MadOnion.com™ today announced the immediate availability of its free and newly released PCMark™2002 Benchmarking tool, available for download from this link. PCMark2002 provides consumers and business users with a unified benchmarking tool that reliably measures and compares performance of laptops, desktop PCs and workstations, across multiple Win OS's. An integrated online result browser allows instant results comparison against the world's largest performance database. With PCMark2002's ease-of-use, professional calibre benchmarking software is now available to even novice PC users. Major corporations - including AMD, Intel, Microsoft and Nvidia - participated in the development and testing of the product and are impressed by its ease-of-use and its reliable and impartial benchmarking methodology.

Leading video game publisher Tecmo announced today that it has finalized an agreement to allow Mindfire Entertainment to acquire the worldwide live-action production rights for "Dead or Alive," the hit video game series.

Ubi Soft sends word that Grandia II has shipped to stores, just as was promised when it was announced last week that the RPG had gone gold. Here's their description of the game: "Developed by well-known Japanese RPG developer Game Arts, Grandia II delivers an entire 3D world with stunning battles, vast cityscapes and treacherous dungeons. Grandia II's spell effects overlay MPEG video with real-time action, creating extraordinary spell sequences unlike any seen before. The unique and critically acclaimed Battle System delivers a seamless combination of real-time and turn-based combat, with fast action requiring tactics and skill to succeed."

SpelletjesGarnaal just tossed up a new 6 MB trailer from IO Interactive's upcoming third-person action game, Hitman 2. This new trailer shows four minutes of gameplay and is available here. As usuall the video has "!@"#@$#" comments in their own language.

THQ Inc. today announced interactive publishing rights to Hey Arnold! The Movie, Nickelodeon's first animated feature film based on their hit show. Hey Arnold! The Movie for Game Boy Advance is scheduled for release concurrent with the movie in June 2002.

Microsoft Game Studios today expanded its racing portfolio with the announcement of a new racing title to join the likes of "Project Gotham Racing" and "RalliSport Challenge". "Quantum Redshift" a futuristic racing game developed by Curly Monsters Ltd. exclusively for the Xbox video game system, is due for release in fall 2002.

Top publisher unveils world first and more at UK’s largest multiplayer games event.. CDV Software Entertainment will offer attendees of the forthcoming I-10 event an exclusive look at its 2002 line-up – including the first public showing of Neocron, its revolutionary online role playing adventure.

North Wales, March 14th: Respected computer and video game developer Jester Interactive has announced a landmark new version of its multiple award-winning Music series for PC, which will be the first to be marketed under the Club Edition banner and is endorsed by UK super-club Slinky.

Built on a rocky outcrop, with barbed wire and search lights around its perimeter, the infamous Colditz Castle was designed to be the ultimate holding camp for WW2 Allied Prisoners of War (POW) and said to be escape proof. Check some of these PC and PS2 screens ... simply said, this title is a MUST get!

Crave Entertainment, a leading publisher of videogame entertainment products, today announced its initial product line-up for the 2002 fiscal year. The line-up includes a wide range of game types, from extreme sports to genre-defying space adventures to a psychological thriller, for multiple gaming platforms.

It's been a bloody, war-torn road, but two teams have made it to the last round: Doctors and DarkSide. Both teams will mount an intense battle to see who wins out in the final round of the OGL Battle On the Beachhead tournament. You can get in on the action this Thursday night when Team Shoutcast Network and The OGL broadcast the match, interview players, and more. There may be some surprises in store, so mark your calendars and be there!

The Siege Editor is the tool that was created by Gas Powered Games specifically for the development of Dungeon Siege. This tool will be made available as a free download soon after Dungeon Siege is available in stores. 'Read More' for details!

Gamespot got some sort of small interview/preview going on about 'C&C Generals'. The article describes how the design for this project evolved from one that originally placed more emphasis on those generals in the title to one that puts the player in that role, a description of the all-new storyline set in the near future, the structure of the single-player campaign, how this game departs from its predecessors in the C&C series, the use of 3D, the new interface for dealing with units, resources and supply lines, commands specific to each side, some specific unit examples, structures, the game engine, and more. This is all illustrated by a bunch of new screenshots and concept art. Yummi!

Playnet.com today announced details of a limited offer to international gamers who want to experience the virtual battlefield of World War II Online- Blitzkrieg, the award winning massively multiplayer online game. The program, which kicks of Monday March 10th, provides players from outside North America the ability to purchase an activation key online. The purchase of the key for $9.99USD is followed by a full, no-cost download of the Windows-based game and a 7-day FREE trial. Once the free trial expires, a monthly subscription for $9.99USD is needed to continue play.

Barbican Gallery today announced the launch of its microsite dedicated to "Game On", the first major and most comprehensive UK exhibition to explore the 40-year history of computer gaming (1962-2002). The general public will now be able to book advance tickets by accessing the new microsite.

Midway Games Inc., a leading software industry publisher and developer, announced today that SpyHunter, the all-new remake of Midway's popular 1980's action-racing game, will ship tomorrow for the Nintendo GameCube and the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. SpyHunter is scheduled to ship for the Game Boy Advance in June and is available now for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

Rage, the UK-based computer games publisher and developer, is pleased to announce Twin Caliber, a state-of-the-art third person action-shooter equipped a unique method of game control, due for release on the Sony PlayStation2 computer entertainment system in late 2002. Some quality shots for you to enjoy!

According to Irrational Games's Jonathan Chey (project manager) the eagerly awaited Freedom Force has gone gold! He had the following to say on their message board :

"Good news everyone, Freedom Force has "gone gold", i.e. been approved for manufacturing! This means that it will be in stores soon. I don't have the final on-shelf date but I believe it will still be around the last in week of March. It's been a long road but the results are worth it. The game is cool and I think you will all have a lot of fun with it. We are working on a demo which should be available before the game hits the shelves, i.e. real soon now. Stay tuned for further info."

PlayStation gamers get a dose of all-out action to prove that pure, addictive gameplay doesn’t come at a price. If there's one reason the PlayStation 2 is backwards compatible, this is it. This May will see the release of Metal Slug X and the resurrection of classic arcade action on the PSone that will blow away the competition.

Ubi Soft Entertainment announces a must-buy for fans of Alfred Hitchcock, with a deal to bring the PC game, Alfred Hitchcock The Final Cut to the U.S. and Canada. The adventure game, based on some of Hitchcock's best movies, will be released this month at an MSRP of $29.99. This title was already released in Europe some 4 months ago.