Sierra Entertainment, Inc. a studio of Vivendi Universal Games, today announced the launch of a new website dedicated to Malice, the upcoming action-adventure game, developed by UK-based Argonaut Games PLC (AGT.L). The new Malice site hosts screenshots from the game, desktop backgrounds, movies and music, as well as behind the scenes production artwork and a voice recording session with No Doubt. There are also links to the latest Malice game news and press releases. Malice is due to release worldwide this November on both the Xbox video game system and the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system under the Sierra brand. The site is live and can be accessed here!

Westwood Studios announced today that it has released a major patch for Earth & Beyond that includes new grouping features, an upgraded skill system, and an improved chat interface. Earth & Beyond is an online role-playing galaxy that will be published by EA under the EA GAMES brand in summer 2002. This patch incorporates most of the game's major features into the public test. From now until the game's launch in late summer, the development team will continue to fix bugs, balance, and add content to the game universe

Its code name is “Freon,” reflecting the notion that it is the coolest secret project at Microsoft Corp. these days, at least in the eyes of the Xbox video-game division. WHAT FREON STANDS FOR is a souped-up successor to the Xbox console — capable of playing games but also offering television capabilities, such as pausing live TV and recording shows onto a computer hard drive, say people familiar with the effort. Though it is unclear whether such a product will ever be built, its core concept appears to have the backing of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, who wrote in an internal memorandum in January that he was a “big fan” of a machine that would combine video services with gaming. Such a device, which could cost around $500, would have another big advantage: It could beat video-game market leader Sony Corp. to the punch. Full story here!

Mark Rein from Epic Games epic games today updated the official forum with some news about their upcoming UT 2003 Demo. We grabbed the whole posting that you can read below.

Just so you know Epic is the company with final approval on when the game is done. It was the same for UT. I'm the guy at Epic charged with the job of communicating that approval to our publisher but the whole company is involved in determining it.

Shrapnel Games is proud to announce that Space HoRSE, developed by Gilligames, has Gone Gold. Tim Brooks, President of Shrapnel Games, commented, "We now have multiplayer in place which adds great value to an already strong game. The early response to this game has been impressive. Everyone seems to like how quickly you can jump in and start playing. The only negative we had heard from those playing the demo was that it didn't allow for multiplayer games. Well, now it does. We are expecting great things from Space HoRSE."

Irrational Games is proud to introduce a new character to the much lauded tactical comic hero role-playing game "Freedom Force." Simply named Daemon, the diabolic winged one is poised to cause destruction and mayhem in Patriot City. Will he trade blows with the mighty Manbot? Out diablo El-Diablo? Will Daemon take Sea Urchin’s milk money? Only time will tell. Daemon is available for download at www.modforce.com.

Westwood has released another updated toolset for their 3D action game, Command & Conquer Renegade. While the package has been updated into a slightly larger download "24MB", there are again no details on the changes. It contains contains the Level Editor along with assorted utilities, as well as RenX for gmax. Grab it from 3D Gamers!

Activision, Inc. and the Creative Assembly today relaunched the official web site for the upcoming strategy game of epic battles, Medieval: Total War. The site includes news, game features and custom wallpaper. The site will also display the latest screenshots from Medieval: Total War that showcase the game's graphical enhancements. Thanks to a bit of technical wizardry on behalf of the developer, Medieval: Total War's units now have with four times the detail and resolution of the troops in Shogun: Total War.

Activision, Inc. is setting the stage for high-flying action in Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 with a soundtrack that features an eclectic mix of old school rap, punk, funk, rock, and electronica. Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 will be available for the PlayStation computer entertainment system, Xbox video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance this summer. Read more below to check out artists and tracks.

UK Development Company, Vulcan Software, are proud to announce the release of the first two worlds of their simplistically complex puzzle game, Timekeepers, for the PC platform. The psychotic Emperor Zorg has hidden a multitude of nuclear devices throughout 4 unique time zones of Earth's history. Our only hope lies with an elite military force Known as the Timekeepers. Your mission is to guide a platoon of 14 brave timekeeper soldiers, through the 15 treacherous levels Of each world, all riddled with complex puzzles, obstacles and traps, in order to locate, and disarm, the nuclear devices.