According to an article in the Gainesville Sun, Florida-based developer Artificial Studios, known for Monster Madness and the free AGEIA PhysX-based FPS CellFactor, has merged with UK-based Ignition Entertainment. Prior to the merger, Artificial Studios was already working on an action game for next-generation systems (thanks Firingsquad). Southpeak Interactive's PS3 version of Monster Madness is under development at Psyonix Studios.

Frogwares' Dracula: Origin is a gothic adventure game, where you, as Professor Van Helsing, are devoted to the elimination of Dracula. Preventing Dracula from finding and using the antediluvian manuscript; you must help everyone who crossed paths with the count and refused to serve him.

NCsoft is bringing back one of the most popular in-game events that City of Heroes and City of Villains has ever seen: The Double XP Weekend. For an entire weekend (Feb. 8 to Feb. 10), Hero and Villain characters will receive double the XP, Prestige, Influence, and Infamy when they take on adventures and battle crime or cause mayhem.

German based publisher dtp entertainment and Hamburg development studio 49Games announced their cooperation today, where dtp will be responsible for the worldwide publishing, marketing, and distribution of one of the upcoming game productions by 49Games.

Another day, another batch of game trailers was released. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are trailers for:

• Army of Two [ALL] - Make Money Trailer
• The Club [PS3/X360] - Developer Team Interview
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available.

Dark Sector is a new and original next-gen action-thriller, developed by Digital Extreme. It's a dark, gritty experience packed with fast action, incredible superpowers and an engaging story.

THQ announced results for fiscal Q3 2008, with net sales of $509.6 million, compared to last year's $475.7 million, driven by Cars: Mater-National, MX vs. ATV Untamed and SmackDown vs. Raw 2008. In the subsequent investors conference call, THQ CEO Brian Farrell revealed that Red Faction III is being developed by Volition for PS3, X360 and PC. Scheduled for fiscal 2009 (Apr. 2008 - Mar. 2009), RF3 will focus on interactive environments and destruction. First details on THQ's UFC-licensed title are expected during a pay-per-view event on Memorial Day weekend.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is an Online Action RPG, mixing a deep, story-driven single-player experience and a massive and brutal multiplayer end-game brings forth the ultimate representation of the Age of Conan. Having received its rating, the North American version will not have nipples, while the German edition has full gore, but will not have decapitation, dismemberment, and over-the-top type fatalities. Everywhere else in Europe the game is un-censored.

UPDATE: Debunking her own previous statement, Funcom community manager Shannon Drake now claims the North American edition will not be censored, nipples included.

Golden Axe: Beast Rider, developed by Secret Level, delivers action-RPG thrills as a small band of Riders embark on an epic adventure to recruit allies, expose the enemy and prevent the annihilation of their breed.

Monster Madness: Grave Danger follows in the footsteps of Monster Madness: Battle for Suburbia with 4 player co-op gameplay, an all new polished look and a number of new/improved features. Based on fan feedback from the original every Zombie, Werewolf and Vampire has been recalled to square one.