Encore today announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with Paris-based developer and publisher Monte Cristo to publish Desert Rats vs. Afrika Korps, a tactical real-time strategy game inspired by campaigns waged in North Africa during World War II. Under the agreement, Encore is managing sales, distribution and marketing for the game in the U.S. and Canada, while Monte Cristo is producing the game. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Midway Games Inc. announced today the appointments of Robert N. Waxman, CPA, 67, and Jay N. Whipple III, 47, as two new independent Board directors, effective December 31, 2003. Mr. Waxman also joins the Board's Audit Committee. The addition of Messrs. Waxman and Whipple brings the total number of directors on the Company's Board to eleven, nine of whom are independent.

Geleos development has been running for the whole 2003 trying to catch one of the escaped ostriches from their game. To set up a good track trying to use it as a decoy, funky developers of a funky Ostrich Runner game have decided to build a new home for their game making a new design for the place where ostriches live. After seeing the new home of his, the ostrich has returned - and it was right on time - the game is in beta-test stage and it's essential to check everything. Read more for some new screens & download links for the news demo...

Developed internally by Empire's award-winning Strangelite Studio, the game will be released on PC, and all current and next generation consoles. The length of the agreement will allow Empire to produce multiple titles. The game will be based on the movie of the same name and animated series franchise. Read more to check out the first screens ...

SEGA of America, Inc. today announced the launch of "Sonic Heroes" for Nintendo GameCube – the first original Sonic The Hedgehog console game in three years. SEGA's most anticipated game launch of the year is expected to ship on Xbox and PlayStation2 January 27.

Kombat is the 3D RTS game with tactical wargame and RPG elements. The game uses the real army structure of years 39 - 45 with all main and specialized branches including reconnaissance, counterespionage and medical squads etc. All main countries - participants of that time war are playable in the game. Other countries activities are managed by AI. The gameplay is based on officer’s training system that was used during the WWII. The unique system of global and local AI provides a lot of gameplay innovations. The powerful in-house engine allows to use new strong technical features, read more to check out some screens ...

Noticed on The Fall official website that Silver Style's message boards seem to have an interesting announcement about one of the Black Isle developers teaming up with Silver Style to work on The Fall: Last Days of Gaia . "We're glad to welcome Game Designer Damien Foletto in our team! Formerly he worked at Black Isle on Hits like Baldur's Gate 2 or Fallout 3. He will support Lead Designer Carsten Strehse on the development of The Fall: Last Days of Gaia." No further details are available (as to whether he would move from the US to Germany and such), but we will keep you posted!

StarCraft: Ghost is Blizzard Entertainment’s upcoming tactical-action console game that refines the epic experience of StarCraft to the level of the individual soldier. Engage the StarCraft universe face-to-face as a deadly Ghost operative in the employ of the Dominion. With the help of determined allies, follow story-driven missions that take you from massive planetary battles through dangerous solo operations to an unexpected turn of events that leaves the fate of the universe in your hands. Njoy the new screens!

EA SPORTS has released the FIFA 2004 Creation Centre giving you the chance to create new players, edit all attributes, change formations and export it all for later use (thanks FIFA 2004 Online). Read more details & for download links.

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

• Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow - Trailer
• The Suffering - Trailer
• Psychotoxic - Trailer
• Realms Of Torment - Trailer
• Bloodrayne 2 - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...