MB down to 11 MB and we offer you a 7 MB compressed "high-res. wmv" version. Read more below for the links!

Capturing the intrigue, danger and heroism of Allied escape attempts from POW camps during World War II, this is the experience offered by Codemasters ' Prisoner of War, a new kind of escape adventure game coming to PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC. Its gameplay delivers a tense 3rd person adventure where the player's bravery, stealth and cunning will ensure Stone wins the day. A few new screens and the packshots, so you know what to look for this summer!

We recieved word right now that the Goldmaster of Sudden Strike is finally ready in Germany. We'll try to get hold of a copy and see what its all about (and we'll just mute all the german talk ;).

TimeGate Studios, Inc. and Strategy First, Inc. announced today that the Special Awards Edition of Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns (KIS) has shipped and is now in stores nationwide at a suggested retail price of $29.99 US.

Play a great demo of the sequel to the hit WWII based RTS title, Sudden Strike. In this demo you play through a single-player mission set in Japan along with a multi-player map that pits Japan, the U.S.A. and Russia against each other. Unfortunatly only Fileplanet seems to have this one at the moment .. grab it here (57mb, registration needed)..UPDATE : Also available on GAMESPOT! we will post more links when they became available ... Watch out for a Sudden Strike II preview SOON!

Codemasters' let us know that the “demo” that is being circulated online for Codemasters’ TOCA Race Driver should be taken as unofficial. Very early demo code produced several months ago for US long lead-time magazine usage, the code was not intended for distribution online. The code is not representative of the current status of the game, nor should be taken as an example of the finished title, which will be released in September. It has only experimental car physics, basic AI, the car damage is an early test model and it will not run on a wide range of machines, as it is not optimised code.