2K Games and FIRAXIS Games announced today the acquisition of publishing rights to Sid Meier's Pirates!. Pirates! for the Xbox will be released by 2K Games this summer. Also included in this expanded partnership between 2K Games and FIRAXIS Games are publishing rights to the previously released PC version of Sid Meier's Pirates!.

Power Rangers creator Bandai Co. agreed to buy Pac-Man designer Namco Ltd. for about $1.7 billion (175.3 billion yen) in cash and stock to create Japan's second-biggest toy and video-game software maker. Both companies will merge Sept. 29 and be henceforth known as Namco Bandai Holdings Inc., and be led by Bandai President Takeo Takasu and Namco Vice Chairman Kyushiro Takagi.

Irth Online is a virtual world in which players role play characters in a free form, fantasy-based storyline. Players join Irth’s history at a period when a fragile truce exists among the far flung civilizations of the snowy Arcadians in the north, the southeastern swamps and marshes of Morbus, and the southwestern tropical region of Mezoteks – and determine the course of history for each civilization. Magic Hat Software's MMORPG Irth Online, scheduled for release this July, will have its first and only pre-launch public showing at E3 in Booth 6400 in Kentia Hall.

Simbin has released a new patch for the German edition of their racing game GTR: FIA GT Racing Game. This update brings your retail game to 1.4.0.0 and adds the new RaceMore feature, improves the in-game lobby, adds voting to boot people off, some memory leaks and the usual gameplay tweaks and big fixes. Read more for details ...

S2 will significantly improve the game - important features have been added, dynamic camber (improved simulation of suspension and different suspension types), highly detailed tyre physics and a damage model have been introduced. The LFS team has released an updated alpha demo for Live for Speed S2 offering you a training area, and the Blackwood track, driveable in 3 cars. This update adds various fixes and improvements including a new kind of differential which helps you to get the power down to the ground more effectively. Read more for download links ...

Blizzard has released yet another new Warcraft III map, this time called "Shrine of the Ancients"... Map info: "There once existed a shrine to the ancient gods of yore, but all that remains is a ruin of rubble, sand, and ore. Though legends persist of creatures from the sea, that have surfaced to guard the treasures of an era long before." This is a small sized map and the suggested no. of players is 1v1. It is based on the "Sunken Ruins" tileset. Go download it here!

Bold Games has released a new patch for Gabriel Entertainment's sim John Deere American Farmer, in which you create, build and manage a successful farm. This update brings your retail game to v1.02 and addresses a crash when loading save games, menu issue on certain gfx cards and a few game tweaks. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

SCEA's Santa Monica studio presents The Con, an innovative 3D fighting game exclusively for the PSP. In an underworld where illegal fighting tournaments exist and high-stakes gambling takes center stage, your skills as a fighter are matched only by your wits as an ex-con. Read more for details ...

In Battlefield 2, players will choose to fight for one of three military superpowers: the United States, China, or the newly formed Middle East Coalition. Armed with the latest modern weaponry, players can take control of any of the game's 30+ vehicles to engage in major conflicts with over 100 players in some of the largest online battles on the PC. Check these new screens and trailers ...