Linden Lab today introduced version 1.2 of Second Life, the online service that allows residents to join a rapidly growing world in which they can play, build, or live, creating anything imaginable. Second Life residents can now buy their own virtual land at auction, using either real or in-world currency. And Second Life isn’t just for the PC any more. Macintosh users with OS X.3 can help test Second Life’s new Beta version for Macintosh. Additionally, a new pricing option with no monthly fees allows you to join SecondLife for only $9.95. The Second Life v1.2 upgrade is downloadable today for a free 7-day trial at www.SecondLife.com.

Digital Reality has released a new patch for their 3D space RTS Hegemonia: Legions of Iron. This upgrade brings your retail game to v2.01 and addresses a problem in running the script editor on WinXP and now it is possible to create missions and carry over units and heroes between them like in the single player campaign. Digital Reality also released the mod tools for Hegemonia: Legions of Iron, allowing you to create your own missions for this 3D space RTS. You will need the v2.01 update patch to run your (or other people's) custom made missions. Read more for details and download links ...

Vivendi Universal Games and Massive Entertainment today unveiled the third faction in Ground Control II: Operation Exodus - the Virons - an alien warrior race.

BiosFear will enter its Open Beta phase today, December 22, around noon. After a successful Closed Beta with many enthusiastic players, Tiscali Games decided to let everybody in before Christmas. Read more for details ...

Sports Interactive has released a new patch for their management title Championship Manager 03-04. This upgrade brings your retail game to v4.1.3 and features the usual fixes and enhancements as well as some new backgrounds and the language packs for English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Portugese, Danish, Dutch, Norweigan, Swedish & Polish. Save games are compatible, however Sports Interactive does suggest you start a new game for the best results. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

Developer S2 Games and iGames Publishing announced today that the one-of-a-kind real-time strategy shooter Savage: The Battle for Newerth has been named one of the top ten finalists in the Open Category of the 2004 Independent Games Festival (IGF) competition. The IGF competition will take place at the 2004 Game Developer’s Conference in San Jose, CA from March 24-26, 2004.

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

• Soldner - Trailer
• Ground Control 2 - Trailer
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Activision, Inc. announced today that the company will work directly with DreamWorks to develop and publish video games based on DreamWorks' upcoming animated theatrical "Shrek 2" feature film.

Akella and Step Creative Group announce that a new 3D tactical strategy/action game DEactivation was released. Players will control one of the antiterrorist units of droids to neutralize acts of terrorism. Destroy the hostile robots-kamikazes and set the hostages free! For every mission there's a set number of droids. Terminate the shot firing system, destroy the hostile robots and set the hostages free! The missions are held in distinct types of building that differ one from another in the number of floors and rooms. Read more for details ...

Imagine one guild dominating the land. Imagine another one getting ready to challenge them. Your guild? Eternal fame may just be one battle away - a battle where hundreds of armed players fight a siege to dominate the Castle of Shilon! The forthcoming action-MMORPG BiosFear features what must be amongst the most massive and bloody battles ever seen in any online game. Thanks to its fast graphics engine, which allows for smooth gameplay, in BiosFear's battles the screen is crammed with players and packed with action. Are you ready to join the battle?

CCP today announced the deployment of their "Tech Level 2" expansion. Available as a free download, this update augments the richness of the existing sophistication of EVE's dynamics considerably, bringing new strategical opportunities to seasoned players as well as newcomers. The expansion, impacting the game universe as a whole, incorporates numerous new gameplay features - developed in close collaboration with the ardent EVE community - as well as many improvements to present functionality, performance and user interface. Read more for details ...

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

• Arx Fatalis - Trailer
• Wanted Guns - Trailer
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Slitherine Strategies are pleased to announce that Spartan has been nominated as a finalist in the 2003 Game of the Year competition hosted by the Independent Games Festival. The winner will be announced at the show in March 2004. Spartan has just about everything that you would expect from a Grand Campaign TBS strategy game and with the added spice of the interactive battles we're sure it will be a winner with the gamers and the judges alike. Worthplaying.com has described Spartan as: "Civilisation with a 3D battle engine.", and one of our aims as a company is to grow our audience to draw in some of those gamers who can't get enough of Civ, or who are just looking for something a little different.

Empire Interactive has released a "working" (you may have seen a version yesterday, which did not work) bonus scenario for Sick Puppies 3D spooky strategy Ghost Master. This "Class of Spook 'Em High" freeby is only suitable for the UK version and features "Never-before-seen, this scenario includes THE final showdown and gives you a more conclusive ending to Ghost Master. Can you give your haunters eternal peace?" (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

Launching the next generation of solo play and online combat, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero is imminent. The #1 online action game of all time goes single-player with Counter-Strike: Condition Zero. A stand-alone product, Condition Zero is the comprehensive successor to the 2000 Multiplayer Game of the Year. Condition Zero completely replaces the current Counter-Strike, and combines six story-driven episodes, three different single player modes and multiplayer enhancements to drive the future of Counter-Strike gamers everywhere.

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

• Spellforce - Trailer
• Hitman: Contracts - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

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

• Far Cry - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

NVIDIA Corporation and Activision, Inc. today announced that the top-selling, critically acclaimed PC game, Call of Duty, will be bundled with select GeForce FX graphics cards. Beginning today, participating add-in card vendors will offer a complete retail version of the intense, World War II-based, first person action title for free with select GeForce FX 5900 series graphics cards, delivering a stellar out-of-box gaming experience to consumers this holiday season.

Ubisoft today announced that CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Dark Motives will be available for the PC in March 2004. The game is based on the hit CBS television series with an exclusive license from CBS Consumer Products. CSI: Dark Motives gives players the opportunity to solve a series of crimes with members of the CSI team.

Joan of Arc showcases a brand new state-of-the-art graphics engine. With rich, detailed terrain, the game allows real-time control and command of legions of military units, realistically depicting the mayhem and severity of medieval warfare. Joan of Arc will contain a series of individual battles as well as massive strategic campaigns between French and English troops. Read more for some new screens ...

Xbox Live gamers have a chance to win the ultimate stocking stuffer this holiday: a copy of Ubisoft's stylish shooter XIII. In the final 13 days leading up to Xmas, December 12 through December 25, Xbox Live gamers who log on for a total of 13 hours will be entered into a contest to win a copy of XIII. For more information, please visit: www.whoisxiii.com/community or www.xbox.com.

Take an adventure as Pitfall Harry, the daring, risk-taking explorer who laughs in the face of danger. Featuring over 50 levels of fast-paced action and puzzle solving adventures, the game challenges players to swing, fight, climb and crawl through eight types of treacherous South American environments including lush jungles, dark tombs, ancient Aztec ruins and glacial mountains. Check out some new screens for Xbox, GameCube and PS2 below!

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

• Jade Empire - Trailer
• Virtua Fighter Cyber Generation - Trailer
• Massive Assault - Video Presentation
• The Sims 2 - Trailer
• The Suffering - Trailer
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Published by the creators of EverQuest and developed by the team behind Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, Champions of Norrath is an Action RPG like none other on the PlayStation 2. Create your own champion, each with unique powers, appearances and skills. Experience an epic adventure filled with powerful action and ominous intrigue. Battle vicious monsters where your mastery of weaponry and spells is the only thing between you and supreme evil. Read more to check out the latest batch of screens!

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

• Fight Night 2004 - Trailer
• Desert Rats vs Afrika Korps - Trailer
• Universal Combat - Trailer
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...