NDL today announced from the 2005 Game Developers Conference (GDC) that its Gamebryo 3D graphics engine and toolkit is being used by Firaxis Games in the creation of Sid Meier's Civilization IV. Firaxis is expanding its relationship with NDL based on the company's recent success using Gamebryo in the development of the critically acclaimed Sid Meier's Pirates!

BioWare and Irrational Games are pleased to announce a co-marketing agreement for Irrational Games’ new release, Freedom Force vs. The 3rd Reich. As part of BioWare’s continuing efforts to expand its online store, BioWare will be promoting Irrational's Freedom Force sequel to the nearly 2.4 million members of the BioWare Community. Freedom Force vs. The 3rd Reich offers gamers a unique role-playing experience, and BioWare and Irrational hope that fans of BioWare’s games will also be fans of Irrational’s new release.

Founded in 1996, Galiléa started with the adventure/edutainment title Genesys before finding a much wider audience with Cameron Files series (Loch Ness and Pharaoh's Curse/Amenophis). The company's final adventure was Jack the Ripper in early 2004. Having already cancelled production on the third Cameron Files game and shutting down its main studio in Grenoble, France, Galiléa has existed since mid-2004 as a skeleton company based in Montreal, Canada. However, unable to secure any new development deals, co-founder Philippe Gaudé has now confirmed that budget considerations have forced them to close down and seek opportunities elsewhere (thanks Adventure Gamers).

Xfire announced today it has filed an answer and countersuit in United States District Court in response to a lawsuit filed by Yahoo Inc. In today's filing Xfire refutes all allegations that it is infringing Yahoo's patent. In addition, Xfire has filed a countersuit stating that the Yahoo lawsuit is an attempt to drive Xfire out of business (and therefore avoid direct competition in the marketplace) or to force Xfire to sell or license its proprietary technology to Yahoo for far less than fair market value to settle the expensive litigation.

LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment are thrilled to announce Star Wars Galaxies: Episode III Rage of the Wookiees as the next addition to the popular online Star Wars gaming experience. Episode III Rage of the Wookiees, available to current players two full weeks before the movie launches as a digital download, adds a whole slew of content taken directly from the highly anticipated Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith movie, including the adventure planet of Kashyyyk, home to the Wookiees.

Nibiru: Messenger of the Gods, developer by Future Games previously know for Black Mirror, is a horror/adventure game in which you take on the role of Martin Holan, an Thechz archeologist working in France sent to investigate a newly found secret tunnel apparently made by Germans during the second World War. Nibiru is a 2D adventure featuring 80 locations, over 30 NPCs, and 50 pages of narrative. German publisher dtp announced today that Nibiru went gold and should start appearing in retail stores end of next week. No news or publisher for an English version has been announced yet.

Eidos UK's latest six-month result shows that the long time fledging developer/publisher continues to be in bad financial shape as it posted a £29.2 million operating loss. Shares dropped to an all time low, and while a new buyout proposal made on March 2nd is under consideration, no decisions have been made yet. Even further bad news was came to light as it was confirmed that Hitman: Blood Money, 25 to Life, Just Cause and the new Tomb Raider are being delayed due to a 'strategic decision' and are being pushed back fiscal 2006, meaning not earlier than July 2005. Previously only announced for PC and PS2, the new Tomb Raider is now also scheduled for Xbox 2 and PSP.

Cossacks: Napoleonic Wars returns one of the most successful strategy games of the past years to the real-time battlefield - with reinforcements: Meet Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France and probably the most ingenious strategist in European history! Enter the battle on the side of one of 10 great European nations and rewrite European history in six exciting campaigns.

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 :

• Trackmania Sunrise - Trailer #4
• Act of War: Direct Action - Trailer (2)
• Soldner: Marine Corps - Exclusive Trailer
• Dungeon Lords - Trailer #7
• SCAR: Squadra Corse Alfa Romeo - Trailer

Bet On Soldier is a first-person shooter which presents something considerably different in order to stand out from the crowd. With a corporation-takes-over-the-world-style plot, Bet On Soldier allows players to do exactly what it promises with its title - that is, bet on the outcome of encounters with specific enemies. Before entering battle, players can wager on which particular enemy soldiers they are going to kill.