The United Cyber Games Association (UCGA) today announced a series of over 400 qualifying events around the United States to kick off the American portion of the Samsung World Cyber Games (WCG), the world's largest e-sports competition. Teaming with sponsors Samsung, CompUSA's game fixx, and NVIDIA, the World Cyber Games USA will bring thrilling competitions closer to all of America's 140 million gamers by holding its qualifying and semifinal competitions at 20 CompUSA locations across the country from April through July 2003. The U.S. competition will culminate in a national final in August; winners there will advance to the WCG 2003 Grand Final in Seoul, Korea October 12-18.

Tri Synergy announced today that Bandits: Phoenix Rising, shipped to retail outlets nationwide. Bandits: Phoenix Rising immerses players into a vast, desert wasteland, where they must control a cannon-mounted combat car in order to defeat heavily armed enemies and ultimately defend their gang. Bandits: Phoenix Rising is rated T (Teen) with an SRP of $29.99.

One Must Fall: Battlegrounds promises to deliver the next-generation of hand-to-hand robot action-combat bringing players the most intense and visually stunning 3D fighter on the PC. Building on the growing popularity of PC fighting games, One Must Fall: Battlegrounds features unique, out-of-this-world characters; stunningly detailed graphics; lightning-paced and fluid gameplay; and a unique 3rd person fighting point of view. Read more for details and screens...

Port Royale transports players into the past where they embark on a journey through the Caribbean “New World.” As one of four nations – Holland, England, France, or Spain- pirates encounter 3-D sea battles with over 20 ships in an expansive environment that encompasses more than four million square miles. Seize enemy villages, battle opponents in the high seas, become enveloped in a sophisticated trading system and search for hidden treasure in this all new pirating escapade! A batch of new screens just arrived, njoy!

Take the command of "Axis-of-Good" forces and defeat the secret alliance of "Shadow Clique" on one of 6 distant planets. The rebels decided to seize the power on Earth by first conquering the space colonies, which provide vital energy resources to A.O.G. The war for global domination will unroll on continents, at sea and in the air. Lead your divisions, fleets and air squadrons against those, who dared threaten our freedom and democracy! Check out the new screens ...

There is a new patch for Black & White, bringing the first 3D god-playing game by Lionhead Studios to v1.30. The primary purpose of this release is to add support for the P5 Glove peripheral by Essential Reality as a new way to control the game. It's not multiplayer compatible with v1.20 but incorporates the changes from all previous patches. Read more for details and download links ...

Co-Publishers Strategy First & Project Three Interactive with developer Termite Games announced today that their tactical, team-based first-person shooter, New World Order, has shipped to retail outlets across North America. In New World Order, players meet Agent John Dobbs, one of the best military operatives in the world and GAT’s (Global Assault Team) newest recruit. Formed by some of the world’s most powerful nations, the GAT is a top-secret organization that has been brought together to stop The Syndicate, a group of militant separatists and terrorists who have set out to fill the world with fear, chaos and destruction…unless Agent Dobbs and his team get to them first.

Tri Synergy announced today that the company’s new PC racing, action-adventure title, Knight Rider, has shipped to North American retail outlets nationwide. Based on the classic 80’s TV series, Knight Rider features advanced play modes and boasts 10 action-packed missions that will propel players through 15 different rich environments. Knight Rider is rated E for Everyone, and has a street price of $29.99.

In "SÖLDNER - Secret Wars" the player takes command of one such special unit. As squad leader, the player's mission is to work with other players to control this highly mechanised elite mercenary company - consisting of soldiers, helicopters, light tanks and vertical take-off planes - and carry out a very wide gamut of missions. To make thing even more interesting, these units are stationed on a mobile carrier disguised as a freighter. Check these 3 new screens...

From the creators of Future versus Fantasy (FvF), Freeform Interactive LLC comes the Purge Demo. Purge is an online-only, hybrid FPS/RPG using highly modified Lithtech Talon Engine technology. In a market of shooter clones, Purge is one of the most original and unique games released in the last few years. Purge allows players to build custom characters: choosing from 7 player attributes, 8 science-fiction and fantasy classes, 32 weapons, and 24 skills. Also, Purge has fully realized non-combat roles where players can succeed without ever directly fighting. The updated Purge Demo includes the map Riley's Gap and weights in at 77MB, or there is a small update patch to apply to the previous version.