BioWare has released a new patch for Neverwinter Nights, updating their role playing game to v1.28. There have been some Aurora toolset changes, there's new ATI code for the Catalyst 3.0/3.1 drivers, and there have been some stability fixes among other things. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

The Official Shadowbane website just released two new Herald journals detailing the latest events inside of the closed Ubi Soft beta test. The first journal is called Avarice: The Jewel of Southern Tyrranth which is a guided tour of one of the most successful player cities inside of the Shadowbane beta test. The guided player-city tour contains screenshots of buildings and hirelings at work, and two interviews with beta testers who manage the town. The second Herald journal is called The Power of Gold, a follow-up report to the earlier chronicles surrounding the Siege of Stormwood last month. This journal includes screens, and details the rise of mercenary companies inside the heated political and military conflicts of Shadowbane's beta test. Read more to check out the screens ...

German publisher Ascaron released their latest RPG/Fantasy Adventure game Sacred in Spring 2002, but no word about English release date. Sacred will allow you to choose one of 6 (3 male/3 female) totally different characters, ranging from Magicians, Gladiators, Dark Elves and more. Your journey will take you to the wastelands of "Ancaria", far at the southern border of the human kingdom, where the evil Magician 'Shaddar' hides in his tower after he was banished for his on-going cruelties. Check out these 6 new screens ..

Republic: The Revolution is the ground breaking new strategy title boasting jaw-dropping visuals utilising the most advanced graphic engine ever seen. Republic: The Revolution is being developed by London based Elixir Studios and is already one of the most talked about titles of the year. Elixir Studios also let us know that they, as of today, will start a daily Q&A on their Forum with key members of the Republic Team where you will be able to ask questions, discuss topics and debate the fine details of the forthcoming Republic: The Revolution. They also released a new batch of screens, so read more and check them out!

Worms 3 will utilise the full power afforded by next-generation platforms, featuring ground-breaking fully deformable landscape technology, and will continue the wild humor and intensive, addictive fun that gamers expect from the Worms franchise. Worms 3 will showcase a raft of new gameplay features, while retaining all the familiar chaos of the original titles, complete with bizarre power-ups, loopy weaponry, and crazy cartoon graphics -- in both single and multi-player modes. Check out these 8 new wormelicious screens ..

The Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide site is updated with a new Creatures of the desert unite wallpaper. This new wallpaper features an abundance of many-legged creatures massing in the desert! Also in upcoming weeks, they will be showcasing aspects of the 3 new Shadows of Undrentide tilesets, starting this week with the Giant Statue Head, Chasm Stairs, and Oasis tiles from the Desert tileset! (thanks gamezone.cz)

Play from a distance so great you can't see the telly any more with this new Xbox controller. And Logic3 has its own S-styled one too... SpectraVideo plc are now shipping the new Logic3 FreeBird RF Wireless Game Pad and the S-Pad– both for the Xbox console. These two new controllers feature an improved ergonomic design, but with out losing any of the functionality found in the earlier, larger controllers.

WarBirds just got a new makeover! WarBirds, Pacific Theater of Operations is an upcoming major update to the award winning WarBirds III family of products. New terrain, new airplanes, new flight models, new strategy, and new fun all will be had with this exciting new version! The remarkable game play featured in WarBirds PTO is incomparable to any previous versions of WarBirds!

Sabotage is intended to be the first game that will give the player complete freedom in complex interior environments as well as in huge exterior surfaces. It takes place in a near (and pretty depressing) future where the player is in charge of a company that buys off employees’lives in order to give them dangerous and highly strategic missions: from industrial espionage to sabotage... Sabotage combines real time strategy and ultra-fast action to offer a unique experience. The game should run on PC and Xbox platforms. Check out the new batch of screens ...

Mike at the German racing site Race-Zone let us know that they now have a complete list of all 109 vehicles from Synetic's upcoming racing game, Mercedes Benz World Racing.. The game features a revolutionary 3D Landscape Engine, which not only creates separate race tracks but facilitates the creation of kilometre long 3D sceneries allowing a virtually realistic full driving experience. The player can select his favourite model car from a nearly complete range of cars from Mercedes-Benz. Each model is sculptured based on original data from Mercedes-Benz.

Today Infogrames announced World of Outlaws Sprint Cars - the greatest show on dirt - will be available in all major retail outlets for Windows PC. The product's mind-blowing graphics are a direct-result of developer Ratbag's award-winning Difference Engine. We also got a batch of new screens for your enjoyment ...

Infogrames just revealed details about a new upcoming title "Humvee Assault". Track down and eliminate dangerous forces from behind the wheel of the world’s most relied upon front-line vehicle — the HUMVEE. Whether rumbling through a sun-baked desert, steaming tropical jungle or frozen tundra, it’s up to you to deliver a knockout punch to America’s enemies. With simple pick-up-and-play controls and immediate arcade-style action, this is your war to win. This is HUMVEE Assault! Read more for details and a few new screens ...

Sierra has just launched the official website for their dinosaur theme park sim Jurassic Park Operation Genesis (developed by Blue Tongue Software). The new web site features a bunch of new but lo-res screenshots, links to the previously released demo (which we have mirror'd here), as well as a new trailer (also mirror'd here). Go check it out!

Cold Zero is an action adventure game where the player takes the role of John McAffrey, a former marksman with a SWAT team who was discharged from service after shooting a hostage by accident. His skills helped him get a job providing high level security for high profile corporations. One of his clients is BioResearch Inc, a company that created the genetic weapon known as Cold Zero. After a terrorist group attacks the laboratory and steals this virus, John sets our to find the terrorists before they have a chance to unleash a catastrophe of global proportions. It has been a while since out last Cold Zero screens, but here they finally are .. Njoy!

I saw that Geek News posted up information about that Bill Gates did some talking to the French press, revealing tantalizing tidbits about the Xbox 2. Here is the cut and past:

Gates says the new box will have a lot of multimedia functions beyond just gaming. "The next-generation Xbox will feature digital media capabilities such as video and photo editing in addition to games," Gates was quoted as saying. This isn't very surprising, since the future of home console gaming seems to be moving more and more toward becoming multimedia devices that can replace everything but the TV in your entertainment center.

Coming to the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, Tenchu 3: Wrath of Heaven features impressive new stealth attacks, an enhanced fighting engine, new weapons and tools, larger levels, improved character animations and new multiplayer options... 12 new screenshots to take a look at.

GoldenLand is a role playing game with a global gameworld, developed role system, divaricated storyline allowing multiply passes of every quest, and turn-based battle system. The multiplayer mode allows players to join their energies on struggles against the enemies, to fight against each other and even to establish economical relations with other players. Three new screenshots available. Warning: includes frightening skeletons.

Activision, Inc. announced today that two of its acclaimed titles for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft -- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and WRECKLESS: The Yakuza Missions -- have been selected for inclusion in Microsoft's "Xbox Platinum Hits" program. The new "Platinum Hits" program launched on February 11, 2003 with over a dozen best-selling Xbox games, repackaged with the "Platinum Hits" banner. The titles carry a suggested retail price of $19.99.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today that five additional major recording artists have agreed to provide music and video content for the upcoming rhythm-action game, Amplitude, developed exclusively for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. Expanding upon a top-tier music roster covering hip-hop, rap, electronica and rock, the newly signed bands include blink 182, P.O.D., Mekon, Freezepop and Dieselboy. These artists will join other major recording artists on the Amplitude roster that include David Bowie, Garbage, Weezer, Quarashi and Logan 7. Developed by Harmonix Music Systems, Amplitude allows players to become a rhythmical DJ and jam with more than 20 diverse songs in virtual, vibrant interactive musical environments while mixing and remixing hit songs in both offline and online gameplay.

Sony Online Entertainment announced that EverQuest Online Adventures, exclusively for the PS2, hits retail stores nationwide today, ending months of anticipation for gamers awaiting this historic release. The launch of EverQuest Online Adventures marks the first time ever that North American PS2 owners can experience a persistent and vast living virtual world filled with thousands of other players from the "real" world. EverQuest Online Adventures includes a free 30-day trial and gives players what they've been looking for with non-stop action, the opportunity to explore an exciting new land, a world of fun and interesting people to meet and play with, quests, combat and more.

Capcom today announced that one of its leading fighting titles, Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO, is now available for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and playable via Xbox Live. Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO brings together 44 brawlers from the Capcom and SNK franchises and pits them against each other in cyberspace

NASCAR Racing 2003 Season has shipped to retail locations nationwide. Developed by Massachusetts-based Papyrus Racing Games and published by Sierra Entertainment, NASCAR Racing 2003 Season features new 3D graphics, an enhanced physics model developed with the input of official NASCAR team engineers, and informative driving aids for both seasoned and novice drivers. In addition, the game is the first to include 2003 NASCAR Cup series teams, sponsors, and tracks.

Summitsoft Corporation announced today it has obtained the publishing rights in North America for Empire of Magic. Developed for the PC platform over the past three years by Mayhem Studios in Slovak Republic, Empire of Magic features an absorbing magical fantasy world with elements of adventure, strategy and role-playing.

"We are very pleased to acquire such a richly detailed game as Empire of Magic," said Bruce Lowry, President and CEO of Summitsoft Corporation. "Thanks to its artificial intelligence and intricate layer of side-quests and extra tasks, every scenario becomes unique to players even after extensive replay."

Electronic Arts Inc. and Swedish developer Digital Illusions, C.E. (DICE) today announced a strategic investment and long-term publishing agreement for video games made by DICE studios. EA has purchased a minority interest in DICE and licensed the worldwide publishing rights for future products developed by DICE. In 2002, DICE and EA partnered to release the global blockbuster, Battlefield 1942. The critically acclaimed online multi-player game is in distribution in more than 36 countries and has shipped more than 900,000 games to date. In January 2003, EA released a Battlefield 1942 expansion pack titled Battlefield: The Road to Rome, with all new content to accompany the original game.

Chrome, a Tactical First Person Shooter, is a dramatic story of heroism, friendship and betrayal; a story full of sudden twists and turns mixed into tons of Sci-Fi action. Players assume the role of Logan; a veteran mercenary turned bounty hunter who is out to make it rich. Using a system of implants, the player is able to manipulate Logan’s personality and abilities in order to accomplish all of the 14 enormous and varied missions. We had a little sit down with Techland designer Paul Bartek and fired off some annoying questions, stole some brand new screens, and got out guns blazing!

Super Bust-A-Move 2 is a highly-addictive screen clearing puzzle action game for one or two players. Play it at a party, with a friend, or by yourself as you compete in four challenging modes, including the new edit mode where you design your own levels for almost limitless replayability! With all of your favorite classic characters plus two new ones, more than 10 stages for each character to clear in their own unique story modes, and the ever popular head-to-head battle mode, Super Bust-A-Move 2 is destined to be a fan favorite. Could a puzzle game still be worth your while? Read more and find out!