Microsoft Game Studios and Valve today announced that two new multiplayer maps for Counter-Strike for Xbox are now available for free download via Xbox Live. The red-hot "Inferno" and fan-favourite "Office" are the latest urban battlefields on which to stage Counter-Strike's world-famous, action-packed multiplayer gameplay.

With noses red from their victims' blood, Running With Scissors announced the release of POSTAL 2: Share The Pain. The brazen videogame developer's Christmas balls were hanging with joy as they landed their first title as a publisher onto the shelves of retailers across North America.

Eidos today announced the eagerly awaited return of the world's deadliest assassin in Hitman: Contracts. The game is the third installment in the critically acclaimed, multi-million selling Hitman series. Hitman: Contracts is being developed by Io Interactive and will be available for PlayStation2, the Xbox, and PC in spring 2004.

Experience the thrill of top speed racing and high flying freestyle action in the most authentic motocross video game to date. Choose from more than a dozen top pro riders and battle it out for first place in fast-paced, realistic racing on a variety of Supercross (indoor) and Motocross (outdoor) levels or take on challenges outside the circuit. Read more for a few new screens ....

Gamespot got word that Sony's 'Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain' has been pushed back in order to give the development team more time to polish the game. SCEA's John Garvin, creative director of Omega Strain developer Sony Bend (located in Bend, Oregon, hence the name), and Chris Reese, technical director of the studio, explained the delay in a statement. "The team took a close look at how much tuning and gameplay balancing was necessary to complete the game with our original vision intact. We then decided to take some additional time to implement that extra bit of polish into the game," the two designers said.

In Tribes: Vengeance's single-player campaign, gamers become immersed in a roiling galactic thriller. Throughout the game, the player catches glimpses of other, interrelated stories that are unfolding behind-the-scenes. In addition, gamers are given the opportunity to experience the full scope of the single-player story through multiple viewpoints and characters. Powered by an enhanced version of the Unreal Engine, the world is brought to life with characters that have facial expressions and fully-realized personalities, vehicles that kick up dust as they pass by, and weapons that display spectacular effects. Check out these new screens ...

In Wrath Unleashed, powerful beings called overlords fight for supremacy in a striking and imaginative ethereal void as they struggle to become gods and maintain dominance and magic. Overlords and their minion creatures battle for control of magical floating islands represented by a beautiful world map comprised of terrain tiles. Each tile on the map is imbued with an elemental affinity of fire, earth, water or wind. Unleash your wrath and may the best beast win! Read more for a fresh batch of screens ...

"RalliSport Challenge 2" is the highly anticipated second installment in the critically acclaimed "RalliSport Challenge" franchise and the first racing title in the XSN Sports brand. "RalliSport Challenge 2" confronts gamers with several new features, including a new graphics engine, online play through the Xbox LiveTM service, the ability to set up leagues and tournaments using XSNsports.com, new race modes, and more cars and tracks. RalliSport Challenge 2 will test every driving skill you think you have and some you don't even know were physically possible. It's about living on the edge and white-knuckled racing that only rally can deliver.

Bioware has released the final patch (last week there was a beta) for their 3D role-playing game Neverwinter Nights, and its addons Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.60 and addresses a massive list of changes and game tweaks, including synchronization of the previous titles to the latest addons. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

UPDATE:Patch has been pulled by Bioware, "fixed" patch coming soon. Revert back to previous install, check here.