Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE) today announced that PlanetSide: Core Combat, the first expansion for its popular massively multiplayer online first-person action game, PlanetSide, is available at North American retail stores and via secure digital download from SOE. With six new underground war zones, additional weapons, vehicles, and enhanced empire bonuses, Core Combat adds many new gameplay options for players to master in PlanetSide's all-hours-of-the-day online conflict. The expansion carries a suggested retail price of $29.99, and requires a copy of PlanetSide to play.

Now that the Diablo II 1.10 patch is available on Battle.net, the next Warcraft III update, patch 1.13, has gone into the final stages of testing. The patch will include many significant additions, including Acts II and III of the Orc Campaign, several new World Editor features, updates to many of the maps, and numerous balance adjustments. We expect it to be released in the next few weeks. Prior to the patch's release, we will also be changing the lineup of maps currently available for ladder play. In addition to the patch, we will also be releasing the art tools used for Warcraft III. These tools will allow advanced users to create and implement new art in the game, adding an unprecedented level of customization.

The flood of games shipping does not stop as Kemco U.S.A. announced today that its much-anticipated title, Rogue Ops, has begun shipping to retail outlets nationwide. In the debut adventures of the beautiful but deadly female heroine Nikki Connors, Kemco's Rogue Ops provides gamers with an experience never before felt or seen in the 3 rd person stealth/action adventure video game genre. Rogue Ops is available on the PlayStation2, GameCube and Xbox.

Microsoft Game Studios announced today that Project Gotham Racing 2 for Xbox has gone gold and is scheduled to skid onto store shelves in North America on November 18 for an estimated retail price of $49.99 (U.S.).

The game is developed on original high-tech engine The Firestarter Engine, which uses the possibilities of the latest accelerator generation GeForce3/4. Among the engine possibilities are work with outdoor and indoor areas, coloured dynamic lighting, dynamic shadows, vertex and pixel shaders, T&L, procedure textures, various classes of particle system-based effects, interactive and destructible level objects, realistic physics, high-polygonal character and monster models (up to 5000 of polygons), skeleton animation. Read more to check them out3 new screens ...

Got Game Entertainment today announced that "Conspiracies", a game of murder, mystery, and adventure for the PC began shipping to retail this week. Uniquely packaged with both the DVD version and CD version in one box, "Conspiracies" is already garnering excellent reviews, international awards, and it arrives in stores just in time for holiday shopping.

Eidos announces it has signed a development deal with Guerrilla. Formerly known as Lost Boys Games, Guerrilla is developing a 3rd person action game for Eidos which will be released on PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC in summer 2004.

'The Fall: Last Days of Gaia' is an innovative Post-Apocalyptic Role Playing Game with tactical combat and a highly original, disturbing storyline. The game is scheduled for Q1, 2004. The Fall will be the first 3D-RPG set in an endtime scenario on the market. Read more for details and some new screens ...

Brand new concept, TrackMania drags the player in a funny universe of track building and driving. For the first time, the player has to build his track before racing. Will he find the right way to do the best time ? He has to collect all the blocks of the Trackmania set, a truly virtual construction game enabling the creation of increasingly larger and higher tracks with a capacity exceeding 2000 blocks ! Read more for details and screens ...

Celtic Kings: The Punic Wars appeals to both RTS and RPG players searching for a new experience in already known genres. The multiplayer provides new strategic gameplay tuned towards the traditional RTS players. Celtic Kings: The Punic Wars continues the traditions of the award winning Celtic Kings: Rage of War and will be exploring the three Punic wars between Rome and Carthage in the period 264BC – 146BC which includes the famous campaigns of Hannibal and Scipio Africanus.