GolemLabs has posted its first developer diary of six on its official website today, detailing the development of its upcoming real-world strategy game SuperPower 2. DreamCatcher Games will publish the title in late 2004. The sequel to SuperPower is, like its predecessor, a global geopolitical simulation game that gives gamers the power to control four aspects of a chosen country: politics, economy, military and demography. Compared to the original game, however, SuperPower 2 has been improved with new gameplay, 3D graphics and an incredibly smart A.I.

UbiSoft has now also released the dedicated Win32 server for 1C Maddox's WW II flight sim IL-2 Sturmovik: the Forgotten Battles to synchronize it with yesterdays v1.21 client patch. Read more for download links ...

Gearbox has revealed that they are working on yet another patch for their PC port of Halo: Combat Evolved. The v1.03 update patch is expected to be released early next week and will add several new features (anti team killing, increased network performance, etc.) as well as various game fixes and dedicated server updates. Read more for a detailed fix list.

Right after the Unreal II SE announcement, Atari now also revealed that a demo version of Unreal 2 Expanded Multiplayer a.k.a. XMP, will be released tomorrow. The demo will not require a copy of Unreal 2 to try out and will feature one map entitled XMP-Garden. The full version of XMP, which is included with Unreal 2: Special Edition, will be a free download for existing owners of Unreal 2, and is absolutely brilliant (thanks Andy). Stay tuned for we WILL have it on our fileservers of course ..

TDK has released a new patch for Synetic's racing game World Racing. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.4.4 and adresses some control issues, fixes bugs and some sound improvements. This patch also allows you to download new cars and the first one "slipstream" is already included (thanks 4Players.de). Read more for details and download links ...

Atari is expanding the gameplay of Unreal II: The Awakening this December with Unreal II: The Awakening ­ Special Edition for the personal computer. The Special Edition package will include the original single-player campaign, first released in February 2003, as well as an all-new multiplayer experience called XMP, or “Expanded Multiplayer.” Developed by Legend Entertainment (an Atari studio) in conjunction with Epic Games, Unreal II: The Awakening is the follow-up to Epic Games’ 1998 smash hit Unreal and incorporates the same story-driven gameplay, cunningly ferocious enemies and nail-biting tension that made the original title a best seller.

The Elemental is a total conversion of Gas Powered Games Dungeon Siege. Elemental is set in an alternate mythical version of ancient Judea that is gritty, mean, and profane. In a world full of Romans, thieves, and monsters the only real way to describe the Elemental experience is with one word, Biblepunk (thanks Jason). Read more for details and download links ...

Atari, Inc. has announced that the sequel to last year's hugely successful Dragon Ball Z: Budokai game has shipped to retail stores nationwide. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 for the PlayStation2, takes the best-selling fighting game of 2002 and 2003 (through October)*, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai, and transforms it into a heart-pounding new way to immerse fans in a quest to recover the seven Dragon Balls and the battles between good and evil that define the DBZ world.

ESPN Videogames has announced its newest sports title set to debut in Spring 2004 - ESPN Major League Baseball. Formerly known as the "World Series Baseball 2K" series, ESPN Major League Baseball will deliver the exhilarating drama and heart-pounding action of the "Major Leagues." ESPN Videogames is proud to announce that New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi will be the official spokesperson and cover athlete for ESPN Major League Baseball. Providing players with the complete ESPN experience, ESPN Major League Baseball will feature two stalwart ESPN baseball veterans: Jon Miller and Karl Ravech. Miller, who is set to begin his 15th season on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, will handle the play-by-play duties on the virtual diamond, while Ravech, the host of ESPN's Baseball Tonight, will provide the in-studio analysis. Read more for details & screens ...