Matrix Games is pleased to announce the new prices for its full current line of games for 2005, effective January 10th, 2005. Throughout most of the Matrix Games line, these new prices reflect a savings for customers. These new price levels are expected to remain constant for these titles throughout 2005.

Blackhole Motorsports has gotten word that EA will be releasing a Nascar SimRacing demo the week of the 17th. The cars in the demo will represent the 2004 Season artwork, but when the game releases, we will have a download available in the install that will update with all of the 2005 car art. Featuring two tracks (Indianapolis and Phoenix), and allowing you to make laps as Kurt Busch.

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 :

• The Sims 2: University - Trailer
• Battlefield 2 - Trailer

What is going on with all these MMO's getting canned? Today Mutable Realms has decided to cancel its Ultra Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game Wish. "After careful consideration of all the facts and analyzing all the data which we have gathered from the Wish Beta 2.0 test so far, we have decided to cancel the Wish project. Our Beta test will end this evening at 6pm EST, and at this time our Beta forums will close as well. We enjoyed working together with our fans very much, and we are very sorry about this development. We wish you the best of luck in the future, and hope that you continue to enjoy online gaming, even with Mutable Realms and Wish not being available anymore." Read more on the official website ...

id Software and Activision will unleash an all-new assault on humanity with DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil, the official expansion pack to the first- person action game. Co-developed by Nerve Software and id Software, DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil continues the terrifying and intense action of the already classic DOOM 3. Check the new screens...

WrestleMania can define a legacy, and yours is about to be written. The greatest spectacle in sports-entertainment comes to Xbox with WWE WrestleMania 21. Read more for additional details ..

An expansion to Capcom's popular 2004 online action game, Monster Hunter G adds a number of significant features to the original. Responding to feedback from players all over the world, the development team has incorporated an improved chatting and search interface in addition to allowing players to walk around town with their weapons. A sorting option has been added to the item pouches and boxes as well, and brand new weapons, color variations, and missions have been added to the initial lineup to help support an all-new twin blade weapon style.

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will be the premier third generation massively multiplayer RPG. A vast, seamless, immersive virtual world filled with elements of familiar High Fantasy, including traditional themes and more, all depicted using cutting-edge graphics technology. Sigil’s expertise and experience in the field will bring groundbreaking static and dynamic content to the genre.

P.M. Studios' Managing Director & Lead Designer Fabio Belsanti has announced through RPGDOT that its action/adventure ETROM: The Astral Essence has been delayed once again. In May 2004 it was pushed back until Q4 2004, obviously it was not released and now has a tentative release date set for Q2 2005. Etrom is an epic adventure among realms and cities, democracies and “nazi” dictatorships, a journey through space-time portals, among the Thrones of the Abyss, beyond the gates of the City of Light and many more locations, situations, rituals, secret-services plots, dark spells.

Famed sci-fi writer Orson Scott Card revealed today that he has entered into an agreement with A Tale in The Dark developers eGenesis to create a MMORPG based on his 'Tales of Alvin Maker' work. ATITD lead designer Andy Tepper will spearhead the project which discribed as a non-combat-centered community-building game. Orson Scott Card is currently also involved in Majesco's Advent Rising trilogy.

Belgian developer Larian Studios issued a small announcement explaining that it is currently very active on its next generation titles and announced that Gamebryo will be the 3D engine powering our future titles, and that it has licensed Speedtree to power the vegetation in our upcoming games. One of the upcoming Larian titles in development is Divinity 2, sequel to its popular 2D RPG.

Developed through a collaborative effort between Pandemic Studios and Mass Media, the game's innovative design, complex artificial intelligence (A.I.) and advanced graphical prowess has been successfully transitioned to the PS2, pushing the hardware to its limits. Full Spectrum Warrior is scheduled to ship worldwide in early 2005.

Desert Law is a new spin on the traditional real-time strategy that immerses players into a post-apocalyptic world where gasoline is the new world currency. Players can have anything if they have gas to pay for it, or gamers can loose everything with one tactical mistake.

SOE's President John Smedley has put up a message in the official EQ 2 forums outlining a roadmap for continuing to evolve the world of Norrath. SOE will add content to the game in three distinct ways: Live Updates, Expansion Packs and Adventure Packs. "Live Updates" will happen 1-2 times a month and expand the game both through new zones, npcs, quests, features, spells, skills and new gameplay additions as well as fixing any bugs or issues that arise. "Expansion Packs" will happen twice a year (first one due second hald of 2005) and are going to be large, game altering additions to the game that will be sold both at retail and online via digital download. "Adventure Packs" will happen 2-4 times a year, at a minimal cost (first one at $4.99) and are a new style of content, similar to "Modules" from traditional tabletop RPGs

Atari have teamed up yet again with music team Nimrod for Act of War: Direct Action. Following Nimrod’s Driv3r soundtrack they were challenged to create a techno-thriller score suitable for Act of War that rivalled the impact of the great Hollywood film scores of the same genre. Cutscenes in Direct War are being done by a Hollywood company Beyond FX using real actors, sets and explosions. Read more for details ..

Created by Texas-based Gearbox Software, Brothers in Arms is the most realistic and authentic WWII shooter ever. While other WWII games have sugarcoated the war experience, Brothers in Arms is based on a true story and will immerse gamers into the gritty, uncensored and emotionally-charged side of war. Read more for some new screens ...

Tilted Mill has released the first patch for its city building strategy game 'Immortal Cities: Children of the Nile.' This update brings your retail game to v1.2 and resolves some pathing & stuck figure issues, allows for easier dock placement, and makes a couple of graphic additions and fixes. Read more for download links ...

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 :

• Area 51 - Trailers (2)
• Star Wars Republic Commando - Trailer

After D-Day and Afrika Korps vs. Desert Rats, Digital Jesters has signed yet another WWII RTS from developer Digital Reality. No specific details are available yet, but it is safe to assume that 1944: Battle of the Bulge will once more make use of the powerful Walker 2 graphics engine, albeit maybe an updated version (thanks gamers.nl). The Battle of the Bulge is one of the most famous battles of WW2 which was fought between Allied forces and Germany in Normandy, Belgium during the winter of 1944. We won't have to wait very long as the game has a scheduled release date of Q1 2005.