Ascaron has updated the official Sacred website with word of an all-new, and FREE, expansion for Sacred. "This year will see the release of SACRED PLUS. This new version will include the addition of new quests, weapons and enemies. Adventurers will also discover the existance of 2 completely new regions to explore." Read more for details ...

The UK release of The Case of the Silver Earring will be on the 27th of August 2004 complete with a UK only DVD of Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon. Playing as both the detective Sherlock himself and his no less-loved sidekick Dr Watson, the player must investigate their way around massive, sumptuous levels rich in graphical detail, which will delight knowledgeable fans and newcomers alike. Read more for new screens ...

Developed internally by Empire's award-winning Strangelite Studio, the game will be released on PC, and all current and next generation consoles. The length of the agreement will allow Empire to produce multiple titles. The game will be based on the movie of the same name and animated series franchise.

Otogi 2 takes place directly after the events chronicled in the original Otogi - Myth of Demons. Like its predecessor, Otogi 2 is set in Japan and steeped in real-life folklore and mysticism. Raikoh, the famed undead warrior, managed to temporarily save the Japanese population from an onslaught of demons, but had not been able to vanquish them all before returning to his grave.

Blood Will Tell (Dororo) is a modern day action epic adapted from the classic manga by Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy). Like the original manga the game follows the adventures of Hyakkimaru, a samurai haunted by a shocking secret, who is on a quest to uncover his past and regain his humanity. As a newborn baby he was robbed of every limb, organ and even his flesh and had his humanity replaced with a myriad of ways to deal out death.

Macrovision Corporation has signed an agreement with SEGA Europe under which the software publishing giant will use Macrovision's SafeDisc advanced security solution on its forthcoming PC CD-ROM titles.

For the first time, Sims are living in the city where reputation (rep) is everything. Players will custom-create these new Sims, called Urbz, by customizing their unique style and building their status to become the biggest "player" in the city. Read more for some new screens, showing off some Eyetoy support...

Headhunter: Redemption is the gripping story of Jack Wade, a veteran Headhunter keeping order in a futuristic world overrun with unchecked consumerism, vicious organized crime and mind-controlling mass media. Read more for some new screens...

In The Sims 2 you control your Sims over an entire lifetime for the first time. With the ground-breaking addition of genetics, your Sims now pass their DNA down through generations, giving you a more vivid and in-depth Sims experience. Every life choice you make has a relevant and dramatic effect on the lifetime of your Sim. It’s up to you to take your Sims from the cradle to the grave, fulfill their dreams, and push them to extremes in The Sims 2.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne is based on the special edition "director's cut" version of the game that was released in Japan earlier this year, which features an appearance from one of videogaming's most popular characters, Dante, from Capcom's Devil May Cry series. Read more for 60 new screens or check the trailers...

The ChoroQ brand and toy line--also known as Penny Racers in the U.S.—has its own long-running series of games, and this iteration is by far the most refined. Developed by Takara, ChoroQ uses an updated graphical engine, containing more cars, parts and extras than any previous version. ChoroQ, available exclusively for the PS2, is scheduled for a the fall 2004 release.

Noticed on Bluesnews that the official RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 website has been updated with an FAQ featuring a bunch of new questions and answers about the upcoming theme-park simulator. Most important is the mention of an upcoming RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 demo: "We hope to release a limited playable demo in September that will be ‘beta’ code and give you a taste of the new RollerCoaster Tycoon 3." Of course we will have it on our fileserver network as soon as it becomes available...

A logo design competition for Roma Victor was announced on March 29th 2004. RedBedlam, developer of the historically authentic MMORPG Roma Victor has announced an online poll to vote for the new Roma Victor logo as designed by their community members.

Burnout 3 takes the series even further, now featuring a unique 'crash and burn' racing concept and a one-of-a-kind special effects engine that delivers spectacular visuals. The intensity heats up as players race, and often crash, their way through oncoming traffic in an attempt to claim the top spot. Check the new screens ...

SEGA of America today announced that it will publish Sonic Mega Collection Plus on Microsoft Xbox in addition to the previously announced version for Sony PlayStation2.

ESPN NHL Hockey returns to the ice with the confidence of a seasoned veteran. Improved player control, an all-new fighting engine and lightning fast gameplay truly capture the feel and pace of NHL-calibre hockey. ESPN NHL 2K features several new ways to play online leagues, multi-player mini-games and a deeper Franchise mode, all adding endless replay value to an already robust lineup!

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.

Valve's Doug Lombarbi sends out notice that the 'Counter-Strike Source' Beta has commenced.

"Phase 1 of the Counter-Strike: Source beta has opened at cyber cafes that subscribe to the Valve Cyber Café Program. A full listing of those venues can be found here. Later this month, the beta will be extended to owners of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and ATIHalf-Life 2 video card bundle owners."

In Battlefield 2, players will choose to fight for one of three military superpowers: the United States, China, or the newly formed Middle East Coalition. Armed with the latest modern weaponry, players can take control of any of the game's 30+ vehicles to engage in major conflicts with over 100 players in some of the largest online battles on the PC.

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 :

• Prince Of Persia 2 - Trailer
• Pathologic - Trailer
• FIFA Football 2005 - Trailer