Emerging video game platforms are poised for rapid growth, as a confluence of factors enables advanced multiplayer experiences on consoles and PCs, improved games on mobile phones and other handheld devices, and simple, yet engaging interactive TV games. According to a new study commissioned by the European Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) and carried out by Screen Digest, spending on these emerging services by European consumers will grow from Euros 127m in 2001 to Euros 6.5bn in 2006, a growth of over 5000 per cent.

Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided will immerse players in a persistent online recreation of the Star Wars universe, as portrayed in the classic Star Wars film trilogy. Players will be able to participate in the civil war, the legendary battle between the courageous Rebel Alliance and the oppressive Galactic Empire. The beta test program, which will allow many of the site's community members to experience the game for the first time, is scheduled to begin July 15, 2002. Read more below for a galaxy of screenshot stars.

The official site for Day of Defeat today announced the linux build release at 11am PST(2pm EST) followed by the Windows client at 3pm PST. Day of Defeat is a World War II multiplayer total conversion of "Half-life." DoD attempts to recreate WWII battles in both fictional and non-fictional environments. DoD puts you in the shoes (rather, combat boots!) of either an Allied or Axis soldier circa 1944, Western Europe.

Warthog have announced that they have signed the publishing rights to their original property X10 to Conspiracy Entertainment. Conspiracy has worked with Warthog before in creating games for The Warner Bros. Licenses Tiny Toons and Animaniacs , via Conspiracy’s joint venture with SWING! X10 is a first person shooter for PC, Xbox, GameCube and PlayStation2. X10 places a gamer as a soldier, who, under strict instructions, must explore the world of X10 and tackle anything the environment throws at them, including political intrigue, military factions and deadly predators.

Update: A single, solitary in-game shot is added!

TOCA Race Driver will feature 42 real cars, 13 championships and an incredible 38 real-life, internationally renowned race circuits. See the cars that star in an all-new TOCA Race Driver video. Read more below! This is the first in a series of 4 (so yes that means 3 more coming).

Today begins the first in a five-part series on Atriarch's naming conventions. A new area has been added to the Language Section under World of Atriana where they discuss how they come up with those alien names and terms. Each day this week, a new species guideline will be published.

3DGamers tossed up a 99MB English playable demo of Auryn Quest, superseding the earlier German demo of this first-person platform action adventure by Discreet Monsters. The demo includes an intro movie for the game's story and allows you to try out same section of the full game as before, called "Gaya's Lava Dungeon."

The Junkyard has a brief Q&A with members of the Battlefield: 1942 team talking about the upcoming WWII multiplayer shooter from Digital Illusions and Electronic Arts. Thanks Blues. GDXbox.com (Xbox fan site) has a Q&A with members of Southend Interactive talking about their upcoming futuristic sports action game Deathrow. Computer & Video Games has a new Q&A with Chris Hadley and Andrew Curtis of Computer Artworks talking about their work on the upcoming action-horror game for the PC and NextGen consoles, The Thing. Gamer's Hell has a Q&A with Eugen Systems' Lead Designer Alexis Le Dressay talking about their upcoming Roman Empire based RTS game, The Gladiators. GameSpot has a new Q&A with EA Pacific's Mark Skaggs talking about their upcoming 3D RTS game, Command & Conquer: Generals.

The saga continues as Sierra Entertainment and Fox Interactive announced today the development of the Aliens versus Predator 2: Primal Hunt expansion pack. Aliens versus Predator 2: Primal Hunt continues the nail-biting terror and suspense from the award-winning Aliens versus Predator 2. With all new single-player and multi-player levels, weapons, and new player characters, this original interlocking story is an all out battle of three of the deadliest species in the universe as the Aliens versus Predator 2 saga begins. More goodie screens!

With an innovative 3D engine allowing for ultra-realistic graphic detail, extreme frame rates, and a robust mission builder, Lock On is the most advanced combat flight simulation title ever produced, providing for near limitless replayability. Check out the new screens!

Today Shrapnel Games announced that their latest product, Austerlitz: Napoleon's Greatest Battle, has begun shipping. The first game of The Greatest Battles Series is on its way to fans across the world.

Face of Mankind is a upcoming massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) "developed by Duplex Systems" within a persistent world. Thousands of players throughout the world can compete in this realistic and futuristic world of the 24th century. It combines an epic story-driven mission system over years with a complex economic system which can also affect the story deeply. Check out the announcement and some screenshots of the game surroundings in Face of Mankind.

Update: Duplex Systems was so kind and send over TWO NEW screens for us. Read more below!

4Gamers are pleased to announce the launch of the Cube Controller with 3 x clip-on fascias (SPC656) for use with the Nintendo Game Cube. Comfortable, responsive and cool. That’s all you need a games controller to be, but with the Cube Controller from 4Gamers you get all that plus an extra truckload of cool in the form of three coloured clip-on fascias – silver, indigo and orange.

After hearing how popular Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell was at E3 game fans are salivating for some new Splinter Cell news. Ubisoft decided to please those fans and send out some new screens for people to drool over .. check them out!

The Massive Development studio, a unit within the JoWooD Group, already familiar to many for having raised an international stir with titles such as Archimedean Dynasty and AquaNox, are working on a sequel to AquaNox. The underwater battle continues with 'AquaNox: Revelation'.

Hercules today presented their 3D Prophet 4800 TV-Out 64 MB which will compete with cards in the same price segment such as GeForce 4MX 420. Read more for additional details....

G:son International AB, the organisers behind the Scandinavian interactive entertainment conference "NIME:02" (Nordic Interactive Media Expo 2002) has decided to postpone the event to next year. NIME:02 was scheduled to go 30th of October at Sollentuna Exhibition Centre in Sweden and supposed to become a Scandinavian forum for game developers and game publisher in this region.

Softwrap, the British-based technology company that enables software to be virtually 'shrink-wrapped' and securely distributed and sold digitally, today announced details of two new partnerships that they have launched. Firstly, with AgentLand, the first portal entirely dedicated to intelligent agents and virtual assistants (software tools that automatically do certain jobs on the Internet, according to what you ask) and secondly, with Crystal Interactive, developers, publishers, marketers and distributors of consumer software.

The first Smuggler's Run title to grace the GameCube console, this off-road driving adventure offers the most dynamic smuggling challenge yet with five huge maps, over 30 missions and 2-4 person multiplayer action. "Smuggler's Run: Warzones" is set for release July 2002.

Enclave promises to become a successful third-person shooter. A mixture of shooter, adventure and RPG elements, this fantasy game guarantees intensive gameplay and great variety. Especially the graphics demonstrates the full capacity of the Xbox. 11 new screenshots to herald Enclave's swiftly approaching 19th July release date.