UK-based game publisher SCi Entertainment has acquired Pivotal Games for 2.36 million pounds (approximately 3.9 million dollars). Pivotal is the developer of the Conflict: Desert Storm series of tactical shooters and The Great Escape. Pivotal is completing the third game in the Conflict series and has begun development of the fourth. Pivotal Games was previously a subsidiary of Kaboom Studios – which recently closed its doors due to the poor performance of other components of its business. Pivotal currently employs approximately 70 people. The move is a unique one for SCi - which operates a business model generally based on outsourcing development to third parties.

A playable demo is expected in the first week of October. Universal Combat brings the greatest components of war together in a single game. Conceived in late 2001 as Battlecruiser Generations, the fifth in the Battlecruiser series, the game has grown into much more than a massive space simulation. Universal Combat is due to be distributed by Mindscape in the UK in November 2003.

It is the year 2083. Ten months ago the first humans landed on Argilus. They found cities, towns, industrial installations - all deserted. Doors unlocked... meals unfinished... strange machinery still operational... but no people. Scientists were brought in, research bases set up. Four months later, your supply ship the Angel, has been sent to check these bases. But when you hail them from orbit, theres no answer. The scientists too, seem to have vanished. Check out some new screens ...

Journey to an island of robots, a mysterious abandoned desert dwelling, and the sparkling glass towers of the Merari, an ancient sea people who are involved in the resistance against the Balial, to solve the mystery behind The Far Realm. Read more for some new screens ...

The CIA is set to spend several million dollars to develop a video game aimed at helping its analysts think like terrorists, The Washington Times has learned. The agency's Counter Terrorist Center, or CTC, is working with the Los Angeles-based Institute for Creative Technologies on a project designed to help its analysts, "think outside the box," a CIA spokesman said. The project is close to approval, but officials wouldn't comment on the exact cost of the program.

Jack the Ripper is a “warp advanced game” that features the story of James Mortimer, a reporter of the “New York Today”, investigating on murders that strangely look like Jack the Ripper’sstylein White Chapel15years earlier. The game includes 3D characters, full 3D animations in real time and 3 different types of gameplay: Exploration, Discussion&Puzzles. Check the new screens ...

Atari today announced the highly anticipated Dungeons & Dragons Heroes, the first Dungeons & Dragons branded adventure ever to hit a next-generation game console, exclusively for the Xbox has shipped to retail this week. Dungeons & Dragons Heroes features revolutionary four player coop play that allows up to four players to join or leave a game at anytime and play cooperatively through the single-player campaign.

The world has seen all kinds of weapons of mass destruction: nuclear, chemical and biological. Now the threat is digital. A virus, simple in concept yet catastrophic in effect, has been developed. Its target is the communication systems of the world. It will shut down all digital entertainment, economic trade and cripple the military, causing breaches in all security systems and global mass chaos. There is only enough time to send one operative. His codename: Raven. His mission: to find the virus, copy it and then destroy the research lab where it is located. A new batch of screens just arrived ...

British nobleman, Samuel Gordon, has just returned to his homeland after a self-imposed twelve year absence. Reluctantly returning to his magnificent home, Black Mirror Manor, he is desperate to prove that the untimely death of his ancestor, William Gordon, was not just an ‘unfortunate incident.’ Samuel reads William’s private diary and quickly discovers that there have been a number of mysterious deaths, and as he gets closer to these crimes, he realizes that he is very much at the centre of the mystery. Samuel must do all he can to solve the mystery and keep himself alive. Check a few new screens ...

Set in the rich historical tapestry of sixteenth century Russia, Cleric puts you in the role of a faithless ex-priest in this first person survival horror title for the PC. Cleric will immerse you in a world of rich visuals, strong dramatic story lines, highly interactive characters, and challenging gameplay. Read more to check a few new screens ...

Sony Computer Entertainment UK today announced that it is to begin offering its ground breaking PlayStation 2 at £139.99 commencing October 1st 2003. Also available from the same date, is a limited edition 'satin silver' PlayStation 2 which comes packaged with two silver versions of the classic Analog Controller (DUALSHOCK®2) for £149.99. Both machines feature the new built-in IR receiver, improved DVD-R/DVD-R/W playback and a significantly quieter fan.

Various site's has been updated this weekend with movies, screens and much more (thanks GameSpy).

The Middle Earth Online Website is updated with new developer diary and a economy section.. The Time of Defiance site is updated with new features and a new medals system.. The Dragon Empires site is updated with a new tester diary and some new screenshots.. The official Ultima X: Odyssey site is updated with some new movies.. The Massive Assault site is updated with a bunch of new screenshots!

Japanese video game company Nintendo Co Ltd said on Friday it plans early next year to offer a device that allows GameBoy Advance users to play games together without the use of cables. The device will be included free of charge with the purchase of one of two "Pokemon" games, due to be released early next year, for Nintendo's hand-held game machine.

The Forgotten Hope team has released the first beta of their realism MOD for Battlefield 1942. Forgotten Hope Beta 0.5 is about 50% complete and features a huge number of planes, tanks and battleships - not only beautifully modelled, but also simulated in a very realistic way. To top it all off there is a choice of new maps as well. (thanks Evilavatar). Read more for download links ...

TDK has released a small patch for their recently released World Racing. This upgrade brings your demo to v2.22 and addresses a few minor sound & saveing issues as well as a problem with ATI Catalyst 3.7 drivers (thanks 3DGamers). 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 :

• Sims: Bustin' Out - Trailer
• Metal Gear Solid 3 - Trailer
• Jade Empire - Trailer
• Breakdown - (3) Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Ubisoft has released the eagerly expected demo for their modern combat flight simulation Lock On. This demo features a Quick Start missions letting you fly the 'A-10A Warthog' and the 'MiG-29A Fulcrum'. Lock On: Modern Air Combat lets players fly a variety of combat aircraft in the most graphically rich, audio-intense game environment ever created for a combat flight simulation. Filled with action-packed missions, realistic flight modeling and flexible game options (thanks Fragland). Read more for download links ...

Dark Age of Camelot: Trials of Atlantis is an exciting new expansion pack for the award-winning MMORPG Dark Age of Camelot. The expansion will add the capability for players to explore the primarily underwater lost civilization of Atlantis. Read more to check out some new screenshots!

The Austin Game Initiative announced yesterday that official attendance at the first annual Austin Game Conference has surpassed 850 from around the world. "The game industry has a new place to meet and do business," said Christopher Sherman, Executive Director of the Austin Game Conference. "We were always confident the strength of the Conference Program, focused on massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) and Mobile game development, would establish a sound educational foundation, but it is clear that senior executives have come here to do business as well." Presentations from speakers at the conference can be found at GameConference.com. The 2004 Austin Game Conference will take place in Austin September 21-22, 2004.