Digital Jesters/Encore has released a map editor for Digital Reality's WW2 RTS Desert Rats vs. Afrika Korps. The map editor (requires your game to be v1.18) will allow you to create your own multi-player maps to give to your friends or pass around and play online or over a network with. The map editor allows you to make a map of any size as well as place most of the objects seen in multi-player and single-player.

The game that introduced stealth gameplay is back. Ion Storm has implemented a new 3rd person cinematic action view as well as the classic 1st person perspective from the previous Thief chapters. Breaking and entering, stealing, sabotage, combat, assassination, and setting up ambushes - tasks master thief Garrett is well equipped to perform.

Perimeter is a real-time strategy game built on the concept of territory seizure using detailed terraforming and on the subsequent encircling of these zones with a special protective perimeter. The game combines proven principles of controlling resources and unit groups with titles featuring a clear-cut seizure of living space. Read more for some new screens ...

TimeGate Studios delivers a breathtaking world of magical splendour, heroic deeds, and fearsome enemies with Kohan II: Kings of War, a fantasy-based real-time strategy game. Presented in beautifully rendered 3D, Kohan II: Kings of War allows gamers to lay siege to enemy cities, explore fantastic realms, fight strange creatures, and build a world-spanning empire.

Eidos has just released the first patch for their recently released steal/action game Hitman Contracts. This will bring your retail game to build 174 and addresses a slew of game crashes, some graphical glitches, Asylum aftermath level issue where 47 got stuck and a few other things. Read more for details and download links ...

DICE and EA are pleased to announce that the first Battlefield Vietnam update has entered the home stretch and should be ready for release in the very near future. Many of the community reported issues are being addressed such as : removal of the m60 from the LAW Kit (big complaint about it being too powerful), server list sorted by ping and various other server & client side fixes. Read more for details ...

From the far corners of Middle-earth, new adventures come forth to face the growing evil in the East. The forces of Mordor are mobilizing as the Nazgül hunt for the One Ring. Read more to check some screens ...

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 :

• Suikoden IV - Trailer
• Spy Fiction - Trailer
• Burnout 3 - Trailer (2)
• Silent Hill 4: The Room - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Slitherine Strategies has released a new patch for their strategy game Spartan. This update brings your retail game to v1.013 and addresses various AI and gameplay issues. Read more for details & download links ...

To coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Iran Hostage Crisis, KumaWar, an online game service featuring accurate re-creations of real-world events, has launched its newest mission, Iran Hostage Rescue, based upon the April 24, 1980 failed attempt to rescue 53 American hostages held in Tehran.

Micro Forté is proud to officially confirm that its long-awaited MMOG Citizen Zero is being developed for PC and Xbox. Combining the guts and muscle of action shooters with the depth and broad scope of online RPGs, Citizen Zero is set to change the way people think about online gaming. Visit the freshly launched Citizen Zero website or read more for details...

Atari, Inc. today announced its DBZ lineup for 2004. The three titles, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 for the PS2 and Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors and Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury for the GBA find Goku and his fellow Z-Warriors in a new realm of challenges and missions. Read more for details ..

Prepare to enter the nitrous-fuelled world of Crash 'n' BurnTM where dangerous driving is not only encouraged, it is the only way you'll survive. Crash 'n' Burn is being developed by Climax's Brighton studio, and will be available on PlayStation 2 and Xbox this autumn. Read more for details, screens & trailer ...

Matrix Games and Adanac Command Studies has released the first patch for Adanac Command Studies. This update brings your retail game to v2.1 and focuses on bugs reported by customers since the initial release. The list of fixes includes Army Commander attachments, Some rare text overlaps and blank combat screens, PBEM issues and map display issues. With this patch, virtually all reported bugs have been addressed and the play experience should be improved.

SEGA Europe Ltd, today announced the development of SEGA's OutRun2 exclusively for the Xbox. The new game, which will feature enhanced modes for the home console version, is due to be unveiled at the forthcoming E3 2004 Expo, May 12-14, Los Angeles. Read more for details & screens...

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that Blinx 2: Masters of Time & Space, the sequel to one of the best-selling Xbox action-platformers, is in development and slated for a Holiday 2004 release. Blinx 2: Masters of Time & Space is the world's first 5-D game, giving players control over both Time and Space. Using customized characters, gamers can play Battle Mode either on one Xbox or over Xbox Live.

Earlier today EA released their financial results (and as expected they are doing great, making more money as we speak), and while no new hidden titles were disclose it did reveal that 'Def Jam: Vendetta 2' is now known as mention 'Def Jam: Fight for New York'. On top of that Free Radical's Timesplitters 3 also got its final name and will henceforth be known as 'TimeSplitters: Future Perfect'

Codename: PANZERS will not only with thrill you with its 30 exciting singleplayer missions, but also with a multiplayer mode that'll knock your socks off!! Along with the familiar modes like Assault, Skirmish and Deathmatch, two other modes (2 player Coop & Domination mode) will put PANZERS players to the test. Read more for details ...

Mashed is a top down racing game that pits up to four players against each other in a gladiatorial racing battle extravaganza. Compete over 13 challenging and diverse environments using whatever means necessary to batter and bruise your opponents into submission, and claim victory for yourself. Using a plethora of weapons or just your driving skills unleash your fury, cause absolute carnage and send your friends to a humiliating defeat!

Previously only available on Playstation 2, KOEI Corporation today announced that it is publishing 'Samurai Warriors' for the Xbox. The title is slated to ship to North American retailers this Summer.