Trackmania Nations ESWC edition is a fast-paced racing game involving precision and agility specially built for competition and will be free for download in Januari 2006. Trackmania Nations will feature new environment (Stadium), new car, new blocks and new gameplay. 54 countries will determine the outcome over 6 months with the finals to be played from 27th June to 2nd July 2006 in Paris - Bercy, for a grand total of $40,000.

Japanese studio Red Entertainment, known for titles such as Blood Will Tell and Gungrave Overdose, has once again become independent after a successful management buyout. The reason, according to producer Hiroi Ouji, is that the former SEGA development studio wanted to develop Xbox 360 titles, but since SEGA predominantly publishes PS2 titles, this was the only logical option. Hiroi also said that due to the lower development cost for Xbox 360 titles compared to PS3, there was not really a need to be part of a big establishment.

World Championship Poker 2 features a much more detailed one player game, where you now have to work your way up the ranks, starting in your mom's basement. Once you start winning and accumulating money, you can spend your winnings on increasingly better pads, and furnishings. Hit a losing streak, and you may have to hock your stuff to stay in the game.

Paradise, developed by Benoit Sokal's White Birds Productions, is an adventure game which immerses the player in the heart of Africa, at once eternal and terribly contemporary. A young woman, the daughter of a fierce dictator, crosses the continent in the company of a leopard, to take him to the place of his birth, the peaks of Kilimanjaro. Check the freshly launched official website, or read more for some new screens ...

Trying to boost interest amongst Japanese gamers, Microsoft has paid special attention to attract big-name developers and develop a few high-profile RPG titles for its new Xbox 360 console. One of those titles is Hudson Soft's Far East of Eden Ziria: Tales from Distant Jipang. Revealed a few months back at the X05 Summit, not many details have been announced, so these few small screens will have to do for now ...

Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu revealed that Sony is working on a new RPG for the PSP. While details are still limited, Blade Dancer is scheduled for release in Japan March 2, 2006 and will allow 4 players to participate simultaniously. A European or North American released date is not being mentioned, but a lack of Japanese RPGs should entice the corresponding Sony territories to pay attention. A cinematic movie can be viewed on the official website.

East Front is a high-tech first-person 3D shooter, which takes place in an alternate universe where the fascist Germany won in the Second World War. Russobit released a Russian demo for BurutCT's FPS East Front.

Monster Madness is a four-player cooperative online-enabled action game for the Xbox 360 and PC. Mix local and online players as you try to survive the monsters' invasion. Each player character has unique items and affects how the story plays out. Read more for new screens & trailer, or check out our Monster Madness hands on preview...

Another day, another batch of game trailers was released. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are trailers for :

• Field Commander [PSP] - Trailer #2
• Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War [PS2] - Trailer #2
• Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra [PS2] - Trailer
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Empire Interactive is pleased to announce the next stage of continued multiplayer support for the ultimate PC sci-fi blockbuster Starship Troopers. In the next few days Empire will release a new patch with new maps for multiplayer and some minor bug fixes removing the over-bright glow effect from some graphics cards and resolving game lock-ups due to particular sound cards.