Microsoft Game Studios has announced a June 28 release date for the highly anticipated Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack. The multiplayer expansion pack contains nine new multiplayer maps to push gamers' skills to their limits. The retail package also contains two new videos: an animated side-story from the single-player story in New Mombasa and a mini-documentary that includes interviews with the map designers, combat strategies and fly-throughs of the new maps. Xbox Live subscribers will get a four-map sneak peek in April, and by late summer, all maps will be available for free. Read more for details ...

In Elite Warriors: Vietnam, you will fight along side Green Beret commandoes as you conduct classified missions deep in Southeast Asia. By using patrol techniques still being used today in Iraq and Afghanistan you will rescue downed pilots, ambush convoys, seize enemy prisoners, and discover targets for air attacks. Bold Games, a unit of Destineer, today announced that it has shipped its highly anticipated new PC title, Elite Warriors: Vietnam, to major retailers nationwide.

A Texas Hold 'em game that captures the spirit of the professional poker tour, STACKED utilizes powerful artificial intelligence and a detailed tutorial system to deliver thrilling and realistic poker gameplay that helps players expand their game while they play. The all-star lineup of poker talent in STACKED includes leading pros Josh Arieh, Jennifer Harman, Erick Lindgren, Carlos Mortensen, Evelyn Ng and David Williams in addition to Daniel Negreanu. Stacked allows you to go online and test your skills in huge online tournaments or a casual game with friends.

According to various sources the latest PC Gamer issue will have an announcement for Star Wars Battlefront 2. Scheduled for fall 2005, SW: BF2, it is under development for PC and consoles, although specific platforms, current or next gen, were not revealed. Game details as scarce at this point but the sequel will have a much improved AI and gameplay will no longer be of the "hold this amount of bases to win" type, but rather a serious of objectives which need to be completed. Of course the new product will feature various new levels, including a space battle in & around the Deathstar (SW Ep 4: A New Hope), and the Blockade Runner spaceship (thanks Gamefront). Now that the cat is out of the bag, an official announcement will most likely follow shortly.

id Software's terrifying battle with the forces of Hell. A massive demonic invasion has overwhelmed the UAC's Mars Research Facility leaving only chaos and horror in its wake. As one of only a few survivors, players must struggle with shock, fear, and an all-out assault on their senses as they fight their way to Hell and back, in an epic clash against pure evil.

Condemned: Criminal Origins allows players to experience an unnatural level of psychological tension as they use their instincts, forensic tools, and melee combat to track serial killers and bring them to justice. Gamers will play as Ethan Thomas, an FBI agent in the Serial Crimes Unit (SCU), whose pursuit of relentless serial killers leads him through detailed urban environments filled with deadly sociopaths who lurk on the periphery of humanity.

Game Savant announced that phase one of their three-part rollout has begun. In today's world it takes a full time employee to try and review new games before you purchase them, but they only cover the big ones. What about all the wonderfully innovative independent games out there? Phase one of Game Savant is to take the month's best releases and bring their playable demos via CD to your doorstep, free.

A wet, wild and totally soaked new expansion pack to RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 will ride into stores this June. RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Soaked!, the first expansion pack to RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 will let players create and control their own water parks for the first time. Read more to check out some more new screens ...

The world the player is faced with is a world that has experienced an atomic catastrophe and its eco-doom following. The narrower area is a town ruled by three clans: the Wolves, Rats and Tigers. They're arranging car races with vehicles lashed-together out from machines they found in the ruins of the old world. The gamer's aim is to guide the story's hero, that means to start in the races and to gain the victory.

In an anarchic world of high-octane vehicles, big guns and bigger explosions, is a rag tag team of resistance fighters are about to strike back against a faceless aggressor. They're desperate for your help; but if being a collaborator in the rebellion isn't your thing, you can always go it alone, blow up your friends and experience genuine mayhem in multiplayer mode. So buckle in, prime the weapons and hit the gas. What's it to be? Smash and grab or crash and burn?

Dreamcatcher has released a massive patch for People Can Fly's FPS, Painkiller. This update brings your retail game to v1.63 and adresses invisible gold armor and dead bodies bug, and also reworks the freezer weapon. Read more for download links ...

The mass exodus apparently continues over at EA. Dustin Browder and Adam Isgreen all left to join Petroglyph, while Skaggs took a leave for personal reasons. Today, a fourth former C&C designer has decided to resign. Chris Rubyor, who previously worked on Zero Hour and Lotr:BME, packed his bags and bought himself a ticket to Vegas, not to play the slot machines, but also to join the ranks of Petroglyph. Command and Conquer DEN has the word from Chris himself: "Well, I just wanted to let you know that I have resigned from my position as a Game Designer (Red Alert 3) at EALA. It was a tough decision, but one that had to be made. What's in store for the future? I'll be heading back to Las Vegas to join the ranks of some extremely talented game developers and ex-westwoodian friends at Petroglyph. They have some amazing stuff planned and I can't wait to be a part of it."

EA today announced that Tiger Woods PGA TOUR, Need for Speed Underground Rivals, and NFL Street 2: Unleashed are available in stores today for the PSP. Shortly following the launch of these games are three more EA staples: NBA STREET Showdown, MVP Baseball and FIFA Soccer, which will ship in April 2005.

Merscom today announced plans to co-publish "Eric Young's Squad Assault" for PC in North America, Germany, Poland, Russia and Taiwan. Merscom is working with DAS Entertainment to localize the World War II real-time strategy game for individual territories. Retailing for $29.99 in North America, the game will feature all previously released patches for "Squad Assault: West Front" plus the World Editor and 800 MB of new content.

Spring 1945: World War 2 is drawing to a close and the Russians and Germans are caught in a furious battle for a devastated Berlin. The cold war starts... As a sniper, recruited by the OSS (former CIA), it is the beginning of a lonely stealth mission in the Russian territory. In development since 2003, Sniper Elite is a sniping/stealth game due to be released on PS2, PC and Xbox May 2005.

Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition is the quintessential racing game for any true aficionado of the automotive and racing lifestyle, and is the only game to offer a full range of street vehicle culture including over 50 fully customizable licensed vehicles. The full spectrum includes import tuners, motorcycles and luxury rides all of which are fully customizable in both style and performance.

Tecmo and Xbox Live announced today that they have added two more online fighting sessions to the first round of the DOAU Tournament. DOA fans that have not had the chance to compete will get two more opportunities to fight and possibly beat the DOAU Mystery Gamer during these last two sessions. Read more for details ...

Namco announced today that the latest installment in its drift racing franchise, "Ridge Racer," has shipped to retail outlets throughout North America for the PSP. Featuring intense, high-speed racing action and wireless multiplayer connectivity for up to eight players, "Ridge Racer" will be available in stores for todays PSP launch, and is rated “E” for Everyone by the ESRB.

Hunters beware! Woodland animals, such as the common fox, are armed and ready to fight back-and you'll need to bring more than a few hounds to this hunt! Star Fox Assault puts players in the middle of a fierce intergalactic battle, fought over land, air and space. Star Fox Assault launches across Europe for the GameCube on 29th April 2005.