Over the next month or so there will be a couple of interesting releases via Steam, in addition to the upcoming Counter-Strike map de_compound. First, Valve will be releasing an update to Half-Life 2: Deathmatch that will include the Slam, Stunstick, and the Crowbar.

Intense, free-roaming, off-road racing takes on a whole new meaning as gamers will be able to blaze their own trail, anytime, anywhere with ATV Offroad Fury Blazin' Trails for the PSP.

Variety is reporting that Microsoft recently completed a million dollar deal to secure the services of Alex Garland, 28 Days Later and The Beach writer, who is now in the process of penning a screenplay for Halo The Movie. Once the script is complete and signed off by Microsoft, it will be sold to a studio with ex-Columbia Pictures President Peter Schlessel keeping a close eye on the proceedings (thanks VE3D).

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

• Pro Rugby Manager - Trailer #2
• Brothers in Arms - Trailer
• Cold Fear - Trailer #2
• Atriarch - Trailer

Midway announced today that Mortal Kombat: Deception has gone gold for the GameCube and is slated to arrive to retailers ahead of schedule on February 28, 2005. Featuring exclusive GameCube content, Mortal Kombat: Deception allows fans to play both as and against Mortal Kombat legendary characters, Goro (Boss creature from Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 4 and Mortal Kombat: Trilogy) and Shao Kahn (Final Boss in Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3).

Resident Evil Outbreak File #2 unfolds further scenarios in the saga of eight average Raccoon City citizens in their desperate quest to escape the zombie infested town. The game supports both single player offline and up to four player network modes. Read more for some new screens...

Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower is a hard hitting fighting game summons the return of Capcom’s greatest monster warriors to once again battle for control of the night. This fierce brawler not only encompasses all 18 menacing characters from the five critically acclaimed instalments of the franchise, it is also remastered to include additional content with Wi-Fi functionality.

Megaman Battle Network 5 will be released in two versions- Team Protoman and Team Colonel for the GBA. Free the internet once and for all from the cyber menaces that await Megaman, his pal Lan and friends as players experience the most exciting ‘Battle Network’ adventure yet. Building on the prior Megaman Battle Network games, the Protoman and Colonel versions will be distinctly enhanced with different enemies, characters, souls and battle chips.

Capcom today announced Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance for PS2 and Xbox. Set in the seedy underbelly of Las Sombras, players are immersed in an urban setting ruled by a criminal underworld of power, greed and corruption. This intense, urban action game features a twisting storyline filled with betrayal, warring cartels and hard-hitting battles. Players must use their wits and depend on their fists above all else, as they seek vengeance against their enemies. Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance includes multiple modes, diverse gameplay and an open format that offers players a high level of freedom.

Haunting Ground is a spine-chilling survival horror game is set in a mysterious castle that has become a prison for two innocent characters- an orphaned young girl and a white shepherd dog. They must utilize each other’s strengths if they hope to escape from their horrifying surroundings. Haunting Ground combines a compelling ambiance of terror and solitude with challenging puzzles and a unique gameplay approach.

Without Warning, developed by CiRCLE Studio, founded by the Tombraider series creators, is a highly charged action shooter set against the backdrop of a brutal terrorist siege of a U.S. based chemical plant. The story takes place over a 12 hour period, during which players will experience the events from the vantage point of six characters that are caught up in the crisis situation.

Dungeon Lords blends the depth of an epic Fantasy RPG with the flexibility of an FPS-style control system. Gamers journey through a land of ancient castles and dungeon lairs to engage in real-time tactical combat with a variety of deadly foes. It's not just about the battles though, as magic spells and hundreds of powerful weapons and artifacts play a huge role in the game. If you haven't yet, check our previously posted preview, or read more for some new screens.

The guns of the greatest of all wars roar into life in and on The Road to Berlin. This fast-moving game drops the player right in the middle of frenzied combat action, where the thrills just keep coming! Pilot, gunner, sniper, paratrooper – all these roles are played out through a simple, intuitive point-and-click interface, allowing instant and complete immersion in the game world.

Planetwide Games announced today a historic event of epic proportion, that after seven years of development, the RYL: Path of the Emperor MMORPG went into Open Beta phase for North America. Planetwide Games will operate Open Beta for a limited time only until the Golden Launch date of March 1, 2005. RYL: Path of the Emperor currently has over 8.2 million online players worldwide.

Digital Jesters has scooped another title to add to its already impressive 2005 portfolio as it announces the June release of Chaos League: Sudden Death for PC. The game, developed by Paris-based Cyanide Studios, takes up where the original Chaos League left off, bringing with it a host of improvements and enhancements which make take the real-time, role-playing strategy sports title into a whole new bloody battleground.

Aurora Watching is a third person perspective stealth game taking place in the Arctic. During the mission, Sullivan faces many opponents, not all of whom are human and each of which can be defeated in many ways, Mini-games, puzzles, and hi-tech gadgets keep players excited from the very beginning to the end.

Microsoft Game Studios announced today that MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf, the sequel to one of the most popular Xbox action titles, has shipped to UK retail stores for an estimated retail price of £39.99 (UK). MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf offers gamers a rich BattleMech experience, both offline and online via Xbox Live.

DreamCatcher Games today announced Aerial Strike: The Yager Missions, a futuristic aerial 3D combat/action game, is now at retailers across North America.

Rising Star Games will initially publish titles for PSP, Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2, introducing new games alongside enhanced and updated iterations of interactive entertainment's most loved franchises. Harvest Moon Makes First Ever PS2 appearance alongside New DS, GBA and Game Cube Versions; Space Invaders and Bubble Bobble Updated For next generation handhelds.

RattHunter is a traditional first-person shooter set in a hi-tech environment. It does not push the envelope or bring something fresh to the genre, since we feel that there is little place for innovation in today's action games market. It is, however, solid, polished and smart. Developers lay the emphasis on original ideas in visualization and gameplay design.