Activision Value is inviting gamers to immerse themselves in the world of underwater exploration, offshore mining and colonization with the release of "Atlantis Underwater Tycoon" for the PC. In the game, strategy gamers and would-be futurists can test their skills at building an underwater empire. Whether choosing to be a ruthless oil tycoon, an adventurous treasure hunter, or an environmental marine biologist, gamers may shape their destiny while building the undersea paradise of their wildest dreams. "Atlantis Underwater Tycoon" is currently available at retail stores nationwide for a suggested retail price of $19.99.

GarageGames celebrated the successful launch of Marble Blast as the premiere download from Lindows.com's Click-N-Buy Warehouse. Marble Blast was first available on Linux in February, and now Lindows.com is the first site to distribute directly a GarageGames game.

Arxel Tribe & Sinister Systems have released a demo for their imminent LithTech engine 3D fantasy RPG Mistmare. The demo lets you play the episode 'a Fistful of coins', in which you must "find a place to stay in Antwerpen, after fighting monsters from the Fog". Most noticeably controls changed from previous demo version (thanks Bluesnews). Read more for download links ...

CDV Software and the e-sports company Turtle Entertainment are organising an online championship after the international release of the real time strategy game Blitzkrieg. The contest will begin at the end of April in the Electronic Sports League, Europe's largest online league, with a direct link available on the official Blitzkrieg website, so that enthusiastic strategy game players can participate directly in the championship. Further tournaments will follow in the UK, France and the USA to coordinate with the various countries' release dates for Blitzkrieg.

Cold Zero is an action adventure game where the player takes the role of John McAffrey, a former marksman with a SWAT team who was discharged from service after shooting a hostage by accident. His skills helped him get a job providing high level security for high profile corporations. One of his clients is BioResearch Inc, a company that created the genetic weapon known as Cold Zero. After a terrorist group attacks the laboratory and steals this virus, John sets our to find the terrorists before they have a chance to unleash a catastrophe of global proportions.

Battlefield Command: Europe at War 1939 – 1945 (formerly known as WWII: RTS) has players commanding troops through some of WWII's most significant battles from its European theatre, played out in real locations constructed using topographical data and period aerial photography. The game's epic visual style is superior to any previous real-time strategy title; the outcome of the player's commands are experienced through stimulating and stunning graphical detail and effects. Players can join the forum community today from the micro site. Check these 10 sweet looking screens!

Another day, another batch of game trailers were released. Instead of giving them all their own post, we grouped them and so far there are trailers for :

• Planetside (SOE)
• RavenShield (UbiSoft)
• ShadowBane (Ubisoft)
• Pro Race Driver (Codemasters)
• Warrior Kings:Battles (Empire)
• Splinter Cell (UbiSoft)
• SpyHunter
• 
  
  Read more for download links ...

Black & White 2 includes other new elements, such as improved graphics and Miracle effects such as rivers of fire and earthquakes that yield mass destruction. The game also includes weather systems that impact gameplay; players will see the impact of a drought that scorches the arid plains of Egypt or the effect of a heavy snowfall on the Norse Mountains. Players can also tap new resources and disciples by creating ties with the Japanese or dueling the Aztecs. Players will also have the ability to construct new buildings including armories and a harbor, and explore new islands each with their own culture and climate.

Atari today announced the release of Superman: Shadow of Apokolips for the Nintendo GameCube and Superman: Countdown to Apokolips for the Game Boy Advance. Developed by Infogrames’ Sheffield House and based on the Warner Bros. and DC Comics hit animated series, The New Superman Adventures. Superman: Shadow of Apokolips for Nintendo GameCube is a port of the successful version currently available on PlayStation2, and also features voice acting by the original cast, a sweeping orchestral score and more than 30 minutes of stunning cinematics.

Since his creation by Stan Lee in 1962, the Hulk has become one of Marvel’s most well known and popular characters around the world. Expanding from his comic-book origins, the Hulk has been seen in video games, books, TV and countless other mediums. Now, with the release of the blockbuster Ang Lee film in Summer 2003, Universal will bring the Hulk to life like never before. Check out 6 brand new screens ...

You are Sam Fisher. A lone shadow-operative in a world where lost seconds can allow terrorist plans to become deadly reality. You operate in the heart of hostile territory. Spy. Steal. Destroy. Assassinate. Just don't ever be seen. Because when the stakes are this high, the choice between leaving a witness or a corpse is no choice at all. When two CIA agents mysteriously vanish in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, the NSA’s secret sub agency, Third Echelon, deploys Sam Fisher–its most capable splinter cell operative–to recover them. Fisher soon uncovers a deeper conspiracy: a plot that threatens to destabilize the world order and spark nuclear conflict. Release date changes as well as a batch of new screens

Activision, NVIDIA Corporation, eVGA.com Corporation and id Software have teamed up with the Online Gaming League to host the Return to Castle Wolfenstein "Battle on the Beachhead II" tournament. Gamers from across North America will hit the battlefield in a struggle for frontline domination and exciting prizes including NVIDIA GeForce FX graphics cards from eVGA.com, limited edition RTCW prints signed by id Software, GameCube, Nintendo Game Boy Advance and hundreds of popular games. The tournament will run from April 7 through May 12, 2003 at the Online Gaming League website, on the Speakeasy Network, home of the largest broadband gaming community and the official ISP of the OGL.

Following a nationwide search of college campuses to find the most promising ninja-inspired short films, two students have been chosen as the winners of the Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven, "Reel Ninja Film Contest." Legendary film director John Woo and producer Terence Chang of Lion Rock Productions awarded Joshua Gorin from the University of Pennsylvania the $15,000 Grand Prize for his submission, "The Ninja Movie," a clever three-minute live action short set in a snowy cemetery.

Article pulled by Request of MicroSoft/AEG...

Summitsoft announced today that its eagerly awaited Empire of Magic is on schedule for a May 1st release. Promising a masterfully crafted blend of strategy, role playing and story driven adventure, Empire of Magic takes a different approach to strategy games. "We have received a tremendous amount of interest on Empire of Magic by the gaming community," said Bruce Lowry, President and CEO of Summitsoft Corporation. "By throwing away traditional resource management found in most strategy games and replacing it with intense story rich scenarios and interactive role playing dynamics, Empire of Magic offers an exciting and fresh twist to the strategy genre."

Publisher Strategy First and developer Stardock announced today that their highly anticipated space strategy game, Galactic Civilizations, has shipped to retail stores nationwide! "With Galactic Civilizations we've really tried to create a strategy game that provides players with a unique experience every time they play,” said Brad Wardell, Project Lead on Galactic Civilizations at Stardock. At the same time the announced Bonus Pack is now also available.

Atari has shipped the latest installment of the hugely successful "V-Rally" racing series -- "V-Rally 3" -- to the Xbox. With more than 4 million units in the series sold to date, "V-Rally 3" -- already a hit on Sony PlayStation2 -- promises to be the most authentic rally racer on Xbox.

The United Cyber Games Association (UCGA) today announced a series of over 400 qualifying events around the United States to kick off the American portion of the Samsung World Cyber Games (WCG), the world's largest e-sports competition. Teaming with sponsors Samsung, CompUSA's game fixx, and NVIDIA, the World Cyber Games USA will bring thrilling competitions closer to all of America's 140 million gamers by holding its qualifying and semifinal competitions at 20 CompUSA locations across the country from April through July 2003. The U.S. competition will culminate in a national final in August; winners there will advance to the WCG 2003 Grand Final in Seoul, Korea October 12-18.

Tri Synergy announced today that Bandits: Phoenix Rising, shipped to retail outlets nationwide. Bandits: Phoenix Rising immerses players into a vast, desert wasteland, where they must control a cannon-mounted combat car in order to defeat heavily armed enemies and ultimately defend their gang. Bandits: Phoenix Rising is rated T (Teen) with an SRP of $29.99.