The Independent Games Festival (IGF) has named the winners of the 2006 Student Showcase as well as the finalists for the Modding Competition. Each will be playable and on display during the Game Developers Conference (GDC), from March 20-24 in San Jose, Calif.

Back in April 2005 an email from a musician who claimed he had returned from a recording session in Bratislava, with the local Radio Symphony Orchestra, started the Diablo III rumor, and now Blizzard themselves fuel speculations. A new job opening on the Blizzard website states "The team behind Diablo I and II is looking for a talented, motivated, and experienced Art Director to help lead our art team in developing beautiful, cohesive game worlds for an unannounced PC Project" Some requirements are "experience modeling and texturing a diverse visual range of characters and creatures." and "experience animating both human and non-humanoid characters"

Another day, another batch of game trailers was released. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are trailers for :

• Battle of Europe: Royal Air Forces - Trailer
• Driver Parallel Lines [PS2/Xbox/PC] - Crashes Trailer #2
• Empire Earth II: The Art of Supremacy - Behind The Scenes #2
• Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends - Trailer #2
• The Sims 2 Open for Business - Walkthrough Trailer
• Stacked with Daniel Negreanu - Masters Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

In Tycoon City: New York, players become moguls by constructing and customizing hundreds of businesses and famous landmarks anywhere and anyway they want in a bustling simulation of New York City. Players must create and improve their businesses to outclass the competition, and become rich and famous in New York City.

EA released its 3rd quarter ended Dec 31, 2005 and over all net revenue dropped 11%, resulting in a 31% profit drop. NFS Most Wanted, FIFA 06 Harry Potter, Sims 2 and Madden NFL 06 each sold over two million copies in the quarter, while NBA Live 06, SSX On Tour, Tiger PGA TOUR 06, From Russia with Love and BF2: Modern Combat sold over one million copies.

Combine fully-automatic, weapon-equipped vehicles with highly detailed and interactive urban environments and you have Full Auto, the most destructive racing action ever experienced in a game. This racer allows players to choose from a wide selection of unique vehicle designs and arm them with any combination of machine guns, cannons, and other deadly weapons.

Paraworld combines a setting never seen before with personalized unit management, bringing new life to the real-time strategy genre. Modern elements blend with primeval conditions in a long forgotten, incredibly beautiful prehistoric world. Sunflowers unveils new units, today its up to the Woolly Rhino, the Wild Boar and the Megaloceros.

SEGA revealed that original Sonic creator Yuji Naka, and character designer Naoto Ohshima, are bringing Sonic back to its roots to create the most intense sensation of speed ever experienced in videogames with an innovative combination of art, physics and game design. Not many details are available at this point, but we do have some new screens...

EA announced today that it has signed on with Tiger Woods for another 6 more years to use his likeness and name in their golfing game franchise. electronic Arts does not have any exclusivity deal with the PGA Tour but their Tiger Woods PGA Tour titles are widely considered the most popular golfing titles on the market. No financial details were disclosed, but I'm sure Tiger didn't go down cheap ...

Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is scheduled to be released in North America March 2006 and will not only see the return of Gabe Logan, but also Theresa, Lipan et Lian Xing. The PSP version will allow you to give commands to the rest of your team a la SOCOM, and a multiplayer wi-fi mode is also par of the new features.

Indiana Democratic State Senator Vi Simpson and Republican State Senator Dennis Kruse introduced SB 135, a bill that would fine retailers who rent or sell violent and/or sexually explicit games to minors. It also would have required a sticker with an 18 age requirement to be put on violent games. Unfortunately for the senators they couldnt muster enough of their colleagues to even give it an initial vote within the deadline, which ended today, and is now consdiered dead (thanks Gamepolitics).

SouthPeak Interactive today announced that State of Emergency 2 for the PlayStation 2 has gone gold and will hit retail in February 2006. SOE2 will lets players control vehicles of destruction, including helicopters, tanks, armored personnel carriers and speedboats, as well as a wide variety of powerful weaponry.

LucasArts today announced that Star Wars: Empire at War has gone gold and from Feb. 16, 2006 on you can rewrite history as well as experience the aftermath of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, the creation of the Rebel Alliance, and Darth Vader's rise to power.

War World is the battleground where ancient enemies must settle age old conflicts through clashes of mechanized warriors in a unique combination of all-out action and active strategy. War World: Tactical Combat will ship in Europe Feb. 17th, 2006.

Electronic Arts on Wednesday began laying off several hundred workers in a move EA says will help cut costs and shift resources amid changing business strategies and a revenue-slowing transition to new gaming machines.

Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45, built on Epic's Unreal 2.5 Engine, is a World War II standalone follow-up game to the Red Orchestra mod, that introduces new gameplay and features. Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 will be available through Steam, and in retail March 2006.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is pleased to announce that Nirvana, Stereophonics, Jet, The Subways, Rolling Stones, The Bravery, Blur and many more are all to appear on the latest edition in its PS2 exclusive SingStar Rocks!, set for release in Spring '06.

Today Ubisoft announced that it will publish and distribute LostMagic, the Taito-developed role-playing action video game for the Nintendo DS system in North America and Europe this spring.

After last year’s formation of development studios in Singapore and Belgium, 10Tacle Studios starts off the year 2006 with a majority shareholding in Blimey! Games in London. The team of 45 people led by CEO Ian Bell is specialised in the development of ultra-realistic racing games, such as GTR, and GTR Legends.

Cult of Mithras is a downloadable add-on for Legion Arena. It allows players to take their armies on new adventures into a new world, fighting against old enemies and new mythological beasts.

2K Sports announced today that College Hoops 2K6 will be released for the Xbox 360 in advance of College Basketball's March Madness. CH 2K6 for X360 delivers all the excitement of college basketball through incredible next generation graphics, unparalleled gameplay, the entire suite of features found in the critically-acclaimed current generation versions, and an expanded roster of teams and players.

In Tomb Raider: Legend, Lara comes alive with intricately animated expressions, moves and abilities. An arsenal of modern equipment, such as a magnetic grappling device, binoculars, frag grenades, personal lighting device and communications equipment, allows gamers to experience tomb raiding as never before. Expected in European stores April 7, North America April 11, 2006.

Keepsake will immerse you into a journey beyond compare. Assisted by a dragon afraid of heights, Lydia takes on to explore the Dragonvale Academy's empty structures in search for her best friend Celeste. Lighthouse interactive confirmed Keepsake will be released in Europe by the end of February

Set in the deep space galaxy of Novus, RF Online sees you take your pick from three all-powerful warring factions and leading your character into the final battle for control over the entire Novus galaxy.

DarkStar One delivers fast-paced action within a vast and authentic universe. Experience spectacular graphics, freedom of choice, a gripping story and the power to save the federal galaxy from its nemesis! Ascaron can now introduce detailed backgrounds to the six races, beginning with the future of human existence... the Terrans.

Originally scheduled for Feb 2005, then signed by the now defunct Digital Jesters, Widescreen Games' white water rafting and kayaking game Wild Water Adrenaline is finally scheduled for release Q1 2006, to be published by Nobilis.

Shadowgrounds is an adrenaline-pumping action game featuring upgradeable weapons, lighting based gameplay and an epic storyline with strong characters. Finnish developer Frozenbyte released a demo allowing you to try out 2 missions. Read more for download links ..

Atari announced today that Tycoon City: New York has gone gold and is on schedule for release across Europe on Feb. 24, and North America on FEb. 21. In Tycoon City: New York, players must create and improve their businesses to outclass the competition and become rich and famous in New York City.

Merscom today announced that Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 has shipped to retailers nationwide and is now in stores. Developed by Auran Games and rated "E" for Everyone by the ESRB, “Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006” is the most comprehensive railroad simulator ever developed.

War on Terror is a modern combat RTS game, set against the background of today's greatest threat to world peace – terrorism! Forces clash in believable scenarios, set within real locations across the globe.

Neuro has a futuristic setting, when humankind invents a totally new way of traveling in space. That is why people already inhabit the nearest star systems. Time passes by and these colonies grow into the biggest industrial and scientific centers. Obvious enough, they want to get independent and quit the Earth Confederation. The game starts on the surface of one of the colonies - a planet named Sorgo.

Metal Gear video game series creator, Mr. Hideo Kojima, has opened The Kojima Productions Report, a new audioblog in English. Hosted by Kojima Productions' International Manager Ryan Payton, the "Report" will offer new audio sessions every week. Tune in and hear about the latest on the inner workings at the Kojima Productions studio, including commentary by various staff and guest VIPs.

Resident Evil: Deadly Silence will be a remake of the first RE title, released in 1996, but unlike the original, the DS version will not use pre-rendered graphics, but be in full 3D. One of the modes requires you to wipe the screen to slash your knife, and the dual screen will most likely be used for inventory and map. RE:DS will also support coop and other multiplayer modes.

SpellForce Platinum features three games in one box – SpellForce Gold Edition, which includes The Order of the Dawn and Breath of Winter, plus the expansion pack Shadow of the Phoenix. In the single-player action, players will enjoy a unique mixture of RTS and RPG elements that offer exciting gaming challenges through a persistent game world with a continuous, gripping storyline and numerous sub-quests.