Wizards of the Coast Inc., the manufacturer of trading card games and role-playing games, will close its chain of 64 retail stores in 15 states. Wizards, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc., announced Sunday that the closure of its Wizards of the Coast and The Game Keeper stores will allow it to focus on its core business of game design. Wizards' games, which include "Magic: The Gathering" and "Dungeons & Dragons," are among the biggest brands in the hobby game industry. The company has retained Gordon Brothers Group LLC of Boston to assist with the closures, which should be completed in about 60 days.

Zdenek Mezihorak, former designer at the Czech game development company Pterodon/Illusion Softworks (Vietcong, Flying Heroes), has created the new game development studio Hra01 Ltd. together with his brother this past November in Brno, Czech Republic. Their first project is a yet undisclosed third person action game for PC, with possibility to migrate to the PS3/Xbox2. Read more for details ...

Urban Chaos is a Modification for Sir-Tech's Strategy/RPG game Jagged Alliance 2 (license now in hands of Strategy First). UC was developed by the JA2 MOD Squad for the JA2 Community and features new video sequences, new quests & maps, new NPC's, additional factions and much more (only works with the English version). Read more for details and download links ...

GarageGames announced today that it will unveil the preview, core release of Dark Horizons: Lore and the Mac Alpha release of GravRally at MacWorld January 6-9 in San Francisco. The two titles that beat out the competition in the Indie Games Con '03 Players Choice Awards will premiere at MacWorld as part of a first look of the exciting GarageGames line-up for 2004. Departing from the typical family based, non-violent lineup of GarageGames, these truly unique titles will appeal to both action gamers and race fans alike.

Nexuiz is a 3D deathmatch game that is simply first person shooting reduced to the very basics with perfect weapon balancing. With its very intense and fast gameplay, it will hook the user in. Nexuiz uses such technology as curved surfaces with its detailed maps, bumpmapping, realtime shadows, 64 player support, and an advanced model format. The nexuiz game contains over 1000 TGA textures, 20 very detailed maps, and over 40 characters to choose from. Nexuiz is being developed by Alientrap Software, published by SetSystems and expected release date of Q2 2004. Read more for some new screens ...

Monster Hunter is Capcom's upcoming online action game exclusively for Playstation 2. Monster Hunter supports up to 4 simultaneous players, voice chat support and should be expected somewhere in 2004. In the meantime, read more to check some new screens ...

1C Company has revealed the first details on DTF Games' upcoming RTS game "Stalingrad". Situated between July 1942 and January 1943 Stalingrad desribes the events of one of the most dramatic episodes in World War 2. In Stalingrad the player will be able to take part in 2 campaigns (36 missions in total, 7 'secret' missions) where you must first lead the attack on Stalingrad and the subsequent seizure of city, after which, you take command of the Red Army, to defeat the Wehrmacht's 6th army. Read more to check the first screens ...

Seven Samurai 20XX puts players in the role of the young Ronin Natoe. At first fighting the enemy alone as they begin laying siege to the human’s one and only city, Natoe soon finds himself the protector of the humans’ last hope, the Holy Child, and ultimately the leader of a band of warriors united to protect her against the invaders. Seven Samurai 20XX engages players with an experience that combines compelling storytelling, delivered through superb cinematic cut-scenes, with intense melee-style combat. Players will use a variety of ancient fighting styles in the game, employing an arsenal of moves and attacks that grow with their mastery of the samurai way.

A small galaxy with grotesque beings, everyone is bored with skirmishing all day. So these tank-guys decide to build new ammunition.....enough to bomb each other into oblivion! Their problem: gravity! Suns, black holes, asteroid rings, atmospheric resistance, enemy obstacles placed on your own planet and (as if that`s not enough!) there are aliens, astro zombies, space creatures and other horrors waiting just for you (thanks Bluesnews)!! Read more for download links ...

Ryzom is a third-generation 3D game that features a highly original poetic universe designed for the general public. Online gaming aficionados will discover innovative game mechanisms, along with sumptuous graphics. Read more for new screens ...