While Namco Bandai's latest One Piece: Unlimited Adventure has just gone gold in North America, the next installment in the franchise is already well under way. While details about One Piece Unlimited Cruise: Episode 1 are slim, the first footage was shown at Jump Festa 2008 a few weeks ago.

Kwari is an FPS where players make money off each other in real-time. The game will be free to download online, but instead of being subscription-based it will use a unique free-to-play/pay-to-play model whereby Kwari sells the player ammunition.

Hard to be a God is an RPG with adventure and espionage elements based on a storyline of the novel with the same name by Strugatsky brothers. The main hero is a graduate of a medieval secret service high school, and his mission is to scout and report the situation in the Kingdom of Arcanar, an independent anarchical state.

According to the Vancouver Sun Black Box Games co-founder Martin Sikes suddenly passed away on Christmas Eve at the age of 39. After he left the University of British Columbia with a degree in electrical engineering, Sikes went to work for Radical Entertainment. In 1998, Sikes co-founded Black Box Games, which was acquired by EA Canada in 2002. He was a programmer on various titles in the Need for Speed franchise and co-founded United Front Games, although he had recently left the company.

During Bill Gates' final 2008 CES keynote speech, Microsoft unveiled several new entertainment services and partnerships that demonstrate how software is improving people’s ability to connect with their favorite content and communities through new and expanded forms of entertainment experiences.

At the 2008 CES Microsoft announced that Disney/ABC and MGM Studios will be offering U.S. Xbox Live members premium entertainment content (movies, old/new TV series) via the Marketplace Video Store.

After Microsoft showed off its holidays hard/software sales numbers, Sony put its cards on the table revealing that hardware retail sales across its three platforms reached more than 3.9 million units in North America from Nov. 23, 2007 to Dec. 31, 2007.

Revealed a few days ago, Sony officially announced that late January it will introduce Skype features to the new slim PSP through a firmware update, enabling users to freely communicate with other Skype users around the world over the Internet.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is a violent and chaotic journey of two men — a flawed mercenary and a medicated psychopath — and their brutal attitude towards right and wrong. This demo features the Retomoto Tower mission, also playable in co-op.

Bully: Scholarship Edition tells the story of 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins as he experiences the highs and lows of adjusting to a new school. Bully is coming to the X360 and the Wii on March 4, and the first details about the promised new content have been revealed. Eight new missions, four new school classes (biology, music, math and geography), new unlockable items and clothing, new two-player offline minigames, new awards and Achievements.

L.A. Noire is an interactive detective story set in the 1947 classic noir period situated in an exact recreation of mid century Los Angeles. L.A. Noire draws players into an open-ended challenge to solve a series of gruesome murders, but also side missions based on real events from that period. Developer Team Bondi hired a costume designer to accurately portray the time period. While previously pegged as a PS3 exclusive, a job listing for a new Lead Animator reveals "the project" to be on PS3 and X360.

All your favorites from Rockstar Games are now on Steam! To celebrate, you'll save 10% (ends Jan. 11) on every title, from the complete Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne series to Manhunt, Midnight Club II, and more. The Rockstar Collection, which packs every Rockstar game for just $53.95 (regular price: $59.95).

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:

• Stargate Worlds - TV Trailer
• Frontlines: Fuel of War [PS3/X360/PC] - EMP Trailer
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Stranglehold redefines the action gaming experience with its acrobatic gunplay, thrilling cinematography, frenetic combat and incredible massive destructibility. As promised Midway has released a downloadable map pack for the X360 (coming for PS3 next week) featuring 10 fresh multiplayer maps, 21 all-new multiplayer character skins, and 10 new achievements worth 250 points.

The war on terror is raging. Violence is escalating. Time and again, civilians are being kidnapped for ransom. Despite earlier assertions, the government takes up negotiations to free the hostages. At the same time, they also send a special unit of the US Navy Seals just in case the negotiations take a little too long....

Wipeout HD features a selection of the best tracks taken from previous versions of the Wipeout franchise, offering meticulously crafted and fully reworked tracks.

Last year former God of War creative director David Jaffe left to form his own studio Eat Sleep Play, and late 2007 studio director Cory Barlog also left in order to "pursue other opportunities." While Barlog has yet to give any details what his current plans are, he did state that God of War III development "is in good hands" at the Santa Monica studio, and that prior to leaving he worked on the story and design for the third game. The foundation of the game, along with story that completes the arc we began in God of War, was complete, and the trilogy "is going to finish off with a very big, very epic bang."

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:

• Spaceforce: Captains - Trailer #2
• Dynasty Warriors 6 [PS3/X360] - Trailer #2
• Burnout Paradise [PS3/X360] - Wal-Mart Trailer
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Hired Guns: The Jagged Edge, previously known as JAZZ: Hired Guns, is a game that best describes the life of risk and danger that you’ll lead in this action-packed turn-based tactical game where you’ll be in control of leading a group of seasoned mercenaries through the African countryside.

Hudson Entertainment's Bomberman Land is coming to the Wii and PSP, while Bomberman Land Touch! 2 is coming for the NDS. Bomberman Land brings together 3 exciting game modes into one, with over 40 mini-games and multiplayer support.