Blizzard issued this statement earlier today : "The first round of emails has gone out, and the North American and Korean World of Warcraft beta tests have officially begun. If you didn't receive an email, don't worry; we'll be adding more testers at the start of each upcoming beta-test phase. Keep an eye on www.blizzard.com for news on when we'll be opening up the additional phases, because that will be your clue to check the email account you used to sign up. Also, anyone interested in tracking the progress of the beta test can visit our World of Warcraft Community Site, which will contain regular updates as well as general information about the game."

The employees of Scion Studios have joined Epic Games in a move that doubles Epic's in-house development capacity. This will increase Epic's ability to develop multiple games, including those in its award-winning Unreal franchise, internally for both PC and console platforms.

"Alias" is a third-person action adventure video game that allows players to step into the role of the series’ lead character, Sydney Bristow, an agent for the CIA. Bristow must use her cunning, extensive knowledge of martial arts and array of high-tech gadgetry to accomplish dangerous missions. Read more for some new screens & 3 small trailers showing off Sydney's costumes & locations...

Got Game Entertainment and developer Knut Mueller today announced a publishing agreement for "RHEM 2," an intricate pure-puzzle first person adventure game, and the sequel to the popular "RHEM". Made for PC and Mac, "RHEM 2" rejoins Zetais and Kales as they now explore a hidden city far beneath the earth’s surface. Got Game will publish the game in North America and Australia with a targeted release of Q4 2004.

Stormregion, who have previously developed highly acclaimed S.W.I.N.E., made massive tanks a crucial element in this tactical combat action title set in World War II. Russian, German and Allied troops fight in three campaigns and more than 30 breath taking single player missions. Over a hundred authentic 3D vehicles are at disposal as well as a wide range of ground troops. read more to check the new screens and also check our Panzers preview posted earlier today!

The official add-on Blitzkrieg: Burning Horizon, throws you in even more dramatic battles of WWII. Burning Horizon offers a huge 18-missions-campaign around General Rommel, giving you the opportunity to play famous battles like Ardennes, Tripolis, Tobruk, El Alamein, Sicily and, of course, Normandy. Furthermore, the add-on contains 8 single missions, with an entire new nation at war: Japan. Read more for some new screens.

The hotly-awaited, tactical multiplayer shooter, SÖLDNER – Secret Wars, will be available in the U.S. on the 4th of May and in Europe on the 27th of May”, Gerald Kossär, International Marketing Director, JoWooD Software Productions AG is pleased to announce. In order to steal the crown of this genre, the planned Open Beta, as well as the international marketing and PR campaign have made this date a strategic necessity. REad more for details, no specific date as to when this will kick off is available at the moment...

SEGA Europe Ltd, today announced an agreement with Sammy Europe Ltd, granting SEGA rights to distribute 'Seven Samurai 20XX' for the PlayStation2 across PAL territories. Seven Samurai 20XX is a third-person 3D action game inspired by Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece 'The Seven Samurai'. Read more for details & screens ....

Atari and Stormfront Studios, have announced plans to develop Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone, an action adventure game set in the popular Dungeons & Dragons world created by Wizards of the Coast. Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone will place players in the middle of a heated battle between two demonic armies set to overrun the world of Faerun. Read more for screens & details ...

Namco Hometek Inc. and recently formed game developer, Flagship Studios, announced today that the two companies have entered a publishing agreement to bring Flagship's first PC game to market. Flagship Studios was founded in July 2003, by the creators of Diablo, one of the best-selling PC game franchises of all time.