Earlier today, a story on IGN caused a ruckus when somebody asked whether there was truth to the rumor of a GBA version of Bungie's FPS Halo being in the works. A moderator replied, acknowledging the rumor and then suggested that there could very well be truth to the story. That, in turn, triggered a reply in the Bungie forums, where they claim a Halo GBA version is very "unlikely," and there are no plans for it. The previously-mentioned IGN moderator is "sticking to [his] guns" and claims to have heard from several development sources that such plans HAVE existed since last Christmas. Read all about it over at IGN...

The official Far Cry website has word that the much anticipated v1.2 patch for Crytek's FPS Far Cry has been delayed, no new release date has been mentioned. "The Far Cry Patch and SDK were found to contain a few remaining bugs which justify extra testing -- better safe than sorry. More information to follow as it becomes available." You can read the full story over at the Far Cry website.

The clash between the popular characters of SNK and CAPCOM comes to the Xbox. This time SNK takes the baton from the previously released "Capcom vs SNK" to again bring players the dream match of fighting games, all with the unique SNK touch. An incredible clash of 36 characters from world famous SNK and Capcom franchises such as Fatal Fury, Samurai Shodown, The King of Fighters and Street Fighter.

Shocking and evil, Mortal Kombat: Deception pushes martial arts-style fighting and the Mortal Kombat franchise to new heights with an innovative fighting system, unparalleled depth and brutally intense action that will appeal to long-time Mortal Kombat fans as well as next-generation gamers. The game features lightning-fast hand-to-hand and special weapons combat, secret and returning characters, moves and combinations with new death-dealing battles and fatalities. Read more for some new screens ...

Developed by Ubisoft's award-winning Red Storm studio, Ghost Recon 2 launches on next-generation consoles and PC this Holiday season. The game is set in the chaotic battlefields of tomorrow, and will offer gamers an insider's view of the way large scale conflicts will be fought in the near future. Read more for a few new screens...

Ubisoft announced today that premium downloadable content for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow on Xbox is now available. Thanks to its multiplayer mode that critics are calling "the most revolutionary online mode since deathmatch," Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow stands among the most played game on Xbox Live. Sam Fisher's fans can now do wnload 2 new maps -"Federal Reserve Bank" and "River Mall"- via Xbox Live for $5.

Slitherine Software is pleased to announce that Gates of Troy has gone gold! Gates of Troy is a Trojan themed stand-alone expansion pack for SPARTAN. This stand-alone expansion for Spartan has been approved by QA and we are now burning the final disks, ready to be sent to the factory, where they will make glass masters. Gates of Troy is compatible with all versions of Spartan & in all languages.

Psychotoxic is a first person shooter with an exceptionally exciting story line. The setting is New York, in the year 2020. Three of the four horsemen of the apocalypse have caused terrible damage on Earth. The fourth horseman is now preparing for his return. Violence and aggression are increasing drastically. Humanity's last hope is protagonist Angie Prophet. Check the new batch of screens ...

Shadow Hearts: Covenant, the sequel to the critically acclaimed fantasy-style RPG Shadow Hearts, is a mix of turn-based strategy and RPG elements. Shadow Hearts: Covenant (known as Shadow Hearts 2 in Japan) provides players with an even greater magical quest than its predecessor. Read more for some new screens...

Dreamcatcher has released the first patch for Primal Software's RTS Besieger. This patch will bring your retail game to v1.2.5, adds GameSpy support and fixes MP lag issues. A Real-Time 3D Strategy, Besieger is set in a medieval fantasy world in which rival players wage war as either Viking or Cimmerian warriors. As well as the bloody battles, each player must build, protect and attack fortified citadels. Read more for download links ...

It’s the season of the fan. The year of people coming together to celebrate sport. And uniting everyone is ESPN NFL Football, a coupling of “the most responsive and intense gameplay around” and the richest multi-player gaming experience possible. Everyone is getting in on the action with the help of our innovative V.I.P. system – allowing you to play your friends or the elite as if they were sitting right next to you! So dust off those extra controllers, grab some chairs, and get your game on!

Set in the 60s and using the Cold War as its inspiration, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater forces the player to adopt a number of new skills to survive in Snake's new jungle environment. Danger lurks everywhere as Snake explores the beautifully-realised forests, encampments and rivers, with guards patrolling key routes, dangerous animals to contend with, and the uneven terrain and noisy foliage making the silent approaches the Metal Gear hero is famed for virtually impossible.

Sega Europe today announced that the latest title in Team 17's hugely entertaining Worms franchise, Worms Forts Under Siege, will be playable online on the Xbox through the Xbox Live. Prepare your garrison of worms to join three other machines in four player clashes. Wage war online, over epic landscapes never seen before in a Worms game with the option to tailor battles through Quickmatch and Optimatch matchmaking. Read more for details and some new screens ...

Tri Synergy and Nevrax today announced an exclusive North American distribution agreement. Under the agreement, Tri Synergy will distribute The Saga of Ryzom, Nevrax's graphically stunning, multi-genre massively multiplayer online role-playing game into the North American market later this year.

Dreamcatcher has released a new patch for People Can Fly's FPS Painkiller. This update brings your retail game to v1.2 and addresses various weapon tweaks and bug-fixes, multiplayer improvements, as well as 2 new multiplayer maps (DM_Fallen1 and DM_Fallen2). Read more for details and download links ...

Games Publisher Digital Jesters has announced that it has secured the rights to the ground-breaking Medieval Lords: Build, Defend, Expand. Medieval Lords takes aspiring city governors to the middle ages, combining rich city-building challenges with evolving military forces to defend against relentless attacks from neighboring enemies. Medieval Lords is expected to be released in October 2004, at a SRP of £29.99.

Codemasters has released the first patch for K-D Lab's Perimeter, a real-time strategy game built on the concept of territory seizure using detailed terraforming and on the subsequent encircling of these zones with a special protective perimeter. This upgrade features a brand new multiplayer map, as well as integrated chat/lobby support, and a new Replay feature, which enables you to record battles to evaluate your strategies or exchange them with other Perimeter players. Read more for download links ...

Jowood has released the first patch for Wing Simulations' multiplayer shooter SÖLDNER: Secret Wars. This v28446 contains improved vehicle physics, Netcode Optimisation, extended Commander and Player Map Options, Crash Fixes and also an additional vehicle (Tank, Merkava) + two new weapons (Pistol, Glock 18 ; Sniper Rifle, VSS Vintirez). Read more for details and download links ...

The first 3D action-RPG based on the popular Marvel characters, the X-Men, X-Men Legends challenges players to master the attributes of their favorite X-Men by creating, customizing and controlling teams of four mutants in real time. Assuming the role of more than a dozen popular Super Heroes, each with individual mutant powers and fighting skills, including Wolverine, Gambit and Storm, players lead teams of mutants as they battle the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and other Marvel villains on a quest to stop the extinction of mankind and determine the fate of the world.

'Cold War Conflicts' is a real-time strategy game set in the historical period of the Cold War era from 1950 to 1973. In four campaigns you take control of the military forces of eight different nations. Some of the campaigns are non-linear which means that success or failure in some missions’ results in a different starting point and strength of military forces in the following mission.