Valve lastest Steam Update has a few details on what to expect in the near future. Valve intends to implement The Friends system soon, allowing you to see when friends are online, and playing games, as well as chat with them. Valve is also planning on going back to some of the older Counter-Strike: Source maps and giving them an High Dynamic Range pass, starting with de_dust. Next week Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 will be released and playable on Steam, which is already available for preload.

Act of War: High Treason introduces new features and content to enhance and extend the overall experience. High Treason will expand into naval warfare with over a dozen different vessels, such as AEGIS cruisers, frigates, aircraft carriers and submarines. Less scripting, better AI and camera handling.

In an interview with Xbox365.com, Bethesda's PR guru Pete Hines revealed that it currently has 3 teams working on various projects. One team will be utilized to support the imminent TES IV: Oblivion launch with patches, updates and expasions, while another team is actively working on FallOut3, but most importantly, the third team has already started developing, albeit most likely VERY early stages, on The Elder Scrioll V. Of course no details to its content or platforms were revealed.

Egosoft has released an updated playable demo for its space-combat exploration game X³: REUNION. This demo walks you through key game concepts in a limited game universe. A small hotfix was released addressing a problem with a File Not Found error when you try to play the demo for a second time.

Expedition Trophy is a transcontinental off-road racing game spanning more than 16.000 kilometers of forest and snow-covered roads, from Saint Petersburg to Moscow, or Kiev and Prague. Expedition Trophy will not only severly test the vehicles, but also the driver through spirit, endurance, friendship and mere participation.

Experience the pro tour in venues that are alive and dynamic with environmental elements that react to your play. Characters are even more stunning with the addition of HD technology and the inclusion of the top players in the world like Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and Roger Federer. Put it all online and you once again have the greatest tennis game ever created.

Pirates of the XXI Century, developed by DioSoft, is a new FPS that revolves around modern day sea pirates with action taking place on load, air, sea and even underwater. You will be able to play as either a member of Hong Kong’s triads, modern day pirate or soldier of US Special Forces and have use of about 30 weapons.

Legion Arena is an online Role Playing Strategy Game, and blends core gameplay elements from the RTS & RPG genres. Strategy First has released the first patch bringing your English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish retail game to v1.01b and fixes a few bugs, adds larger multiplayer armies, makes the game more MOD friendly and more.

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:

• The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar - Trailer
• Tomb Raider: Legend [PSP/PS2/Xbox/X360/PC] - Trailer
• TimeShift [Xbox/X360/PC] - Making Of Trailer
• Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WW II [X360] - Trailer
• Steambot Chronicles [PS2] - Trailer
• Commandos Strike Force [PS2/Xbox/PC] - Open Battlefield Trailer
• Hearts of Iron II: Doomsday - Trailer
• The Outfit [X360] - Vehicular Combat Trailer
• Take Command: 2nd Manassas - Trailer (2)
• Driver Parallel Lines [PS2/Xbox] - Car Chases Trailer #2
• Panzer Command: Operation Winter Storm - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Introversion has released a new patch for its action game Darwinia. This update brings your retail game to v1.42 and fixes a save game issue, adds a difficulty setting, and updates the German translation. If you bought the game through Steam, the update will automatically apply itself.

Okami depicts a stark world devoid of color that the player must return to its natural state. In Okami, color represents the life blood of the land and sucking this life are supernatural monsters that inhabit the surrounding areas.

NCsoft North America's Richard Allen Garriott will be honored with this year's Game Developers Choice Award for Lifetime Achievement. A respected pioneer of the computer gaming world and best known for his monumental game series Ultima, Garriott will be recognized for fueling the presence of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games in the mass market.

Today 3D Realms posted their latest installment in the weekly Prey update in which Venom Games' Peter Johnson talks about all kinds of issues facing Venom regarding the port, such as converting the engine, the control system, the front end and the integration of Xbox Live. Read more to check out two new screens ...

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.

Pendulo Studios is working on a followup to last year's hit title Runaway: A Road Adventure, an adventure game with 3D characters with a cartoon look and high-impact visual features that include 2D and 3D in an unmatchable style.

Project-Zero has released a new patch for Jowood's online shooter Soldner: Secret Wars. This update brings your retail game to v33670 and adds a bunch of game tweaks and fixes to several of the new maps.

Adrenalin is a game that successfully blends the genres of thrilling adrenalin-pumping racing and an economic management sim. The aim of a player is to not only become the fastest driver around, but to be a talented manager as well.

Things continue to go bad for Atari, as it has received a Nasdaq Staff Deficiency Letter indicating that it is not in compliance with the minimum bid price required for continued listing. Atari has 180 calendar days, until August 30, 2006, to bring its share price up to $1 or higher for 10 consecutive day. If it fails to do so, Nasdaq will provide written notification that its securities will be delisted, which of course Atari would then appeal.

Sword of the Stars is a breakthrough Space Strategy game that seeks to reinvigorate the sub-genre. Players will explore planets, manage their empire and research new technology. Sword of the Stars provides quick, intuitive play, state-of-the-art graphics and tactical combat that make the game instantly involving and rewardingly fun.

Heads up, Xbox 360 gamers! Clear your schedule from March 31 through April 2 as we bring you the Free Xbox Live Gold Weekend, exclusively sponsored by Verizon. You get 72 hours of multiplayer gaming bliss as we grant every U.S. Xbox 360 gamer Xbox Live Gold status for the entire weekend!