Only a few weeks ago we reported the sad news that Myst developer Cyan Worlds had to let go of all of its employees and was about to shut down. San Jose Mercury writer Dean Takahashi received word from Rand Miller, "We've had a reprieve. Managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat (that I can't give details about yet), so we rehired almost everybody." GameSpot further confirms this with a comment from Miller, "We have managed to step back from the brink--after stepping off. There's not that much to say yet."

Battlefield 2: Special Forces brings the intensity and excitement of its predecessors into the realm of covert ops with the latest, most technologically advanced vehicles and weapons systems available to man.

2K Games has released a small patch for Croteam's Serious Sam II multiplayer demo which addresses a problem if server was not behind a NAT, or was behind a non-strict NAT, client would get the message 'Game session is no longer available' when trying to join the game (thanks Seriously!). Read more for download links ..

From Software's Armored Core 4 will allow players can create their own original mech by switching components such as the head, arms, and legs of the mech's body, with a few hundred components to choose from, including changing its color to give it an exclusive looks. By accepting and usccessfully completing missions, the player can purchase even more powerful parts to make his mech stronger. AC4 is currently scheduled for summer 2006.

Nevrax Paris announced today the launching of Episode 2 of The Saga of Ryzom's epic storyline and the coming introduction of PayByCash, with non-credit card payment options for Ryzom players.

The first-ever Battlefield console installment will drop players into the heat of battle on the high tech frontlines, entering a new modern era of combat with more firepower and new expansive environments. Armed with the latest modern weaponry, players can take control of over 30 vehicles, including tanks, helicopters and fast attack vehicles, to engage in major conflicts in some of the largest online battles.

Banpresto announced today that it is co-developing Magna Carta 2 with Korean studio SoftMax, its second title for the Xbox 360, tentatively scheduled for 2007. Magna Carta was originally released on PC in 2002, recently ported to PS2 and scheduled to be released in North America (Atlus) & Europe (Codemasters) later this year, with another PSP edition announced only days ago. Magna Carta is a fantasy RPG in which you play the role of Calintz, the leader of an elite military unit, the Tears of Blood, who vows revenge on those who destroyed his land.

Eidos Interactive today announces that the third person action adventure title Total Overdose: A Gunslinger's Tale in Mexico has shipped to stores and is now available in North America. Developed by Deadline Games, the game was created for the PS2, Xbox and PC.

Square Enix today lifted the veil on a new expansion pack for its MMORPG Final Fantasy XI. While details on FF XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan were not provided, Square Enix did send details on one of the characters, the Blue Mage. Read more for the first screens ...

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault features a deeper single-player experience, a brand new fifth race – The Imperial Guard – and even more intense Dawn of War action. THQ has released a singleplayer demo for DoW: Winter Assault, featuring a tutorial, the Lorn V campaign mission, the Absolute Zero skirmish map, as well as the Army Painter feature (thanks 3DGamers).

F.E.A.R. is an intense first person close-quarters combat experience with rich atmosphere and an engaging, paranormal horror storyline. As promised Vivendi has released the multiplayer demo for Monolith FEAR featuring two maps: DM Factory and CT Facility, and features 16-player support (thanks GameSpot). Read more for download links ...

Microsoft Game Studios and Bizarre Creations today announced that the game will be fuelled by music from top-selling artists such as The Chemical Brothers and up-and-coming Indie Rock artists including Death Cab for Cutie. Totalling nine genres in all, including hard rock, alternative and indie hip hop among others, this eclectic mix of popular music keeps the heart pumping on and off the track.

Today Ubisoft announced that it will publish Flow: Urban Dance Uprising, the first and only breakdancing and hip hop video game. Developed by Artificial Mind and Movement, Flow: Urban Dance Uprising will be available worldwide for holiday 2005, exclusively for the PS2.

Bet On Soldier is a first-person shooter with a corporation-takes-over-the-world-style plot, where you bet on the outcome of encounters with specific enemies. This patch brings your German retail game to v1.2 and improvements in netcode, dedicated server, as well as some noticeable fixes in single and multiplayer. Read more for download links ...

The fourth game in the PC strategy series that has sold over five million copies, Sid Meier's Civilization IV is a bold step forward for the franchise, with spectacular new 3D graphics and all-new single and multiplayer content. Civilization IV will also set a new standard for user-modification, allowing gamers to create their own add-ons using the standard Python and XML scripting languages.

Crave Entertainment today announced the bestselling Pinball Hall of Fame for the PSP. Featuring a compilation of 11 of Gottlieb's greatest tables recreated in a 3D environment, the Pinball Hall of Fame authentic visuals and sound effects takes players back in time to when pinball machines ruled the arcades.

Operation Flashpoint: Elite retains all the depth and immense content of the original and takes you right into the heart of a gripping Cold War conflict between NATO coalition forces and a renegade Soviet Red army faction. The game's intense campaigns and solo missions deliver deeply believable military situations and gives you complete freedom to handle any flashpoint on your own initiative.

Koei today announced plans to have their futuristic racing game Fatal Inertia ready for release when Sony's PS3 console is launched in Japan. It will be KOEI's first game for Sony's next-gen console and also one of their first titles to emerge from their brand new development studio in Canada. Fatal Inertia is scheduled for release in Spring 2006.

Football Manager 2006 is a comprehensive soccer management simulation offering a host of new features, including the ability for managers to negotiate with their board of directors - not only for a better contract for themselves, but also for improved player wage budgets and increased transfer budgets or even stadium expansion. SEGA announced today the game will launch October 21st, 2005. This demo comes in 2 versions, small, with only 2 leagues and English language, or big, with 16 leagues and 8 languages.

Meridian4 and game developer, Rebelmind are pleased to announce that their upcoming Sci-Fi Action/RPG, Space Hack has gone Gold. Space Hack is scheduled for release to retail stores November 15th, 2005