In Battle Mages you control the main hero, a graduate of the Imperial Battle Mage School, and his troops to restore peace in a beautiful fantasy world, inhabited with various creatures. Buka has released a demo giving you the chance to check out a tutorial, singleplayer mission as well as 1 multiplayer map. Read more for download links ...

While there is no official Atari announcement yet, the Bioware website has mention that the second expansion for Neverwinter Nights has arrived and is now in stores! Hordes of the Underdark features Epic levels, new prestige classes, new creatures, spells, feats, weapons and new tilesets to explore. Purchase it online or at your local games store. You are a hero... but are you a legend?

Sigil Games Online, Inc. today announced the addition of four well-known and award-winning artists to the team already working on the first truly third generation massively multiplayer game. Den Beauvais will join Sigil as Senior Artist, while Brom and Don Maitz create concept art for the game, with industry veteran Tom King handling the User Interface.

Ubisoft's highly-anticipated Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has officially shipped for all platforms, with the PC version heading for retail today. With fluid animations, ingenious and challenging level design, a gripping story and an inimitable hero with the ability to manipulate time, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time delivers an extraordinary, singular gaming experience - one that's been repeatedly mentioned as a strong candidate for Game of the Year by several industry heavyweights.

"Cold War: Conflicts" is historically based real time strategy and owes its large fan municipality its realism, its innovation strength and its accurate representation of battles. "Cold War: Conflicts" is not a traditional RTS, because there is no need for any constructions, no resurrecting of building in mere minutes, no unrealistically large armies to crush your enemies, no collecting of resources but only pure realism. Each mission must be completed with a fixed number of men and material. Each man and each vehicle are precious and irreplaceable and thus singularly. Do not wait for the supply, because you could be bitterly disappointed! Read more for details and screens ...

Futuremark Corporation announced today that its Windows XP Game Advisor has been launched by Microsoft on the Windows XP website. The tool helps Windows XP users determine which games will run on their PC, and then select the perfect game for themselves, family or friends.

Legacy Interactive announced today it has partnered with leading interactive entertainment provider, Shockwave.com, to launch the playable online demo for Law & Order II: Double or Nothing. Legacy Interactive released the popular PC game based on the hit television series in late September.

Namco Hometek Inc. announced today that Pac-Man vs. has begun shipping to retail outlets nationwide. Packaged with Pac-Man World2, the newest entry into the Player’s Choice library, Pac-Man vs. is now available exclusively for the GameCube and uses the special connectivity feature to link the Game Boy Advance to the Nintendo GameCube. With an MSRP of $19.95 and rated E for Everyone, Pac-Man vs. brings an old favorite back to the limelight just in time for the Holiday season.

Atari has released a new update patch for the latest installment in Sid Meiers strategy franchise Civilizations III: Conquests. This upgrade (suitable for the English, German, Italian, Spanish, and French versions of the game) brings your retail game to v1.02 and addresses a few minor bugs (thanks Blues). Read more for details and download links ...

Eidos has released a new patch for Pyro Studios' squad-based tactical strategy game Commandos 3: Destination Berlin. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.42 and addresses a slew of bugs, tweaks, gameplay & multiplayer issues and several mission problems (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for details and download links ...

City of Heroes is ready to end its “internal testing” phase and slowly open testing participation to committed external gamers... Read more for pressrelease - links and details!

Codemasters has strengthened its relationship with 1C Company, the leading Russian game publishing company already working on Wartime Command, by securing the global* publishing rights to Perimeter – the much anticipated science fiction PC title, which is set to break new ground in RTS gaming. Read more for details & screens ....

Dreamcatcher Games today announced that it is working closely with NVIDIA Corporation, the worldwide leader in visual processing solutions, on the forthcoming release of Painkiller, a first-person shooter of the horror variety.

In addition, Painkiller has been inducted into NVIDIA's 'The Way It's Meant to Be Played' programme, a consumer awareness and marketing campaign designed to promote NVIDIA-based PC hardware as the best way to play and experience PC games.

December 12th will see the launch of the fourth booster pack for Konami of Europe's phenomenally successful Yu-Gi-Oh!TM TRADING CARD GAME. The Pharaoh's Servant booster pack adds over 100 new characters, spells and traps to the series and is certain enjoy the same incredible acclaim as its predecessors.

The all-new creatures, spells and traps in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME: Pharaoh's Servant open up all manner of new gameplay possibilities for fans of the series. The Pharaoh's Servant booster expands upon the enthralling gameplay of the existing packs, and the new cards are fully compatible with all available packs and Starter Decks, and offer users additional adversaries and weapons to use in battles against rival players.

Industry veteran Mark Cale announced today the return of Britsoft originator System 3 to the market. System 3 was a leading developer and publisher in the eighties and enjoyed phenomenal success and worldwide recognition with blockbuster titles including International Karate and The Last Ninja trilogy (my all time favorite c-64 series ed.).

Electronic Arts today announced that The Sims Bustin' Out for the Game Boy Advance has shipped under the EA Games brand in North America. For the first time, Game Boy Advance players will be able to experience the zany and unpredictable world of The Sims. Players can take direct control of their Sim to explore 20 all-new Game Boy Advance exclusive locations as they work their way from rags to riches. The Sims Bustin' Out Game Boy Advance version will support connectivity with the GameCube version scheduled to release in mid-December.

Adding to its library of successful anime properties, Atari, Inc. today announced the release of Yu Yu Hakusho: Spirit Detective for the Game Boy Advance. From the licensors of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho: Spirit Detective is based on one of the top-rated TV series for males 9-14 and can be viewed on the Cartoon Network.

After rocketing up the charts the past several weeks, the Nintendo GameCube has now reached No. 1 -- it's America's top-selling home video game console, according to direct sales data from the nation's leading retailers.

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. announced today that it has completed the purchase of TDK Mediactive, Inc. ("TDK"), a California based publisher of video game franchises based on popular licensed properties, including The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Land Before Time, Robotech, The Muppets and Corvette.

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), today announced that its fantasy Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game, Lords of EverQuest, is available now at U.S. and Canadian retail stores. Lords of EverQuest carries a suggested retail price of $49.99.