DreamCatcher Games today announced that it will publish Painkiller on the Xbox. This adrenaline-filled first person shooter is expected to ship in Q2 2004. The PC version of Painkiller (due March 2004) has already grabbed media attention, with its frenetic action and gothic style, and the Xbox version is expected to take the game to even higher levels.

Take an adventure as Pitfall Harry, the daring, risk-taking explorer who laughs in the face of danger. Featuring over 50 levels of fast-paced action and puzzle solving adventures, the game challenges players to swing, fight, climb and crawl through eight types of treacherous South American environments including lush jungles, dark tombs, ancient Aztec ruins and glacial mountains. Pitfall Harry also includes favorite features from the earlier Pitfall games such as vine swinging, gaping chasms, crocodiles and scorpions. Gamers can overcome the obstacles using all of the tools in Harry's arsenal including a sling, dynamite and ice axes, and rescue those in distress from deadly foes like snakes, scorpions and spiders... Check out some new screens for Xbox, GameCube and PS2 below!

Retired World Championship Wrestling professional Maxx Payne filed a $10 million lawsuit against a group of video software developers for allegedly stealing his personal to create the game "Max Payne." The lawsuit was filed last week in U.S. District Court against Rockstar Games Inc., 3D Realms Entertainment, Gathering of Developers and Remedy Entertainment Ltd... More about it below!

Datel Design & Development has launched a Special Edition of its best-selling Action Replay to coincide with the European release of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire on the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy SP video game systems. Action Replay allows gamers to become invincible in even the toughest titles, providing the user with 100% unofficial cheat codes that will help you get the most out of your games.

GameSpy Industries and Midway Amusement Games, LLC, a subsidiary of Midway Games Inc. have signed a technology licensing agreement under which GameSpy will facilitate the online game play of Midway Sports games, NFL Blitz Pro and NHL Hitz Pro, and the Midway Sports Asylum game, NBA Ballers.

Simon & Schuster Interactive, the digital entertainment arm of Simon & Schuster Inc. today announced the Company has developed a plan with cable industry veterans Chip James and Bill Zaccheo to drive subscriptions of high speed data cable modem service for cable television operators. The two parties will provide a unique marketing program combining the rich, immersive experience that Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming (MMOG) delivers with the high speed connection cable modems.

4Gamers, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bigben Interactive UK Ltd, is pleased to announce the release of the SPC777 Playfree vibrating wireless controller for the Microsoft Xbox... Operating over a 2.4GHz radio frequency, the Playfree vibrating wireless controller allows you to break free of control pad wires. Now you can play your games from up to ten meters away and without the worry of ever losing a signal because of obstacles in the room. The Playfree controller also includes a switchable frequency selector that allows four pads to be used simultaneously.

Today 'July 28', Mushroom Kingdom residents are invited to celebrate the grand opening of two new celebrity-designed golf courses at Mushroom Kingdom Country Club (MKCC). Video game icon, Mario, has worked tirelessly to create the most innovative links the golfing world has ever seen. Read more for details and a few new screens ...

A little bit later than was announced Valve has released new Half Life 2 footage through their Steam service. They have just unleashed a self-running Bink formatted video showing off a bunch of the physics as part of gameplay aspects of Half-Life 2. Read more for download links ...

EA has launched the official website for their alternate-history squad-based action game Freedom Fighters. In Freedom Fighters, developed by IO Interactive, you and your teammembers engage the Red army with various types of single and two-handed weapons as well as unarmed combat martial arts maneuvers in their quest for freedom. Check out the new site for some screens, videos and other goodies (thanks Bluesnews)

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 :

• Sole Predator - Trailer
• Freedom Fighters - Trailer
• Natural Selection 2.0 - (DiVX & WMV) Trailer #2
• Everquest II - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Adventure game developer Private Moon Studios is to release Agon, the first adventure game series ever. Agon is a pure adventure game that comes in fourteen episodes over a period of two years. Each episode is self-contained and can be fully enjoyed in itself, but also contributes to the story of Professor Samuel Hunt's adventures. Read more for some more info and a few screens ...

Command an elite, multinational squad of special operatives against a hidden terrorist foe. In Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3, the third installment in the wildly popular Rainbow Six series, Team RAINBOW races against time to stop terror and unravel a mystery. In locations around the world, from London to the Cayman Islands to Rio de Janeiro, lead Team Rainbow in a desperate effort to battle a madman and foil his doomsday plot. Another 20 or so Xbox screens just rushed in. Check them out!

Hunter: The Reckoning Wayward, developed by High Voltage Software, continues the story of the successful action adventure franchise Hunter: The Reckoning. High-speed action combined with top-notch graphics translate the dark fantasy world of the White Wolf role-playing game and bring the essence of the game to life, fully submerging the player into the realm of The World of Darkness. Wayward comes to the PS2 this summer with an all new story, game-play features, weapons and terrifying monsters. A few new screens to get you through the weekend ...

Mercedes-Benz World Racing offers training missions, race and championship modes and also mission based play. Advanced technologies allow each driver to develop its own character and driving history to enable them to master and accomplish different skills and missions successfully (thanks 3DGamers). Check out the new trailer ...

No rules radio-controlled racing through living off-road worlds with giant objects, giant animals and giant people. Get behind the wheel of your own RC car and be the first to the finish or nail some crazy stunts. Take 13 awesome toy cars across 13 expansive living levels, move up the ranks, win upgrades and find hidden secrets and shortcuts. Watch out or you might get too close to an unruly crocodile or a punk skateboarder. The road challenge awaits - do you dare? Read more for 40 new screens and in game footage trailer ...

Playnet and Cornered Rat Software have released info on their upcoming v1.9 update patch to the massively multiplayer online game, World War II Online. In v1.9 we will see new tons of fixes & tweaks as well as new gameplay additions such as : depot spawning, porting the Unity 3D graphics engine to OpenGL, adding another 40 cities/towns/ports to already the largest online world, debris additions from shell hits on aircraft, shell ejections in first and third person and more battlefield explosions and plenty plenty more (thanks Python61). Read more for a full list of details...

Join a secret squad of pilots dedicated to thwarting the most heinous plans of the Third Reich. Fly over twenty authentic aircraft across thirty daring missions in this new WWII action-flyer. Lawrence Holland, the legendary creator of Star Wars: X-Wing, Star Wars: Tie Fighter and Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe returns with an exhilarating new game of action and intrigue. Can you be trusted with the most dangerous secrets of the war? Read more to check out 50 new screens ...

Whether you're an unexperienced or skillful navigator, this new version takes you off to the new horizons of Sydney and the Isle of Wight. Other destination : the tropical islands, where you'll be able to create your own water stretches ! Sail again with the racing boats which made Virtual Skipper 2's success, more detailled navigation sites, exceptional nautical conditions, more accurate racing rules, all you need for exciting regattas ! Whatever your navigation skills may be, let's meet online where you'll challenge woldwide players in public, private or team regattas. Experienced players may be umpires while others may simply watch and chat. Read more for some screens ...