The Department of the Navy recently announced the award of a one year contract by Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, FL to I.L. Holdridge (aka “MajorH” of Battlefront.com) to produce Tactical Decision Simulation (TDS) software under the title “TacOpsMC” for use in U.S. Marine Corps training.

NDL today released its much anticipated 3D graphics toolkit and engine, Gamebryo (www.gamebryo.com), at the Game Developers Conference. Gamebryo, the next step in the evolution of game development, is a cross-platform 3D graphics toolkit and engine that offers game developers unparalleled flexibility with crafting cutting-edge 3D technology in their games. Gamebryo, based on NDL's NetImmerse technology, also gives game developers the unique ability to leverage and extend their legacy tools in creative ways.

The Dynasty continues for KOEI Corporation and developer Omega Force as Animation Magazine named Dynasty Warriors the winner for Best Overall Game Animation at the 2003 Game Developers Conference in San Jose. The category represents the best use of animation in all aspects of game design. As Overall Winner, Dynasty Warriors series developer Omega Force will receive one seat of 3ds max courtesy of Discreet.

GT Advance 3: Pro Concept Racing features more than 90 authentic cars with upgradable parts from 10 top car manufacturers. Players choose and unlock cars with different acceleration, top speeds, and handling in order to master the 46 tracks included in this pocket racer. Race against a pack of computer cars or grab a friend and race head-to-head using the GBA link cable.

NCsoft Corporation today announced details of its upcoming online game, Exarch. The project is under development by Realm Interactive, and was previously identified under the working title of Trade Wars: Dark Millennium. Exarch (pronounced ex'-ark) features a fast-paced action RPG combat experience set in an enormous virtual world. Players can explore, battle and quest in multiple environments including mystical forests and foreboding alien catacombs. The sci-fi fantasy style allows players to forge into battle with classic melee-style weapons and armor such as chain mail and long swords or futuristic armaments such as power armor and plasma guns.

Since this is turning out to be a boring news day, why not dig up some mod stuff. Noticed on HomeLan that UnrealSpeed, a racing mod for Unreal Tournament 2003, has been released. Drive a car, gliding through the twists and turns to win the race. Your car is (optionally) heavily armed, so shoot your opponent into pieces if he isn’t letting you get past him. Or drop a mine behind you to get rid of people that are trying to overtake you. UnrealSpeed uses on a lap-based system, the track goes in laps. All you need to do is drive smarter and faster than your opponents. Read more for download links ...

Highland Warriors has over 30 single player missions and allows players to create an infinite number of multi-player missions and stage epic battles using the game’s map editor and hundreds of battle units. The game’s unique customizable game interface allows users to redesign the game presentation to suit an individual player’s ability. Drag and drop buttons, screens, a mini map, and direct access to characters can be customized according to a player’s sensibility. DataBecker just let us know that the first patch for Highland Warriors has been released! The patch updates graphics, bugs, and adds some features to the game (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

SCi Games today announced that its WWII escape adventure game, The Great Escape, will hit the Xbox, PS2 and PC this summer. The game "offers a unique variety of gameplay that takes you from slow, tension filled stealth scenes to adrenalin-filled action and chase sequences. Fans of the film, and all gamers will appreciate this masterpiece".

NVIDIA Corporation today introduced its top-to-bottom family of NVIDIA GeForce FX graphics processing units (GPUs), designed to bring cinematic computing to all desktop PCs. The NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200, the industry's first value DirectX 9.0-class GPU, and the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600, the industry's highest performing DirectX 9.0-class GPU for the mainstream market, were unveiled earlier today at a keynote address during the Game Developers Conference, which is being held from March 4th - 8th, in San Jose, CA..

Ubi Soft today announced it is shipping the popular Japanese mech-based shooter, Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit, exclusively for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit is a "pursue and destroy" action game that puts you in control of an elite Mech Hunter unit that must suppress a rampage of renegade mechs programmed for terror and destruction, bent on eliminating everything in their path.

WorthPlaying is giving away goodies from Ubi Soft. Enter the sweepstakes and have a chance to win one of 5 PS2 Reign Of Fire (PAL) games or 5 Reign Of Fire watches & 5 mousepads... Sign Up Here!

The 3DO Company today announced that "High Heat Major League Baseball 2004" is now available on the Xbox. With eleven game modes including the new Franchise and Career modes, a new graphics engine and completely original motion captured player animations, "High Heat" is the team to beat.

Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria is a fantasy turn-based strategy game in which players build heroes - their main characters - as battles progress, gaining new skills, spells, and levels, and ultimately becoming the mightiest force in the Realms of Etheria! Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria features a brand new engine, and introduces players to a new level of resolving battles with the addition of tactical battles. A slow day so far, so a few new screens to keep the news rolling ...

1503 A.D. (a.k.a Anno 1503) – Return to the dawn of a New World in an epic saga of adventure and discovery. As a young lad, you've heard tales of opportunity and unimaginable power and fortune in this New World. Now grown up, you're ready to embark on and venture into these unfamiliar lands of the Renaissance world in ANNO 1503, an exciting new PC title that blends the excitement of real-time strategy with the depth of empire building. It's not only the challenging gameplay that makes 1503 A.D. something very special, it's also the carefully crafted details. The vivid gaming environment is supported by numerous cutscenes, absorbing the player even deeper into the living, breathing world that is 1503 A.D.

Activision Value, a division of Activision, Inc. and Baric/Maxwell LLC are giving gamers the opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the forces of the Union or the army of the Confederacy with the release of a new PC game "Gods and Generals." Based on the events portrayed in the feature film of the same name, "Gods and Generals" puts the player in the role of a company captain serving on the front lines and challenges them to lead a cadre of soldiers through the hellish battlefields of the Civil War. "Gods and Generals" is currently available at retail stores nationwide for a suggested retail price of $19.99 and has been rated "T" (teen) by the ESRB.

JoWooD Productions is proud to announce that March is the month of CMM in the year of Söldner: Secret Wars, the revolutionary online tactical military shooter coming to PC CD ROM in 2003. To celebrate this announcement, JoWooD Productions have created a stunning range of free and exclusive Söldner: Secret Wars wallpapers for gamers to download. Details of CMM will be announced later this month. More information on Söldner: Secret Wars can be found at secretwars.net.

Colin McRae Rally 3 is set to give PC gamers the professional rally driver experience as this massive console hit gets a special PC edition. Colin McRae Rally 3, coming to PC this summer, captures the emotions and consequences of being a professional rally champion. It's an unbelievably personal gaming experience, as you become the globe's greatest rally driver - Colin McRae himself.

GRIN and CDV today announced that Vultures official website is online.. The official homepage has a nice set of screens and also a developer diary from the Swedish developer GRIN. The screens already convey a nice, gothic mood, which is especially unique for the beat 'em up genre! Loads of arenas filled with traps and in complete 3D featuring the latest technology await you, so don’t be square and visit the official homepage! The game features motion capture animation and real-time shadows which will make your Xbox melt!

Softimage Co., a subsidiary of Avid Technology, Inc. announced today the immediate availability of a new suite of utilities and tools designed to speed-up and simplify the creation of games animation and effects for the Sony PlayStation 2 platform. This new Platform Development Kit (PDK) for the SOFTIMAGE|XSI software brings the industry's leading nonlinear 3-D production environment directly into the hands of PlayStation 2 title developers and artists, offering them unrivalled in-context control over their art and dramatic productivity boosts.

Logitech today announced that the Logitech NetPlay Controller is scheduled to arrive on retail shelves in the U.S. and at www.logitech.com later this month for a suggested retail price of $69.95 USD. The NetPlay Controller will be on display at the Logitech booth (#1008) at the Game Developers Conference.