Beenox inc. announced today that their new upcoming title, The VATZ, would be shown for the first time at this year Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, booth #6035. The VATZ is a massive action/strategy game powered by the company’s latest 3D technology, the Goliath engine. Featuring intense 3rd-person game play and multiple twisted storylines in a completely original world brought to life by stunning state-of-the-art 3D graphics, The VATZ is sure to offer a unique experience to the gamers out there.

Predictions of a continued upward trend in the popularity of leisure software, highlighted at the beginning of the year by The European Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), are still on track. New figures published today by ELSPA, sourced from Chart Track, show a continuing increase in sales of computer games in the UK with 11 million units of software sold in the first quarter of 2002. This is a 6 per cent rise on the same period last year. The value of games sold, across all formats, rose by 20% from £219 million in the first quarter of 2001 to £262 million in the first quarter of this year.

Get up and get down, Sam fans - now's the chance for all you budding level designers to express your creativity and kitsch sense while you frag the night away. You could win a brand-spanking new top-end Visiontek Xtasy GeForce 4 Ti 4600 video card, featuring the fastest Nvidia GeForce 4 chip on the market - all for showing us you've got a unique mix of design skills combined with a penchant for polyester pants.

Nintendo today announced that it’s ground breaking new console, NINTENDO GAMECUBE, will launch across Europe on May 3rd at a recommended retail price of 199 Euros, and is expected to retail in the UK at £129 UK pounds. This new price is part of Nintendo’s commitment to offer the consumer an unbeatable proposition (or they feat the Xbox since it dropped price last week!). Nintendo plans to bring the NINTENDO GAMECUBE to market at the best possible price so consumers can feel confident they are getting the best deal at launch.

Tiscali Games got the first video from Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, next installment of well known third-person action adventure for PC & Playstation2. It contains more than 3 minutes of gameplay scenes, character animations and sketches of locations along with interesting commentary from Core Design development team about changes from previous Lara Croft adventures, enemies, inspiration or background story. Video is available to download (4,5 MB, DivX format) here.

EuroGamer has got a 2 part Q&A with Rage Software producer Colin Macdonald (part 1 here and part 2 here) discussing their upcoming first person shooter Mobile Forces. (Thanks blues). GamePlex has a Q&A on Condition Zero talking with Gearbox Software president Randy Pitchford, their upcoming 'single player' version based on an beefed up version of Counter-Strike (you know, that little half-life mod thats making history as we speak ? ;). GameSpy has a Q&A with Dan Houser and Leslie Benzies (Rockstar Studios) discussing the PC version of the hit PS2 game Grand Theft Auto 3. HomeLAN chats with Fox Interactive's David Stalker as he talks about Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the upcoming Xbox game based on the TV show. NwoGamer (obviously a fan site) has a Q&A with Termite Games' Jim Malmros talking about their upcoming multiplayer first person shooter New World Order (many people expecting this game to rival CS). HomeLAN chats with CCP Games's Hrafnkell Oskarsson as he talks about their upcoming massively multiplayer space sim EVE: The Second Genesis.

GAME RESEARCH has published a new report on online gaming habits covering US, Canada, UK, and the Nordic Countries. The picture emerging is not pretty. According to the report, the gamers are highly troubled by cheating and lag no matter what they play. Furthermore, they are becoming more inclined to act on these problems by leaving the online game they play.

- The World's First Grand Prix Experience Drive - Orange today launches OrangeArrows Virtual Reality Experience - a unique interactive experience that allows fans to see, feel, hear and drive the OrangeArrows AX3 around the famous Magny Cours F1 circuit.

GTA3.COM reports (thanks Fragzone) that a "reliable source" has told them that there will be no support for multiplayer in GTA3:PC. Some time ago, there was a press conference near one of the Take2 Offices, at which the decision was revealed. In compensation for this, GTA3:PC will have other features yet unseen, but no multiplayer. The scheduled release is May 2002.

Wanna drive like an IES agent? Well, Midway recently announced this kewl contest. Here is a clip from the announcement:

We can't give you the G-6155 Interceptor – it's classified! But we did the next best thing – one Grand Prize winner will be the proud new owner of a 2002 BMW Z3 roadster 2.5 base model and will be Midway's special guest for E3 2002. Additionally, five 1st prize winners will win a NintendoTM GameCubeTM AND a copy of SpyHunter. Sign up here! "The Sweepstakes is open to all legal residents of the 48 continental United States"

Wow Entertainment released four new screens from their upcoming XBox title, Sega GT 2002. The game is scheduled for a release later this year in Japan with a to be announced release date for North America.

Dreamcatcher announce a new GORE contest. The contest started April 19th, 2002, at 12:01 P.S.T. and ends May 31st, 2002 at 12:00 midnight P.S.T. Draws will be made on or about June 4, 2002 at 12:01 P.S.T. Representatives from DreamCatcher Interactive Inc., will select the winners from ALL eligible entries submitted by MAY 31, 2002. The names of the winners will be posted at the website on or about JUNE 14, 2002. Find out more here!

Today we announce the winners for our latest contest, "Disciples II: Dark Prophecy". Did you win a copy? Well, find out here. A new contest will be announced soon. So stay tuned!

Clem Samson-Samuel has updated his .plan file with some information about the SOF2 MP test. Here follows a clip from the .plan file:

As most of you already know, the SOF2 MP test was released yesterday. So far the response has been very positive and it is nice to see people are enjoying the hard work that has been put into it. As mentioned before, SOF2 wasn't originally designed to include MP, and now we have several different game types, 4 of which can be played on with the MP Test... Read more below to check out full story!

"NBA Inside Drive 2003" will include numerous updates, including a season dynasty feature and Dynamic Player Performance. Additional gameplay features, as well as the "NBA Inside Drive 2003” spokesperson and in-game announcers, will be announced before the game’s launch." Read the full game announcement we made yesterday here. Today we bring you some screens showing off some hoop action ;)

Unreality.dk "German site" tossed up a Unreal Tournament 2003 preview video "43MB" today, showing some action from the Kalendra Icefields map. The full movie from the presentation can be expected later..

UPDATE: Hit read more below to grab our smaller 20.5MB VIDEO version!!

DreamCatcher, a fast-growing publisher of PC and console entertainment software, announced today that Project Earth, its RTS PC game, has “gone gold.” Project Earth is an unprecedented RTS PC game that takes real-time strategy to the next level. With unique gameplay, an easy-to-use interface, 3D technical advances, and a storyline that is integral to gameplay, Project Earth makes space fun!

Dimension Films and Abandon Entertainment have inked a deal with Shawn Ryan, creator-exec producer of FX series "The Shield," to adapt shoot-'em-up vidgame "Max Payne" for the studio. Critically acclaimed, "The Shield" scored the most watched original series premiere in cable history.

Man.. Its been demo heaven the past 24 hours or what? Just noticed over at Blues, that 7FX has just released a new version of the Team Factor demo, their upcoming team-based multiplayer shooter. Team Factor is a stand-alone multi-player action game designed with team play in mind. The games mission, environment and objective is inspired by the "shadow" military operations - whether real or fiction style. Read more for links where to grab this puppy.

Microsoft just announced it will release “NBA Inside Drive 2003,” its exclusive basketball title for the Xbox, this fall in time for the start of the 2003 NBA season.