LucasArts officially announced today that it will deploy Mercenaries, an open-ended third person combat-action game this fall for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox. Set in North Korea where a coup has plunged the troubled nation into chaos, an elite private military company has dispatched a lone mercenary to track down 52 fugitive members of the old hardliner regime --- before they can launch a nuclear attack.

As Archer Maclean's Pool Paradise heads to the duplicators for final mastering, publisher Ignition Entertainment can reveal that the game – already heralded as the best on PlayStation2 (Official PlayStation 2 Magazine preview, January 2004) – will be released on April 2nd 2004 at a mouth-watering recommended retail price of £19.99 for PlayStation 2, Game Cube and PC.

Today ClownKeep announced that its current title, “The Chronicles of Ny”, will be produced in a series of episodic games. Each episode will entertain, thrill and leave the player excited about upcoming episodes that will continue the character they have developed. The games will be available for around $10 an episode and will present at least 10 to 15 hours of fantasy, role-playing adventure. Read more for details & screens...

Although already revealed several days ago, Ubisoft is proud to officially announce today that Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow has reached gold master status for the PC, Xbox, and Game Boy Advance and is expected to arrive on store shelves by March 26th for Xbox & Game Boy Advance and April 1st, on PC. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow tells the conspiracy-ridden story of black ops agent Sam Fisher as he explores the shadowy world of international espionage.

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. today begins celebrations in honor of the fifth year of EverQuest, North America's biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) game. Since its launch on March 16, 1999, EverQuest and its expansions have sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide and continues to be one of the gaming industry's biggest and most influential titles. Translated into seven languages, with a global player base of more than 420,000 people, EverQuest is one of the largest and most dynamic online fantasy worlds ever created.

Former Microsoft technology executives Herb Marselas and Chas. Boyd today announced the formation of Emogence, LLC, an independently funded computer and video game development studio. The company is currently developing a first-person action role playing game called Grafan, which is slated to debut on the PC in 2004.

Square Enix and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. today announced an agreement for Take-Two to market and distribute Drakengard on PlayStation2, in all PAL territories during 2004. Drakengard TM is a new RPG series from Square Enix, the creators of both the Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior series.

The fastest race on earth is set to return as Codemasters announces that IndyCar Series 2005 will launch this summer, complete with head-to-head online racing for both Xbox and PlayStation 2. Officially licensed by the Indy Racing League, IndyCar Series 2005 gets a boost with a host of new features to complement the action-packed oval track racing at speeds up to 235mph! The game's new online racing will see up to 12 players getting fiercely competitive out on the circuits on Xbox, with up to 8 players on PlayStation 2.

THQ Inc. and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. today announced WWE Day of Reckoning based on the World Wrestling Entertainment license. WWE Day of Reckoning features all the action, excitement and attitude of World Wrestling Entertainment and is designed exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube. THQ and JAKKS' World Wrestling Entertainment licensed videogames have sold more than $527 million worldwide since 1999. WWE Day of Reckoning is scheduled for release in Fall 2004. Read more for details & screens ...

Warhammer 40,000; Dawn of War is the first real-time strategy title in THQ's agreement with industry-leading PC development studio Relic Entertainment Inc. Based on the world of Warhammer 40,000 - the dark, futuristic, fantasy universe traveled by millions worldwide from Games Workshop, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is scheduled for release in fall 2004. Read more for some new screens...