Microsoft Game Studios has released an updated version of the demo for Dungeon Siege, Gas Powered Games' action/RPG. The new version 1.02d is a 197 MB download, which is 9 MB larger than the version 1.01d demo, and offers the following minor changes: "The duration for blood has been shortened and the flying debris of monsters in combat has been reduced, and in some cases eliminated." (thanks Blue's). There are also a few mirrors up on 3DGamers.

Got what it takes to become a hero? In Fire Department, experience what life is really like for fire-fighters. Choose your team, vehicles and equipment! Keep your cool when faced with high-pressure situations… Your reactions, your strategy as well as your capacity to manage a team of firemen are the keys to success. Check out this new batch of burning hot screens ...

Rick Johnson "Lead Programmer" @ ravensoft.com today updated his .plan file regarding some Quake 4 rumors that been flooding around the net. Here is the full clip:

Just wanted to make a quick update in saying that there has been a recent flood of fake Quake 4 movies and trailers. Everything on the internet is fake and nothing Quake 4 related has ever been released, except for the one piece of concept art released at the initial announcement of the project.

EA let us know that they currently working on a patch for James Bond 007: NightFire that will fix some issues to better enhance your gaming experience. While they currently don't have an ETA on when the patch will be available, they are working feverously to deliver it.. (thanks Blues)

A few days ago the Managing Director of Techland signed an official contract under which the company was granted a license by Benfield Sport International, a sole owner of the Speedway Grand Prix competitions, for the production of a speedway game. Owing to that contract, for the first time in the history of the black sport, you will have a possibility to play an extremely realistic and original speedway game - FIM Speedway Grand Prix. You will become one of the real Grand Prix riders and participate in speedway competitions on the original stadiums of this year’s Grand Prix series. FIM SPEEDWAY GRAND PRIX is coming out soon. Now the officiall English site has gone live, loaded with screens, gameinfo and much more...

Battlefront.com and developer Fury Software are proud to announce the release of the eagerly awaited final patch (v1.06) for “Strategic Command – European Theater”, a turn-based Grand Strategy wargame featuring the Second World War in Europe. The patch 2.95MB offers dozens of gameplay enhancements, new features, tweaks and bug fixes and for those with the original game version it also adds full TCP/IP network and LAN support. Read more for download links and changes in v1.06..

Earlier this morning we reported that the popular CS franchise has moved developers once again, now Randy Pitchford "programmer" at Gearbox Software updated his .plan file with some more information regarding the development of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero. Here is the full update:

Gearbox Software suspended development of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero in July of 2002. Counter-Strike: Condition Zero introduces single player gaming to the world's #1 online action game. Valve Software has overseen development since July. Gearbox is aware of and endorses Ritual Entertainment's involvement. After developing several Half-Life games, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 and James Bond 007: Nightfire, Gearbox Software is refocusing its efforts on future technology and more interesting and innovative game play. Gearbox Software will be discussing Halo: Combat Evolved for the PC and our vision for the future of interactive entertainment at The CPL's December 2002 event in Dallas, Texas.

Any inquiries may directed to press@gearboxsoftware.com

-Randy Pitchford

100 years in the future Red Rock, mankind's first colony on Mars, is besieged by a brutal alien force and military leaders on faraway Earth are stymied – so they call on Radical Tactics Expert (RTX) Eugene Zeno "E.Z." Wheeler as their best hope in RTX Red Rock from LucasArts. RTX Red Rock is an epic third-person action-adventure expected to release spring 2003 on PS2 and GameCube. Check out some new screens!

Jimbo from Termite Games posted up some information on P3INT forum about a new patch v1.3 they currently working on for New World Order. Here is a clip:

1.3's main fix is memory usage and performance. Our main goal with 1.3 is that we will give the players on the minimum specs of 256 megs of ram (a 3Ghz p4 w/ GF4 doesn't really help if ram is on minimum specs) a smooth gameplay experience, just like the 512 meg users. The memory compression that we've done now also boosts performance for all that have used 512 megs of ram so far.

The 2nd goal of 1.3 is to improve networking.

The 3rd goal is to improve stability in multiplayer games. We have located and fixed several issues in the spectator-mode code.

Based on the critically acclaimed movie anthology staring Sylvester Stallone and featuring all of the leading characters from the five Rocky films – Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang, Ivan Drago and Tommy Gunn - you take on the role of the Italian Stallion and must fight your way through several single and multi-player gaming modes as you attempt to become the undisputed boxing champion of the world. Does Rocky go the distance?

Object Software and Strategy First have released an multiplayer demo for their action-RPG Prince of Qin. The demo is multiplayer only based on the persistent world of the POQ Battle.Net version and is played for free. Read more for links where to grab the goods ...

Freedom Games has just released a new patch for G.I. Combat, updating their 3D war game to v1.02d. This patch requires you to "reinstall" your GI Combat game from scratch as the patch cannot be applied to the most recent v1.01 (unless you never upgraded to begin with). This upgrade adds control improvements, gameplay enhancements, multiplayer changes, bug fixes and more (thanks 3DGamers).

Ubi Soft Entertainment announced today plans for the publication of Gunfighter II : The Revenge Of Jesse James for PlayStation2. Gunfighter II is an First Person/Arcade Shooter and is scheduled for release in Spring 2003. The action takes place in a Spaghetti Western scenario featuring an outstanding animated 3D environment.

As was rumored earlier today (due to CPL's schedule mentioned Ritual giving a CS Condition 0 workshop) it has now been confirmed that the singleplayer version of the ever popular CS franchise has moved developers once again, the 3rd to be exact. Designated to finish the product is Ritual Ent, who are also working on Elite Force2). Valve has finally confirmed this : "The primary development of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero (CS:CZ) has moved to Ritual Entertainment. Counter-Strike: Condition Zero introduces single player gaming to the world's #1 online action game. Representatives from Ritual and Valve will be presenting the latest on CS:CZ during a seminar at the The CPL's upcoming Counter-Strike Championships in Dallas, Texas". Will we ever see this product or will it go the same route as Duke Nuke'm? Delayed, delayed and delayed!