Rockstar is bringing its open-ended crime series to the next-gen consoles with Grand Theft Auto IV. While details on the game are still slim, we now know that the franchise returns to New York situated around the mysterious protagonist Nikolai.

In Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis, the fourth title in the adventure series from Frogwares, Sherlock Holmes receives a strange letter signed by Arsène Lupin, aka the king of thieves, challenging Holmes to prevent him from various robberies in London, with the purpose of humiliating England itself.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, will be a comic adventure game, the first chapter of the planned episodic series which will feature characters from Penny Arcade, including the well-known Gabe and Tycho.

A while ago Foundation 9 announced it would be merging its two Southern California studios The Collective and Shiny but provided no further details. Double Helix is the new name and is based in F9E's new, state-of-the-art corporate headquarters.

Atlus USA has obtained the North American publishing rights for Spectral Force 3, the first of the series to land in the Western hemisphere, delivering challenging strategy RPG gameplay, a classic fantasy story, and tons of character and item customization options.

Vicious Cycle Software and the Indiana University School of Education announced that students at the university who aspire to become future game developers will have have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the Vicious Engine, its cross-platform middleware development solution.

Codemasters has signed a license agreement with Granada Ventures to develop games on the Bella Sara franchise, immersing players in an interactive world of fantasy horses. Players will be able to ride, care for, accessorize and trade the horses with friends.

Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 for the NDS features the most robust store lineup to date, with 13 brand new shops to run and expand, a park to design and visit, and the ability to trade journals with your friends wirelessly.

EA announced that Madden NFL 09 will be available in North America on August 12, including a special collector's edition in celebration of the 20th anniversary featuring both Madden NFL 09 and the all-new NFL Head Coach 09, exclusive classic Madden NFL gameplay, and an extensive library of exclusive bonus video content.