The official Battlefield: 1942 web site has started a clock counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds to the release of the multiplayer demo for the upcoming WWII multiplayer game. According to the clock the demo for Digital Illusions and Electronic Arts' game will be released at 12 noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Friday and will contain the Wake Island map, five player classes and eight kinds of vehicles, including planes and ships. (Thanks HomeLAN).

Transmission has been intercepted: To all NOLF operatives, the official spy headquarters has arrived! Follow the encrypted link to the ultimate source for top secret NOLF2 information. Get the latest specs on NOLF2! Over and out.

SEGA of America, Inc. announced today the release of "SEGA Sports NCAA College Football 2K3" for the Xbox. Produced by Visual Concepts Entertainment, a SEGA development studio, and developed by Avalanche Software, "SEGA Sports NCAA College Football 2K3" delivers a host of in-depth features including a comprehensive list of bowl games, team-specific playbooks, college-style player models and a Legacy Mode that lets gamers recruit blue-chip prospects, develop talent using the extensive Spring Training option and build their program into a national powerhouse. Taking full advantage of the powerful Xbox hardware, SEGA Sports' college gridiron franchise features all of the trimmings fans might expect from the standard-bearer in sports video gaming.

BAM! Entertainment, Inc. today announced that it is shipping the action adventure game, Kong, for the Game Boy Advance to retailers this week. Based on the television cartoon "Kong: The Animated Series" from global entertainment company BKN International, the game was developed by the French studios of Planet Interactive Development.

Vivendi Universal Publishing (VU Publishing) announced today the formation of Black Label Games, Inc., a new development studio that will publish PC and console-based interactive entertainment products for the company's global Games division, Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games). The new studio will develop titles based on original intellectual properties, as well as content licensed from external strategic partners. Black Label Games joins VU Games' roster of industry- leading studios, which includes Blizzard Entertainment, NDA Productions, Sierra Entertainment and Universal Interactive.

Shrapnel Games announced a partnership with Mark H. Walker to publish Mark H. Walker's Lock 'N Load today. Mark H. Walker's Lock 'N Load, the game with "more game, less guff" marks a new direction for Shrapnel Games as its first published Board Game title.

SEGA of America, Inc. today announced the release of "Beach Spikers" exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube. The ultimate summer party game, "Beach Spikers" delivers addictive two-on-two beach volleyball action for up to four players. "Beach Spikers" lets gamers take it to the net with 32 scorching hot, gorgeous female athletes from 16 countries, in an action-packed competition for the world title. Developed by SEGA's legendary AM2 studio, "Beach Spikers" features arcade style pick-up-and-play controls, dynamic camera angles and stunning graphics, including deformable sand and exquisitely rendered female athletes, for hours of summer fun.

People who subscribe to The Sims Online newsletter will be randomly selected and offered the opportunity to participate in the Play Test. This test will grow from a few hundred to over 50,000 players in the next few months. Joining the Play Test will give you some benefits as a player within The Sims Online. More about it !

Westwood Studios announced today it will offer multiple ways to subscribe to Earth & Beyond, the online role-playing galaxy that will be published by Electronic Arts under the EA GAMES brand this fall.

TOCA Race Driver brings the drama of real life touring car racing to PlayStation 2 and PC this summer. Gamers will really experience the aggressive close contact Touring Car races at a world class level when they become Ryan McKane, the game’s central character. Njoy some awesome looking racing screens!

GRIN and PAN Vision will be holding an exclusive BANDITS event at ECTS 2002. Stand 1520 is hosting a BANDITS outpost where the developers GRIN will present the game throughout the three full days. This is the first time ever the game is shown and it will be shown all the way. The full version of BANDITS - Phoenix Rising will be on the stand with both single player and multiplayer sessions in play - hand on for everyone!

The game Platoon is developed for PC by Digital Reality and will be published in Europe by Monte Cristo in November 2002 (Northern America publishing in is the hands of Strategy First). Based on historical facts, Platoon will recapture the suspense and thrills experienced by soldiers throughout the Vietnam war. The game will benefit from Digital Reality’s latest 3D graphics and sound engine and an engaging storyline.

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.

Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon will be unveiled during an exclusive press conference at this year’s ECTS. Revolution’s managing director Charles Cecil will demonstrate the game to the world’s media during an invite-only presentation to be held at 2:00pm on Thursday, 29th August, the first day of the show. A spokesperson from Criterion Software will also be speaking, explaining in detail how the use of RenderWare has enabled Revolution’s development team to push the boundaries of creative excellence and deliver a game which truly stands out from the crowd.

Take on the role of Michael as you fight your way through three fascinating worlds. Put your skills to the ultimate test as you fight the dark powers to complete your transformation into the Archangel. The new official website brings you exclusive access to the storyline and features of the game, provides sketches and artwork from the developers in addition to a host of screenshots taken from the game.

Warhammer Online is calling for publishers and technology providers to get in touch to discuss potential business partnerships for its eagerly-awaited self-titled massively multiplayer online role playing game. Warhammer Online Ltd. is a joint venture between fantasy gaming expert Games Workshop and UK developer Climax. The company was created in 2001 to design, develop and deliver an online RPG also called Warhammer Online and set in Games Workshop’s dark and gritty Warhammer fantasy world.

Elited.net tossed up an informative feature for the recently gone gold expansion pack, Aliens vs. Predator 2: Primal Hunt. Find out whats new in this expansion, story and much more.. Follow this link! (thanks VE3D)

Activision, Inc. announced today that the company has entered into an agreement with the U.K. - based developer, Team 17, to publish the highly anticipated title Worms 3 and an additional yet-to-be-announced Worms title. Under the terms of the agreement, Activision has acquired multi-platform worldwide publishing and distribution rights for the game, excluding PC rights in Korea, Taiwan and China.

Interplay Entertainment Corp. a leading publisher of video games, announced today that the company has partnered with Hollywood Records' explosive alternative rock band Breaking Benjamin to promote "Run Like Hell" the much-anticipated survival-horror game coming to the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system this October, and the release of Breaking Benjamin's debut album "Saturate" due to hit stores on August 27th.

When the cars roar off the starting grid this September, Pro Race Driver will make history. Codemasters is using Dolby technology, new industry motion capture dialogue recording techniques and licensed music from top artists to further the gritty realism and excitement in Pro Race Driver.

Microsoft has revealed the official plans for its exciting online gaming initiative for the Xbox – Xbox Live. The Xbox Live service is scheduled to launch on November 15, 2002 (exactly one year after the US launch of the console) and the starter kit will retail for $49.95. This price includes the headset, a mini-game and one full year of active service (broadband-only).