EA announced the release of The Sims Vacation Expansion Pack, a new add-on disk to the top-selling PC game of 2000 & 2001, The Sims. The Sims and their families have been in overdrive with the magical high-jinx of Livin' Large, the wild parties of House Party and the never-ending social obligations of Hot Date. They need a break and The Sims Vacation provides the perfect opportunity to give them a little rest and relaxation on a fun-filled vacation island!

The game is set in year 2010 where player.s conscience is entrapped by an up-to-date virus-infected virtual reality-playing machine called FireStarter. The virus-caused failure resulted in computer changing the rules of the game . to break out of the trap, the player is to complete the game within 48 hours. Immerse in an unbelievable world, created by super-modern playing machine, where you are to make it a winner of the adrenaline-brimming action. The gameplay is action-focused . a player is to carry out tasks on levels overcrowded with dangerous monsters, by using personal skills, over 20 types of weapons and unique artefacts. The victory conditions vary from a need to survive within a given time to eliminating a certain monster/device.

Blood Omen II: Legacy of Kain has gone gold, and will be in stores soon. Here's the soup (Thanks VE) from Eidos: " Blood Omen 2, the latest installment in the Legacy of Kain Series is a 3rd person 3D action/combat game in which the player assumes the role of the vampire Kain. A compelling story drives the player through huge lushly detailed 3D environments and challenges their game play skills in combat, puzzle solving, stealth and exploration." So we can expect it in stores soon ;)))

On March 29th, Rangers Football Coach and Celtic Football Coach will be released on CD-ROM for the PC. So, while few fans will ever sit behind the managers’ desks at Ibrox or Celtic Park, any fan with a home PC will be able to take charge of either team through these unique simulations.

Ubi Soft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announces Monster Jam: Maximum Destruction has shipped for Nintendo GameBoy Advance. The game will be available in retail stores nationwide for $39.99 MSRP.

Electronic Arts and Crave Entertainment Ship Freedom Force for the PC is the announcement that this spandex-infested 3D tactical combat RPG by Irrational Games is on its way to stores. Also, Infogrames, Inc. Re-Writes Evolution With Carnivores : Cityscape announces that this Serious Engine-powered first-person shooter by Sunstorm Interactive is about to appear on store shelves as well. Finally, for now, Strategy First sends along word that Dragon Throne: Battle of Red Cliffs, the isometric RTS by Object Software set in Chinese history, has been released as well. (Thanks Blues & VE). Yesterday we announced Global Operations shipped as well ... start counting your pennies ...

Strategy First is pleased to announce that they will now accept applications to beta test their upcoming 3D Real time Strategy Game, O.R.B. O.R.B., an acronym for Off-World Resource Base, is a visually stunning 3D real time strategy game that pits the forces of two races against each other in a desperate struggle across multiple systems to control the resources they need to expand their empires.

Infogrames has opened a product page for Carnivores: Cityscape, showcasing the first-person dinosaur shooter by Sunstorm Interactive that should be shipping in a day or two. Along with the game information and the system requirements, the page also offers a half a minute gameplay movie in AVI format at 6.6 MB in size. (thanks Blues for the heads up)

IBVA Technologies has brought their brain tracking technology to the Microsoft Xbox. "We've been waiting for this for over a decade," said Drew DeVito, President of IBVA Technologies, Inc. "There is finally a consumer product that has the power to do everything we've always wanted to do with braintracking in the home." I'm sure with some people results may vary *g*

Earlier today we brought you the first Gamecube screens and now EA dropped us a few PC (work in progress) screens .. njoy