Strategy First is pleased to announce that they will be publishing Mayhem Studios’ upcoming turn-based RPG Shadow Vault worldwide excluding Russia. “Strategy First is continuing its focus to bring only high quality games to the market,” says Don McFatridge, President of Strategy First Inc. “Shadow Vault is a well-thought out RPG with stunning graphics and we couldn’t be happier to have it in our 2004 line-up”. Read more for details & screens...

The Adventure Company today announced the launch of a dedicated website for their upcoming title Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon. The site includes cool movies, the storyline, a wealth of regularly added screenshots and information you just can’t find anywhere else. So head on over there and check out the freshly launched website.

Xicat Interactive, Inc., a publisher of computer games such as Jane's Attack Squadron and Iron Aces II, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with KOCH Media for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The company will be responsible for all aspects of sales and distribution for Xicat's titles.

THQ and JAKKS Pacific today announced the release of their newest World Wrestling Entertainment licensed video game, "WWE WrestleMania XIX," exclusively for Nintendo GameCube. Emphasizing simulation-style gameplay, "WWE WrestleMania XIX" features all the action, excitement and attitude of World Wrestling Entertainment. The World Wrestling Entertainment videogame franchise remains one of the biggest brands in interactive entertainment, with total sales in excess of $350 million in the U.S. alone. "WWE WrestleMania XIX" is available now at major retail outlets throughout North America.

Ultimate Arena, Inc., the leading skill-based action game web site, and Jolt, the leading provider of Internet services to gamers in the United Kingdom, today announced that all matches in this fall’s Jolt Ultimate Arena Unreal Tournament 2003 League will be organized online at www.ultimatearena.com. Ultimate Arena, the leading online tournament platform, is the first service to offer players an online venue to compete in Jolt leagues for cash prizes.

Winning Eleven 7 represents a mammoth step forward for the popular soccer series, with every aspect of the game massively reworked, now featuring 100 teams, 21 stadiums, new player models and key additions to the Master League. Winning Eleven 7 also utilizes an all-new custom designed engine that allows for greater flexibility and customization than ever before. Read more for details and screens ...

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes thrusts players into the stunning 3D world of espionage and stealth action created by celebrated producer, Hideo Kojima. Playing as legendary videogame hero, Solid Snake, gamers will infiltrate an Alaskan nuclear missile disposal facility occupied by a terrorist organization called FOXHOUND. Only in this game will players truly feel like they are in the heart of the action, as if every step taken leads them closer to danger.

In one comprehensive package, Silent Scope Complete combines all three arcade hits including Silent Scope, Silent Scope 2, Silent Scope: Dark Silhouette and the console exclusive Silent Scope 3. Taking advantage of the Xbox’s capabilities, this incredible first person shooter boasts enhanced graphics and stunning cinematics. Increasing the game’s realism, the advanced targeting system and innovative 3D sound system allows players to precisely pinpoint and eliminate enemy targets. Read more for details and screens ...

Lifeline is a heart-pounding action adventure set high above Earth in the futuristic surroundings of a space station hotel. Players will begin LifeLine by finding themselves mysteriously trapped in the hotel’s security monitor room. In the first-ever voice activated action adventure, players must work together with their virtual partner by verbally directing them through numerous obstacles and challenges including deadly duels with horrifying creatures.

Doing a little Sunday Catchup here with a few files that were missed during the past week. We've got :

• Battlefield 1942 - Updated v1.45 Patch
• Rebels Prison Escape - Level 2 Patch
• IL2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles - v1.1 Patch
• 
  
  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 :

• KnightShift - Trailer
• America's Army - v2.0 Trailer
• Bloody Magic - ECTS Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Continuing Konami’s longest running shooting franchise, the latest installment in the series features the classic Gradius action gameplay with all new features, including new Option Controls, original level designs, new weapons, captivating missions and dazzling next-generation graphics. Read more for some explosive screens ...

Firefighter F.D.18 captures the white-knuckle action and gut-wrenching drama experienced by our nation’s heroic firefighters. Set in a large urban city, firefighter Dean McGregor and news reporter Emilie Arvin find themselves embroiled in a complex mystery that involves the random eruption of fires in a sprawling metropolis. Read more for details & screens ...

Prepare for a wild cyber-thriller adventure with female espionage agents, Ice and Aska. With the use of explosive firepower and deadly martial arts skills, Ice and Aska take down criminals with style and flair. While battling an evil syndicate, these sexy heroines will have the ability to dive into a “cyber world” where they can download additional information, skills, and techniques. Fighting futuristic crime has never been this smart, sexy or cool.

Original, provoking and rich in storyline, Yager captures your imagination as you battle for your life in tomorrow’s hostile skies. But is all what it seems…? Keep your wits about you, and use what you learn, as your struggle evolves to become the fight against constitutional power, conspiracy and control. With the genre-busting mix of 3D action-adventure and air combat, coupled with the highly motivating storyline and nail-biting campaigns, Yager is next generation gaming at its finest.

A new release schedule for Microsoft's Xbox reveals that many key titles for the console have slipped even further into 2004. Halo 2 has slipped back a further two months, and is now scheduled to arrive in April. Ninja Gaiden has fallen back a few more months on top of already announced slippage. Kameo: Elements of Power is scheduled for a June launch. Fable is slated for an optimistic Q2 2004 release. Sudeki is confirmed as Q1 2004 release.

Over 2000 years ago there was a city called Sparta. The city had only two purposes – to train for war and to fight the wars she trained for. Over time Sparta became renowned for having the strongest, fastest, bravest and most deadly fighters in the known world. They were the Spartaites and were feared by all. With these warriors Sparta carved out an Empire for itself –‘Lakedaimon’. However, it was soon to find that its reign was not to be unopposed and other great cities were rising to the fore; Athens, Thebes, Corinth, Macedonia and not to forget the threat from the east – the massive Persian Empire. Can you unite Greece in time to defy the Great King and his mighty Persian Empire?

Perimeter is a real-time strategy game built on the concept of territory seizure using detailed terraforming and on the subsequent encircling of these zones with a special protective perimeter. The game combines proven principles of controlling resources and unit groups with titles featuring a clear-cut seizure of living space. The gamer has three powers at his or her disposal: The first is terraforming. The second is being able to surround areas of land with an impenetrable force barrier generated by special perimeter units. The third power is being able to carry out military operations with the help of ground and air forces.

Slightly shrunk CDV UK lets you know what's going on (with their games, not their office)...

• No Man's Land
• Lula3D
• Breed
• Codename: Panzers
  
  Read more for the newsletter!