ARUSH Entertainment, Groove Games and Digitalo have just released a performance fix for the Devastation Multiplayer Demo. This is a performance fix and not a full patch. This performance fix addresses specific problems that may cause players to experience extreme frame rate loss and connection lags even when running a local LAN game. Read more for further details and download links ...

ARUSH Entertainment, Groove Games and Digitalo are pleased to announce that the 2-level multiplayer demo of the much-anticipated FPS Devastation has been released. The demo lets gamers play Devastation’s “Streetwar” (just like Deathmatch) and Capture the Flag game types over a LAN or online. It features two amazingly detailed environments, the Embarcadero Depot, and the abandoned Union Rail Yard. The maps are stocked with amazing weapons, including the powerful P*Laser and the remote-controlled Rat Drone. Read more for download links ...

Galactic Civilizations 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. We already had a featured story on the Stardock Central which is a program that consolidates software updates, message boards, chat, documentation updates, and more into a single easy-to-use program. Now Strategy First/Starddock announced that they will release a Galactic Civilizations Bonus Pack, a free set of game enhancements, in conjunction with the games release. The bonus pack will offer some extra features that players will appreciate including additional game session options, enhanced civilization customization interface, the ability to use your own MP3s in the game, two additional ships, and more galactic resolutions.

Activision and Disney Interactive today announced a new video game that gives skateboarding a magical twist. Designed to appeal to children and teens ages 6 – 14, Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure will use cutting-edge technology from Activision’s latest Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 engine to allow characters from three beloved animated films: Walt Disney Pictures’ presentation of Pixar Animation Studios’ “Toy Story 2,” “Disney’s Tarzan” and “Disney’s The Lion King” to skateboard just like the pros in their respective worlds for the first time. In addition to these characters, the new game includes a Create-A-Skater option where players can customize a youthful skater’s “look” by selecting clothing and accessories. Furthermore, as an Activision first, the company is holding a nationwide casting call search for 10 real kids who will become digitised characters in the game.

OpenTV one of the world's leading interactive television companies, will roll out a suite of interactive multiplayer games to viewers in the UK in May, with plans to introduce the service at a later date in the United States, France and South Africa.

Prepare yourself for the most emotionally involving and realistic football management game in history: Championship Manager 4 has arrived. Can you cope with the challenges of the league and the expectations of the board and fans? Can you deal with the demands of players and agents? Or will you collapse under the pressure, another mid-season casualty? Accept the challenge: take the reins at the club of your choice and lead your squad onwards. And remember, you're only as good as your last game. Sports Interactive has just released a playable demo which allows you to take control of your favourite English team for 6 months of action. Read more for details and links where to get it ...

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 :

• Rise of Nations (MicroSoft)
• XIII (UbiSoft)
• Devastation (Arush)
• City States (Wanadoo)
  
  Read more for download links ...

Earth. Twenty-second century. Five years after the rebellion on Mars. For the last 15 years the corrupt dictator, Sopot, has oppressed the people of the Commonwealth. His relentless pursuit of unification with the neighboring United Republic has left the country soaked in unnecessary bloodshed. A battle for power and control that leaves the people of the Commonwealth in poverty. As not so ordinary citizens, a squad of super soldiers injected with nano-technology is formed. Fed up after years on the front lines each member vows to unify with the common goal of replacing the dictator. Today we serve up a whopping 80 PC, Xbox and Gamecube screens .. Njoy!

Capcom today announced the release of Clock Tower 3 for the PS2. In this chilling mystery, an ordinary girl must unlock the mystery of her heritage and stop the evil powers that have enslaved her ancestors for generations. Clock Tower 3 promises to evoke fear with unnerving visuals and an equally intense storyline. Clock Tower 3 carries an “M” rating for mature audiences from the ESRB and is now available at retailers across North America... THQ and JAKKS Pacific today announced the release of their newest World Wrestling Entertainment licensed video game, WWE Crush Hour for the PS2 and GameCube. WWE Crush Hour takes the intensity, competitiveness and brute strength of the squared circle and drops it into the world of vehicular combat. The game is now available at retail outlets nationwide. SEGA officially announced today the release of "SEGA Sports World Series Baseball 2K3" for the PS2. "SEGA Sports World Series Baseball 2K3" launches with a host of gameplay and visual enhancements, including an ESPN telecast-style presentation, Hall of Fame legends, retro uniforms and ballparks, and new player moves and animations.

Publisher Strategy First and developers Paradox Entertainment and Slitherine Strategies have teamed up again and are pleased to announce Chariots of War, their new strategy title, scheduled to release in North America in Q2 2003.

Set on post-apocalyptic Earth where survival and ultimate dominance are all that matters, Devastation is an action teamplay oriented first person shooter. Developed by Digitalo and powered by the heavily modified, next generation Unreal Engine technology, it pits teams of rebelling street fighters, gang leaders, mercenaries and ex-military fighters against overwhelming armies of high-tech corporate troopers. Read more for eight new screenshots.

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 :

• Rainbow 6 : RavenShield (Ubisoft)
• F-Zero (Nintendo/Sega)
• Silent Hill 3 (Konami)
• WingCommander GBA (UbiSoft)
• Copperhead Engine
  
  Read more for download links ...

SI Games are very excited to announce that the English version of CM4 has now officially gone to gold master, and the game will be released in the UK & Eire on March 28th, 2003. The non UK releases are due to go gold in the next couple of weeks, and should be out shortly after the UK release (specific release dates will follow when we have them). We are still working on trying to get distribution sorted for the Americas, and more info will follow about that in the coming weeks. Please note, if you live outside the UK and decide to import the UK version of the game, it is ONLY in English language. An updated demo of the game will be released in due course, a further announcement with regards to this will be made on Friday

Infogrames, Inc. is pleased to announce that robust first week sales of the space epic sequel Master of Orion 3 have made the game the Top-Selling PC Game for the week of February 23 - March 1, according to NPD sales data released last week. The game released worldwide on February 25, 2003.

Echelon: Wind Warriors is the next evolution in futuristic flight combat that delivers the latest technical and gameplay innovations demanded by today's experienced game playing audience without sacrificing accessibility for newcomers. Players fly a variety of futuristic aircraft through a number of new missions set on a spectacular continent that takes seven hours of real-time flying to cross. Echelon: Wind Warriors is expanding the futuristic universe of Echelon - the "first-rate flight-combat title that set some lofty new standards for a joystick-controlled game."

The official forum for Master Of Orion III is updated with information regarding a upcoming patch. Here is a clip:

Yes, work is in progress on a patch. We have no delivery date at this time.

We are concentrating on the Military AI (offensive, defensive and build queue) and point defense problems, along with some UI glitches and any crash or easy to fix bugs. Changes which require any artwork are extremely unlikely for this patch.

The plan is to release a data-only patch fairly quickly which should help with some of the Military AI problems (and other things) and may also contain some additional documentation on use of the spreadsheets to help the modders.

This will be followed by a code patch. Code changes will be listed here as they are verified internally, so that you know what is coming.

The actual release of the patches will be controlled by the QA departments at Infogrames (for Windows) and Destineer (for Macintosh).

Recognizing that color allows people to express their individuality, Microsoft Corp. is listening to gamers who wanted color options for their Xbox controller. The company is even taking it one step further by putting the choice of colors squarely in the gamers' hands. In an exciting new twist to the Xbox experience, gamers can log onto xbox.com beginning today to help decide the colors of a special line of Xbox controllers.

A good news for the gaming community keen on sequel to Echelon. The two German enthusiasts of this game created a fansite for Echelon: Wind Warriors action/sim... More about it below!

Nintendo is celebrating the launch of Game Boy Advance SP and its connectivity to Gamecube by running a €20 million pan European promotion. The first 400,000 Game Boy Advance SP to be sold include a '£30 discount' voucher for Gamecube.

Man, talk about a boring Friday. Today only a few trailers for various games were released. Instead of giving them all their own post, we grouped them and so far there are trailers for :

• Vietcong (Take2)
• Rayman 3 'Battery' (UbiSoft)
• Star Wars : Knights Of The Old Republic(LucasArts)
• Splinter Cell PS2 Intro (UbiSoft)
  
  Read more for download links ...

The year is 2178 and the galaxy is evolving at an alarming pace. Years ago, human scientists introduced a new technology, the “Hyper-drive”, which vastly improved interstellar travel, but instead of forging closer bonds throughout the galaxy, communication between civilizations has ground to a halt. Colonization and a battle for supremacy have become the primary goals but only one race can dominate…and survive. Strategy First has released a new trailer showing off what this game is all about. Read more for download links ...

For those of you who have finished Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and are craving a fix of your favorite Xbox game: WAIT NO MORE! Beginning today (and NOT yesterday like some other places reported), you can revisit the tense stealth-action of Splinter Cell by simply downloading the Kola Cell mission for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell from Xbox Live--at no additional charge. But be forewarned! This mission is tough. Real tough. Ubi Soft's Montreal team put a lot of thought into how to best test the skills of the most creative Splinter Cell players. We invite you to guide Sam Fisher through a Georgian warehouse, find cyber-terrorist Philip Masse's computer terminal and steal a sample code. Just don't get caught. If you do, the United States government will disavow any knowledge of your existence.

Today several trailers for various games were released. Instead of giving them all their own post, we grouped them and so far there are trailers for :

• XIII (UbiSoft)
• Humvee Assault (Infogrames)
• Line Of Sight : Vietnam (Infogrames)
• Splinter Cell PS2 Intro (UbiSoft)
• Lock On (UbiSoft)
• Tom & Jerry : War Of The Whiskers (UbiSoft)
  
  Read more for download links ...

Blomberg.com reports that Sony Corp. plans to move production of its PlayStation 2 console to China next year, as the rivalry from Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox forces the world's largest video-game console maker to tighten control on costs and prices. Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. currently makes half of its PlayStation 2s at two plants in Japan. Sony expects to move all of its production to Chinese plants run by Taiwanese companies Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. and Asustek Computer Inc. next fiscal year, Sony Computer spokesman Koichiro Katsurayama said. Shifting PlayStation 2's assembly operations to China may allow Sony to increase profit margins at its video-game unit, which accounted for 36 percent of the company's operating profit in the three months ended Dec. 31. China's lower labor costs may also give Sony room to cut the PlayStation 2's retail price, giving Sony an edge over Microsoft's Xbox.

WarBirds, PTO, Pacific Theater of Operations is launched in Beta! Come fly the Battles of the Pacific in the Philippine Islands! The new product launched in Beta today and is expected to go live on 20 March 2003. WarBirds, PTO, Pacific Theater of Operations is a major new product from the award winning WarBirds III Family of products. New Terrains, new airplanes, new flight models, new strategy, new graphic features, and new fun all will be had with this exciting new product! This is the first new product since the release of the original WarBirds III was launched in 2000!