Strategy First, Playnet.com and Cornered Rat Software announced today that they will be launching a new version of their massively multiplayer online game. WWII Online bounced back in 2001 to win IGN and Gamespy Reader’s Choice Awards. Now, the new retail version, WWII Online Readers’ Choice Edition, has gone gold and will be available in late July 2002.

Get behind the wheel of the world's most famous monster trucks with a brutal arsenal of weapons and go head-to-head in savage vehicular combat. Jump in, hold on, and grind it out through interactive arenas with multiple sub-levels, tricks, traps, and surprises. Play for total carnage as you master your tricks in six modes of play including a Freestyle session and the no-holds-barred Championship mode where your rewards pay off in the ultimate in monster truck destruction.

Blizzard announced today that the 'Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos' Epic Action Figures are now available at retailers across America. Fresh from the battlefields of Azeroth are the Orcish warchief Thrall, Dwarven mountain king Muradin Bronzebeard and Night Elf arch-druid Furion Stormrage. Each collector-quality figure stands between 5½" and 6½" tall with approximately eight points of articulation, and will retail for approximately $10.

G3 Studios, a developer and publisher of video games for handheld devices, Pocket PC and other platforms, today officially announced the launch of "infinifiles.com", the company's new online games distribution portal. infinifiles.com is poised to become the premier destination for game players around the world to find and buy the latest games for handheld devices.

Blizzard Entertainment announced today that Warcraft III Collector's Edition will be available in limited quantities for those who demand the ultimate Warcraft III experience. Available in Europe exclusively through www.warcraft3collectors.com.

Legion transports players back in time, two thousand years ago, before the world was ruled by Rome and when the next great empire was set to rise. Players take control of one of the many tribes, city states or leagues in Italy at the time Rome was rising to dominate the area. In this epic game, players must control cities, allocate workers to collect resources, build fortresses for protection and train new regiments on some of the most spectacular battlefields based on accurate maps of ancient Rome. Check out our verdict!

The America's Army site is today updated with the words that 'The Operations' will be available for download on the 4th of July!! The Operations is a first person action game produced by U.S. Army.

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that the official Rise of Nations Fan Site Kit (FSK) is now available. The Rise of Nations FSK file (6 MB) contains the following items to help webmasters achieve global supremacy with a Rise of Nations site of their own. Also JoWooD and Arkane Studios have not forgotten about the web community and made the Arx Fatalis FSK available today. Read more for details and links where to grab the files.

FASA Studios released two new multiplayer maps for their 3D action game, MechWarrior 4: Vengeance. These Coliseum and Gagetown maps were included with the Inner Sphere 'Mech Pak expansion but can now be played online with just the original game and the recent version 3.0 patch.

Infogrames, Inc. has shipped "Stuntman," the latest game in its smash Atari line-up, to retail stores this week for the PS2 computer Entertainment system. Developed by Reflections Interactive Limited, the company behind the best-selling "Driver" series, "Stuntman" thrusts players into the middle of Hollywood-style action-packed films, completing death-defying stunts for a series of movies and building a career to become an A-list stunt driver.

Operation Flashpoint: Resistance launches this Friday, June 28, and is the official expansion pack for the multiple Game of the Year award winner and world-wide number one best-selling PC war simulator. In addition to a new campaign, a new island, and improved network code, Resistance delivers its terrain visuals via an enhanced graphics engine with support for higher-resolution textures, more lighting effects and greatly increased draw distances, so now there’s even more scenery to take cover behind when you’re in combat.

Ubi Soft proudly announces that Splinter Cell has been named Best Action/Adventure Game in the exclusive Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2002. One of the most prestigious awards offered at E3, the game industry’s premiere event, the Game Critics Awards are the only independent E3 awards, voted on by editors from nearly 40 leading outlets that cover games, including the top magazines, online sites, newspapers, and television programs.

Seeking well-deserved rest and relaxation, Mario and Princess Peach travel to a beautiful remote island. It is said the local citizens are friendly and the weather forecast suggests year-round sunshine. However, when they get to the island, they quickly find out that the peaceful paradise has been polluted by a mysterious stranger. Worse still, the individual bears a striking resemblance to Mario! Determined to clear his reputation and clean up the island, Mario sets off on his greatest adventure yet. 29 Mario screens to keep you happy!

Octagon Entertainment has signed a representation agreement with Synaptic Soup to find worldwide publishing for the arcade-style racing game Crazy Car Championship, currently in development for two next-gen consoles.

Trecision S.p.A has started the development of a title for PS2 and PC starring Popeye, the world renown sailor created in 1929 by Elzie Segar. Popeye’s adventures are enjoyed by millions of fans world-wide, both young and adults. The game will be published in 2003 by French company Cryo.

The Neverwinter Nights 'Contest of Champions' module from BioWare's RPG is now available for download. This module is designed to allow a group of players to jump into combat against each other on up to for 4 different teams. Anything goes within the two different battle arenas. The last team standing at the end of combat wins the round.

It is 1588 A.D., a critical year of an alternate history hauntingly familiar yet fantastically alien to our own. Because of one fateful event during the Third Crusade, the history of this world diverged. This event, the Disjunction, ripped open a long-sealed breach to other worlds. Magic energy and powerful spirits flowed into the world, changing the lands and the people forever. Check the excellent screens!

Developed by THQ’s studio, Volition, Red Faction 2 is the sequel to one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed original game franchises of 2001. Featuring an enhanced Geo-Mod engine that allows players to strategically alter and destroy the game environment in real-time, Red Faction 2 expands and builds upon the experience and technology of the original game. Defend your country as Alias, a demolitions expert, with the help of five elite squad members, each specialized in their own means of destruction. Fight through diverse levels using vehicles, an arsenal of specialized weapons and explosives in a rampage to overthrow the government.. We tossed up a bunch small Work in Progress / Page Art, check them out!

BAM! Entertainment a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software, today announced that the futuristic racer WipEout Fusion for the PlayStation 2 begins shipping to North American retailers this week. To date, the strategic relationship between BAM! Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has allowed BAM! Entertainment to bring to North America three popular Sony titles for the PlayStation 2 which were previously only available in Europe. The titles include WRC: World Rally Championship, which BAM! shipped in March of this year, Dropship: United Peace Force, which shipped last week, and WipEout Fusion, which reaches retailers this week.

Who has never dreamed of stepping into a famous player’s shoes, of playing on the centre court and of having your winning shot applauded by a jubilant crowd? For those who want to try their luck, Next Generation Tennis will give them access to the most prestigious tennis courts in the world. Earlier today we brought you some game info, now we bring you a boat load of screens from the PC, Playstation2 and Gameboy Advance version. Njoy!

UbiSoft send us some new screenshots for Evolution Worlds, the first traditional RPG for the GameCube. Evolution Worlds combines the stories from the best-selling Dreamcast games, Evolution and Evolution 2, into one continuous, epic RPG! Check out energetic hero Mag Launcher, mysterious heroine Linear Cannon, the protective butler Gre Nade, the flirtatious Pepper Box and the feisty Chain Gun in next generation GameCube style. Evolution Worlds also features new voice parts for more than 100 characters. Evolution Worlds is targeted to launch this fall. Watch out for new screens and character art for Evolution Worlds in the coming weeks... Njoy!

Who has never dreamed of stepping into a famous player’s shoes, of playing on the centre court and of having your winning shot applauded by a jubilant crowd? For those who want to try their luck, Next Generation Tennis will give them access to the most prestigious tennis courts in the world. For the casual as well as the passionate fan, Next Generation Tennis combines responsive gameplay and stunningly realistic settings.

BioWare is pleased to offer up two copies of Neverwinter Nights for auction, signed by the development team. Also up for auction is their air-hockey table. Proceeds from each auction will go to the BioWare Kids Fund. Full scoop here!

THQ Inc. Chief Executive Brian Farrell said on Friday cuts in the price of PlayStation, Xbox and GameCube consoles have spurred sales of its video games, and should keep demand vibrant throughout the year. "For product that was on shelf as of May 1 ... there has been about a 20 percent lift," Farrell said in an interview with Reuters. THQ's games include "Tetris," "Red Faction" and titles related to characters from the "Nickelodeon" television network and World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.

The world's top gamers prepare to gather in the nation's hotbed of interactive entertainment - Mesquite, Texas, home of id Software - as first-come, first-serve registration is now open for QuakeCon 2002. Registrants should visit www.quakecon.org to sign up for the premiere fan-based video game party and tournament.