Toronto-based Groove Games, a global publisher of interactive entertainment software, announced today at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the signing of a game development deal with Brainbox Games. Also based in Toronto, Brainbox Games, a wholly owned subsidiary of Digital Extremes, will create two games under the agreement with the first title for the PC already in development.

Rise of Nations combines the epic scope of traditional turn-based strategy games with the fast-paced action of RTS games. The game allows players to create new cities, improve their city infrastructure and expand national borders. Players have the option to win through military might using everything from slingshots to cannons to stealth bombers, corner the market on key commodities, and wheel and deal with a wide variety of Nations. In the trial version, gamers can choose between four of the 18 nations featured in the retail version of Rise of Nations. Players will be able to play through the tutorial and then try their hand on the field of battle on one of four different map types. Read more for download links ...

Tiger Hill Entertainment, a new interactive entertainment studio backed by famed film director, John Woo, today announced its operations and its mission to redefine the action/adventure video game genre with its innovative approach to interactive entertainment development and production. Founded to take advantage of the creative talents of John Woo and his producing partner, Terence Chang, the company announced world-renowned video game developer, SEGA as its premier partner to establish itself as a leader in the interactive entertainment industry (thanks VE3D). Read more for details ...

SEGA today announced that it will deliver its top-selling franchise of all time -- Sonic The Hedgehog -- to the largest audience of gamers worldwide, launching four new Sonic The Hedgehog games on all next-generation console and handheld platforms this fiscal year. The highly-anticipated "Sonic Heroes," an all-new title in the Sonic The Hedgehog series, will debut on the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo GameCube and the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. Additionally, building off the success of the Sonic franchise on Nintendo GameCube, SEGA will release "Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut" exclusively for Nintendo GameCube. Finally, Sonic will return to the Game Boy Advance with the release of "Sonic Pinball Party" and "Sonic Battle."

Commandos 3 takes the stunningly detailed graphics and compelling gameplay of the series to a whole new level. The game features a new interior engine that enables you to rotate the detailed environments and zoom in and out. Prepare your Commandos as enemy bombing raids lay waste to environments, requiring you to change your tactics and approach. Eidos has just released their E3 trailer showing off about 30 seconds of movie goodness. Read more for download links ...

Activision, Inc.'s Medieval Total War: Viking Invasion, the add-on pack to the multi award-winning game of 2002, Medieval: Total War, has shipped to retail stores throughout North America. Developed by The Creative Assembly, Medieval: Total War - Viking Invasion takes gamers back to 793AD as hordes of marauding Vikings sail from Scandinavia to ravage Britain. Medieval: Total War - Viking Invasion is available for the PC at a suggested retail price of $29.99 and carries a "T" (Teen - Blood, Violence - content suitable for persons ages 13 and older) rating by the ESRB.

Shrapnel Games is proud to announce the next in the highly acclaimed Combat Command series. From master designer Dave Erickson and Boku Strategy Games comes Combat Command 2: Danger Forward Gold Edition, slated for release June 09, 2003 it will be available online for $39.95, those who pre-order before the end of May will save $5.00. The gold edition takes the classic company-level wargame and makes it even better. New graphics! New battles! New rule tweaks! These tweaks offer subtle, yet important, enhancements to Combat Command 2's already mesmerizing gameplay.

Championship Manager 4 is the next generation of football management games offering more players, leagues and competitions than any other title. For the first time ever in the series, Championship Manager 4 features a 2D match engine enabling you to make tactical decisions as the action unfolds. This update for the retail Championship Manager 4 title adds many fixes and additions. This upgrade comes in 2 versions, one including a big database update and one without. Read more for download links ...

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

• Metal Gear Sold 3: Snake Eater (Konami)
• Thief 3 (Eidos)
• Backyard Wrestling (Eidos)
• Star Trek: Elite Force 2 (Activision)
• 
  
  Read more for download links ...

Disciples II: Guardians of the Light is a stand-alone expansion that lets you dive into the fantastical world of Disciples II as either the Empire or the Mountain Clans. The Empire is decaying from within as self-proclaimed rulers struggle for control of the now vacant throne while a cruel Inquisition sweeps across the human lands, causing rebellion and misery. Meanwhile the Clans, recovering from their near-destruction, begin to reunite their tribes. They have received divine instructions and now seek to uncover an ancient ritual that will let them communicate with their god, Wotan.. Read more for an exclusive look with Ethan Petty, one of the game’s designers..

Bethesda today announced that it will release a Morrowind Game of the Year (GotY) edition for the Xbox that will include the original version of its award-winning RPG The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, along with content from the two Morrowind expansions: Tribunal and Bloodmoon. This new product will allow gamers to continue their existing games of Morrowind and experience the new quests and areas offered by the expansions, while players who have never played the Best RPG of 2002 can experience Morrowind on Xbox for the first time with all of the added content. Read more for details and screens ..

My fellow Comrades of Novistrana! The time has come to rise up and fight for our freedom. We have suffered in silence under the regime of President Karasov for too long. His regime of fear and oppression is crumbling and it is the time of the people. Now is the time to take back the power that is rightfully ours, now is the time for the revolution. Sign up your allegiance to the cause and make yourself heard at www.republictherevolution.com and prepare to make a difference. While you're there, don't miss their exciting new Republic: The Revolution trailer which is available to download on the website!

Midway Games Inc. announced today that Universal Pictures has obtained an option to the rights to develop the classic 1980s Spy Hunter videogame into a major live action motion picture. SpyHunter 2, the latest iteration of the classic videogame, is scheduled to ship fall 2003 for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox and Nintendo GameCube.

Galactic Civilizations is designed to give players a number of ways to win, including military conquest, diplomatic alliances, economic domination, technological advancement, and other strategic methods. The game is a turn-based single player game, however players who play on Stardock.net will be able to play as part of a “metaverse” where victories, defeats and campaigns can be recorded. Will these features combine to give the game a high degree of replayability? Read more and find out!

Taking dramatic steps to become a major player in the global games publishing industry, Kemco will disclose some of the company’s major developments at the upcoming 2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), May 14-16, in Los Angeles (West Hall, Booth 2808). Kemco will unveil its hot new original property, Rogue Ops and provide a sneak peek at Lobo, an edgy new title based on the DC Comics character. Other titles that will be showcased include Top Gear Rally and Woody Woodpecker in Crazy Castte 5. Kemco is also on the acquisition hunt for new game properties that will strengthen its portfolio for the future.

Republic: The Revolution is the ground breaking new strategy title boasting jaw-dropping visuals utilising the most advanced graphic engine ever seen. Republic: The Revolution, developed by London based Elixir Studios, has you build up a nationwide faction powerful enough to oust the President and rule the Republic of Novistrana. A new trailer has been released letting you check out a bit more than one minute and a half of footage. Read more for download links ...

Activision, Inc. and Valve are taking World War II fans online to the battlefield with the retail release of Day of Defeat. The title, a multiplayer WWII first-person action game powered by Valve's Half-Life technology, provides intense team-based gameplay that pits gamers in Axis vs. Allies squad-based combat in Western Europe at the height of the war in 1944. Day of Defeat is available at retail outlets nationwide for a suggested retail price of $29.99 and carries a "T" (Teen -- Blood, Violence -- content suitable for persons ages 13 and older) rating by the ESRB.

Codemasters today reveals that Operation Flashpoint 2, the sequel to the internationally acclaimed military action simulator, will feature three different theatres of combat set in environments across Southeast Asia, Central Europe and Africa. The game's mission-based campaigns will take gamers through fictional conflicts based upon authentic events during the years around 1970.

DreamCatcher Games is proud to announce that its new website, dedicated to Battlecruiser Generations, has gone live today! The much anticipated title from legendary-producer, Derek Smart, is due to ship in the fall, and this dynamic site gives a great snapshot of what to expect! The site includes a great forum to get an insight from Derek himself and legions of other fans. There’s also a ton of exclusive screenshots, detailed information about the game, some great downloads and a chance to pre-order the game right now. So pull up a mouse, and head to the official 'Battlecruiser Generations' website where it’s all about to kick-off!! Read more for some new screens as well as details about the online engine.

Activision will debut a show-stopping slate of games at the 2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo, which takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from May 14-16. The company's blockbuster lineup includes high-profile Hollywood licenses such as "Shrek 2: The Game" (working title), "Spider-Man 2" (working title) and "Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure"; id Software's gripping 3D action game "DOOM III"; Peter Molyneux's innovative new simulation title, "The Movies"; The Creative Assembly's "Rome: Total War"; an all-new "Pitfall Harry" game, based on the Activision classic; a no-holds barred driving action game "True Crime: Streets of L.A."; and "Call of Duty," a first-person action game that captures the gritty drama, intensity and camaraderie of World War II... Read more for all details!

THQ today announced it has acquired the worldwide publishing rights to the highly anticipated "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Oblivion Lost" (working title). Developed exclusively for PC by Ukraine-based GSC Game World, "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Oblivion Lost" is the first game to utilize GSC Game World's proprietary X-Ray engine that allows for massive indoor/outdoor environments, real-time physics and the capability to push more than one million polygons per frame at 60 frames per second. "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Oblivion Lost" provides players with an intense first person action experience that incorporates elements of survival horror and role-playing while taking place in the forbidden zone of the Chernobyl nuclear facility. "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Oblivion Lost" will be available in 2004.

Today we got screens from another one of Jaleco's upcoming title, World Championship Pool being developed on all platforms. No details are known at this point but at least we got some spiffy looking screens for you to enjoy! Read more to check them out!

Galactic Civilizations is a strategy game set in space at the dawn of the 23rd century, where you become the leader of the human civilization. The galaxy has 6 major civilizations and the race is on to colonize, conquer, and dominate the galaxy using whatever means necessary. Strategy First/Stardock have released a new demo which lets you play the Federalist party in a small galaxy until the year 2190. Read more for download links ...

Empire Interactive plc ("Empire") is pleased to announce a key distribution deal with Canadian company Digital Leisure Inc. ("Digital Leisure") to launch the eJay music software range for PC in North America. The deal, which covers the USA and Canada, consists of 24 SKUs scheduled to debut from mid May 2003.

Logitech announced today that the Logitech USB Headset for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system will be available on retail shelves in the U.S. and at logitech.com later this month for a suggested retail price of $39.95 US.