Microsoft Corp., beset by widespread criticism of security flaws in its software, on Wednesday put up a bounty to track down the authors of two computer bugs that choked the Internet earlier this year. Microsoft offered two $250,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the Blaster worm and the SoBig.F e-mail virus, which infected more than half a million computers, crashed thousands of systems, and snarled Internet traffic across the globe in August and September.

This went under our radar earlier today/yesterday but LucasArts just let us know that the official Armed and Dangerous web site has gone live. Armed and Dangerous is LucasArts' upcoming Action-Action title coming out on the Xbox and PC in early December. The site is full of new and exciting content and you should consider it a resource. So turn up the volume on your computer, and take a look! You can also check our recent 'Armed and Dangerous' preview...

Xbox Live, the world's most intense unified online gaming service, just hosted its hottest weekend ever. This past Sunday, November 2, Xbox Live set new usage records. On that day, 83,652 unique users spent 262,268 hours on the service -- or more than three hours per user. Sunday's most-played Xbox Live game was "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3" with 24,478 gamers signing in for battle. At one point, 6,731 gamers played the game simultaneously.

Ritual Entertainment has released the Star Trek Elite Force II source code giving you the change to create single & multiplayer mods for Raven Software's shooter Star Trek Elite Force II. Read more for details & download links ...

Ubisoft has released the first patch for Infinite Interactive's strategy title Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria (US version only). This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.01 and mainly addresses a few crashing issues and other bugs. Read more for download links ...

Atari today announced that the Magic: The Gathering ­ Battlegrounds for the Xbox and PC has gone gold. Developed for Atari by Secret Level, Magic: The Gathering ­ Battlegrounds is set for a November 18th release date. Magic: The Gathering ­ Battlegrounds is based on the incredibly popular trading card game created by Wizards of the Coast. The game is filled with faithful card game translations of classic creatures, spells and enchantments and presented in a visually stunning 3D game environment rife with real-time strategic fighting, devastating wizard arsenals and intense creature combat.

Eidos today officially announced that the Xbox & PS2 versions of 'Legacy Of Kain: Defiance' have reached gold status and are expectedf in stores November 12th. The next chapter in the epic Legacy of Kain series is a cutting-edge action/adventure game featuring more action then ever before. Take control of two powerful and highly evolved vampires: Kain, an all-powerful demigod, and Raziel, a demonic angel of death. Each equipped with a legendary sword, Kain & Raziel must battle through a world loaded with conflict and intrigue as they attempt to unravel their destinies and defeat the dark forces that seek to condemn their world to eternal damnation.

Microsoft Game Studios and Valve today announced that Counter-Strike for Xbox has gone gold and will arrive on store shelves on November 18 for an estimated retail price of $49.99 (U.S.). Counter-Strike makes its explosive console debut exclusively on Xbox and Xbox Live. Counter-Strike on Xbox will be the most graphically advanced version of the series to date and has a host of Xbox-exclusive console content, including seven never-before-seen multiplayer maps, one new counter-terrorist team, one new terrorist team and downloadable maps via Xbox Live.

German developer Interactive Strip is at it again with Airline 69: Back To Casablanca. After their last erotic trip in Wet: The Sexy Empire, distributed by CDV, they are now selfpublishing "Airline 69: Return to Casablanca" under Redfire Software. Featuring Penthouse model Sasha Woman this erotic/comic style game, tons of exocitc locations & adventures. Read more for some screens or download the trailer. Beware: Adult content.

'Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy' is an enchanting adventure filled with mystery, action and a deep, compelling storyline. The game is set in an entirely original universe that is styled upon ancient Egypt where players will embark on an epic quest exploring new worlds, uncovering dark secrets, interacting with hundreds of fantastic creatures and discovering new abilities. Traveling the world via magic portals to foil the evil plans of Set, players will guide Sphinx on a journey requiring all his wits, agility and special powers in an attempt to find the stolen mystical crowns of Egypt. Read more to check out the new screens ...

Vivendi Universal Games and Interplay Entertainment Corp. announced today that they have resolved all prior legal disputes and will resume the distribution contract signed in August 2002. Accordingly, VU Games will distribute Interplay's Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel in North America and Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan). VU Games will also retain exclusive distribution rights in these regions for all future Interplay titles through August 2005.

Engage in this saga set in the Golden Age of the Republic - over 4,000 years before the first Star Wars film, when both Jedi and Sith number in the thousands. With the Galaxy reeling from a recent conflict with the Dark Lords, the ongoing battle between the Jedi and the Sith rages on. Your actions determine the outcome of this colossal galactic war - and your destiny as a Jedi. Check the new screens ...

Object Software is working on a sequel for their Three Kingsdoms: Fate of The Dragon 3D RTS game (published by Eidos in 2001), working title for now is Fate of the Dragon II. No additional details are available yet so for now we'll have to settle for a batch of screens....

Sunlight glints off of steel. The coppery stench of dried blood rides the wind. The crowd, a gargantuan organism that feeds off of pain and death, bellows in anticipation of the coming ultra-violence. Your warriors stand confident, as they should be with the amount of training you've put them through. And those enchantments you purchased from the Black Priest of Ka'shran weren't exactly cheap. Hey, exercise is good but sometimes you need an extra edge. But will it be enough? Will your warriors carry the day? Or is it time to find a different vocation from being a gladiator manager? Read more for details ...

Addressing the growing casual video game consumer with its value-priced lineup of great-playing video games, Majesco today announced that BlowOut has shipped to retail stores nationwide. Developed by Terminal Reality, BlowOut will be available for a suggested retail price of $9.99 for the Sony PlayStation2 and $19.99 on the Xbox. In addition, BlowOut is scheduled to ship for the Nintendo GameCube in December at a suggested retail price of $9.99.

Konami Digital Entertainment - America today announced that it has shipped Karaoke Revolution for the PlayStation2 to retail outlets nationwide. The first-ever interactive karaoke videogame, Karaoke Revolution lets aspiring pop stars of all ages and abilities sing along to over 35 hit songs while scoring their performance on pitch and rhythm.

Ubisoft and Crytek announced two rising stars of game development have joined the already talented Far Cry development team.The game's next phase in development will focus on multiplayer excellence, and leading development is Chris Auty as lead multiplayer level designer and Richard Tsao as the multiplayer producer for the game. Auty and Tsao are tasked with developing a compelling multiplayer experience as innovative as the spectacularly deep single-player game. Far Cry is a first-person shooter set in a lush tropical paradise that sets out to bring the first-person shooter to an entirely new level of entertainment and technical excellence. The expansive plans to Far Cry's unique multiplayer modes and lightning-fast online play have extended its development period to Q1 2004.

Nyko Technologies has shipped its iType2 Controller with Mini-Keyboard for PlayStation 2 to major retail outlets and specialty electronics stores. Officially licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment America, the iType2 features a mini-keyboard built directly into the pad and allows players to chat, share information and type messages to other players - with no interruptions in gameplay. Nyko's new product will sell for $39.99 MSRP.

Enlight announced today that the highly anticipated space simulation game, X²: The Threat, has gone gold. A sequel to the Egosoft's award-winning X: Beyond the Frontier, X²: The Threat transports players back into the dynamic X-Universe where gameplay is completely boundless and a new race is introduced- determined to disrupt the harmony within the galaxy.

Eidos and Sports Interactive announce that Championship Manager: Season 03/04 has 'gone gold' and will be released on 21st November. At the same time SIGames has released a fully functional but time limited (6 months) demo. Read more for facts and download links!

Further to the release of Hugo - Bukkazoom! coming out on 14th November 2003, ITE have developed a website devoted to the new style cart racing game www.bukkazoom.com. The site features downloadables (movies, screenshots, wallpapers), character profiles, tips and details about power ups from the upcoming free-roam racing game. Bukkazoom! is a high-paced cart racing game in a free roaming universe with combat actions and strategy elements to boot! In a wacky cartoonish world you get to control a host of characters from the Hugo universe equipped with funky bug cars decked out with wicked weaponry!

Microsoft Game Studios and Climax Group today announced that the Sudeki Fan Site Kit is now available for download at Xbox.com. The 22 MB download features items to help would-be webmasters create a top-notch Sudeki fan site, including concept art, message board icons, screens, texture tiles for constructing backgrounds and much more. Sudeki, the highly anticipated action role-playing game, will be available in Spring of 2004, exclusively for Xbox.

Strategy First and Made by KIDDIES are pleased to announce they have teamed up once more to bring the PC arcade shooter hit, Alien Blast: The Encounter to North American retail shelves. Read more for details & screens ...

THQ today announced that Hot Wheels World Race is now available for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and Nintendo GameCube at retailers throughout North America. The game features "Hot," a high energy theme song written and performed by multi-platinum band Smash Mouth. Hot Wheels World Race for Game Boy Advance and PC are scheduled to ship in mid-November.

FIFA Soccer 2004, the deep and authentic videogame from Electronic Arts that allows users to play the world's most popular sport with the world's greatest teams and players, is now available in stores under the EA SPORTS brand. Complete with the revolutionary new Off The Ball Control, comprehensive game modes, and benchmark presentation, FIFA Soccer 2004 offers the most authentic soccer gaming experience available.

As Major John "Dutch" Cane, you will be leading an elite platoon of mercenary commandos in this next generation of side-scrolling action combat games. In one word: Explosive. BlowOut is a pick-up-and-play, run and gun, side-scrolling action combat game that uses 3D character models to set itself apart. Check the new screens ...

Jester is pleased to announce details of its forthcoming title Isle of Man TT Superbikes. The game will be based on the number one road race in the world for Playstation 2 and will be released in the first quarter of 2004. With its extreme road racing, fantastic environment, and dare devil tactics that Surrounds the event; the TT is a perfect match for video games. The Isle Of Man TT will be the definitive game in terms of playability, graphical elements, fun, and realism. At the same time engrossing the users in gameplay brimming with rewards and replay value. Read more for info & screens...

Take a band of gun-toting rebels -a robot, a madman, a mole and a criminal mastermind. Put them in a vividly stunning fantasy realm. Then give them an impossible mission - pulling off the biggest heist of all time in the middle of a war. All you have to do is battle your way through dastardly enemies, giant war machines and an army of psychopathic robots. But don't worry; you have plenty of ammo and absolutely no common sense. Victory is yours in 12,000 bullets or less! Read more for the full preview ...

The quest to destroy the One Ring continues in the first Real-Time Strategy game based on The Lord of the Rings saga. Massive battles will erupt as the peoples of Middle-earth fight for control of Tolkien's World. Play as the forces of good and valiantly fight for the One Ring's destruction or play as the forces of evil to claim control over Middle-earth forever. Read more for the full review ...

The millions of fans of The Legend of Zelda series will get an early holiday present from Nintendo of America Inc.: the release of a must-have disc that includes four playable classic games and additional bonus materials. Starting Nov. 17, Nintendo will offer The Legend of Zelda Collector's Edition Bundle packaged with the Nintendo GameCube at the low price of just $99.99.