Rise of Nations is a new historical real time strategy game from Big Huge Games’ Brian Reynolds, designer of PC game classics such as Civilization 2 and Alpha Centauri. In Rise of Nations, you'll create new cities, improve city infrastructures and expand national borders. Conquer foes through military might using everything from sling-shots to cannons to stealth bombers to nuclear weapons; corner the market on key commodities and consolidate power under your rule; wheel and deal across time with history's eminent cultures. Check out the batch of 24 new screens ...

There is a new patch for Hegemonia: Legions of Iron, upgrading the 3D space strategy game by Digital Reality to version 1.07. This release adds a save/load feature to the multiplayer skirmish mode, along with a variety of gameplay tweaks and bug fixes (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for detailed fix list and links where to grab the goods ...

Activision, Inc. announced today that the company has signed an exclusive multi-title, multi-year agreement to publish real-time PC strategy games developed by Stainless Steel Studios, creators of the critically acclaimed, best-selling PC strategy title Empire Earth. Launched in November of 2001, Empire Earth was hailed by leading industry editorial site GameSpy as " ... a new high watermark for real-time strategy fans." The game has sold a million plus units worldwide since its release.

Ubi Soft Entertainment, announced today that CSI: Crime Scene Investigation will be available for the PC in March 2003. The PC game rights were exclusively licensed from CBS Consumer Products. Based on the hit television series from CBS, the CSI game will challenge players to solve a series of crimes, acting as members of the Las Vegas CSI team. In the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation game, you become a CSI agent working alongside Grissom, Catherine and the rest of the CSI team. A classic, first-person adventure, the CSI game will test players' nerves and intellect as they question witnesses, examine crime scenes, and analyze evidence utilizing the latest in forensic equipment.

Fusing epic World War II battles with heart-stopping covert operations and tactical combat, Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Operation Resurrection uncovers Hitler's horrific obsession with the occult, living dead, and genetic mutations. As B.J. Blazkowicz, an Army Ranger recruited into the Office of Secret Actions (OSA), players infiltrate deep into the twisted bowels of the Third Reich to battle the unearthly super-soldiers, zombies and mutants forged in the experiments of Heinrich Himmler. Built on the powerful QUAKE III Arena engine, Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Operation Resurrection delivers a frightening and action-packed adventure teeming with shocking paranormal experiments, perverted, flesh-chewing SS weaponry and bone chilling encounters with the Fuhrer's unrelenting henchmen.

Games outsourcing specialist Babel Media has designed and built the product website for BBC Multimedia's Robot Wars - Extreme Destruction videogames. The company will also manage viral marketing activity aimed at gamers and fans of the TV show.

Entertainment software publisher NovaLogic Ltd. today announced that the release of the eagerly awaited PC RTS Highland Warriors has moved to March 21st 2003. Highland Warriors is the epic story of bloody feuds, Scottish patriotism and English Invaders begins with the original founding of Scotland around 850 AD and peaks with the fight for independence during the 13th / 14th century. Play as one of three Scottish clans or risk your life for the British Crown in 35 historically founded missions. Highland Warriors also supports up to eight players through the Internet or LAN... Eight screenshots to stick in yer sporran.

Tiscali Games got a chance to chat with Petr Vochozka, CEO of Czech-based developer company Illusion Softworks about their recently released action game Mafia for PC. First part of interview includes questions and answers about fulfilling of their expectations, amount of sold copies during first months, problems with release in Italy, average rating in reviews, patch plans and possibility of multiplayer addon or AI improvements.

The early leader in this season's favorite holiday high-tech gift is Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. Initial checks with U.S. retailers indicate the world's only handheld video game system sold through to approximately one million shoppers in the 10-day period running through the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Driving expensive sports cars is very cool. Owning a legendary brand of sports car is even more desirable. Compete against the world's most famous cars. Driving machines you created and beating them is the ultimate dream. This is what Racing Evoluzione is all about... Today we serve up 49 new screens. Njoy!

ZooCube, the award-winning video mind game from PuzzleKings, has now been launched on the PC as a digital download in "try-before-you-buy" form using Trymedia Systems' secure digital distribution technology, ActiveMARK.. Find out more below!

Ubi Soft Entertainment announced Evolution Worlds for the Nintendo GameCube has shipped to retail stores nationwide. Evolution Worlds is the highly anticipated, epic RPG adventure exclusive to Nintendo GameCube, which combines the stories from the best-selling Dreamcast RPGs, Evolution and Evolution 2. Evolution Worlds is rated "E-Everyone" and is available for a suggested retail price of $49.99.

A playable demo for MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries has been released, offering the opportunity to experience this recent 3D 'Mech action game by Cyberlore and FASA Studios. The demo sports 2 Halloran missions, 1 Solaris mission (set in the jungle), 2 multiplayer maps and four mechs (Cougar, Owens, HellHound, Uziel and Hellspawn). Read more for links where to grab the goods!

Highland WarriorsTM is the epic story of bloody feuds, Scottish patriotism and English Invaders begins with the original founding of Scotland around 850 AD and peaks with the fight for independence during the 13th / 14th century. Play as one of three Scottish clans or risk your life for the British Crown in 35 historically founded missions. Highland Warriors also supports up to eight players through the Internet or LAN. Today we serve up some screens from another clan featured in Highland Warriors, The MacDonald's! Njoy!

GT Racing 2002 is a mod that converts Electronic Art's F1 2002 into a GT Racing game. GT Racing 2002 is much more than just a conversion, it represents a significant development from the FIA GT MOD V3... GT Racing 2002 features:

37 cars from the 2002 season; Extensively remodelled car dynamics; completely revised tyre models, featuring 4 different tyre brands with individual slip curves, wear rates and temperature tolerances; A real-time, dynamic suspension model which takes advantage of the super-high-rate physics engine; A sophisticated brake modelling system, with warm-up, optimum temperature and fade characteristics; Completely reworked AI system for an unprecedented level of racing realism; A unique menu system and game mode control user interface; 7 brand new tracks; An all new 10 round FIA GT championship mode; Brand new interior and exterior car sounds, menu soundtrack and Intro Video. GT Racing 2002 supports two distinct classes of cars. The powerful and difficult to handle GT cars and the easier to control but fiercely competative NGT cars. The latest screenshots can be seen here and the 278MB mod is available here!

Planetarion II is a science fiction online war game where thousands of worlds and hundreds of galaxies fight for the domination of the universe or merely survival. Now the community for Planetarion got following announcement posted on their site:

Planetarion is coming to an end on the 23rd of December 2002. Many will also know that Fifth Season AS, the company which owns Planetarion, has announced that they will no longer develop nor support the game and community off Planetarion and today are announcing the opening off bids for the sale off the game Planetarion.

Galactic Civilizations is a turn-based 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. Stardock has just launched its beta3 and here are some new screens to show you the improvements ... If you have not read our preview yet, check it out here!!

"World Championship Snooker 2003" is currently being developed for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC formats and is expected to launch in spring 2003. Continuing the genre-leading brand's reputation as the most realistic snooker video game, World Championship Snooker 2003 will bring all the skill, tension and atmosphere of professional snooker matches to game screens. Read more to check out the goods...

To be released December 6th.. Championship Manager season 02/03 boasts a number of improvements like the implementation of the new transfer league window, the most up-to-date statistics on console and the facility to play music from your Xbox. All this should go nicely towards filling in the time between the festive football matches with the same addictive gameplay that is the hallmark of the series.

Based on an enhanced version of Ubi Soft's powerful "Revenge" engine, the game will feature the latest technological advancements to provide gamers with the most thrilling and realistic game in the series. Today we have a trailer showing off some in-game action, so you can see what its all about ...

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Oblivion Lost will provide players with extremely dynamic gameplay of fast and tough combats, where players are to oppose dangerous and wise enemies, a large set of multifarious weaponry, possibility to control various machinery, incredible detailing and game world interactivity, story-driven single player with original team gameplay, a well-balanced multiplayer with numerous modes: DeathMatch, CTF, Cooperative, various team games and much more.

In conjunction with the launch of Xbox Live, the broadband service for the Xbox, Atari has shipped the hotly anticipated game, Unreal Championship to retail stores this week. Exclusively for Xbox, Unreal Championship is the latest addition to the award-winning and top-selling Unreal franchise, known for its intense first-person action, fine-tuned gameplay and awe-inspiring graphics.

Empire Interactive has issued new patches for Total Immersion Racing, upgrading the recent racing simulation by RazorWorks. This update patch 1 fixes issues with replays, controllers in two-player mode, force feedback on some controller wheels, and a DirectX 8.2 warning (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for detailed fix list and links where to grab the goods ...

THQ Inc. announced the first title based on the recent agreement with Games Workshop for worldwide, interactive rights to the Warhammer 40,000 universe: Fire Warrior. Fire Warrior is a unique, first person action game based on the world’s leading table-top wargame and will be available worldwide for the PlayStation 2 computer and the PC in summer 2003. Read more for details and the first screens ...

TVG let us know that after heated rumours the publisher officially cancels the GameCube version of Rally Fusion: Race of Champions. "Rally Fusion: Race of Champions will not be appearing on the Nintendo GameCube platform as originally planned," said an Activision spokesperson. "Due to unforeseen problems in development, the release date has slipped beyond the Christmas period and we are no longer able to schedule its expected completion date. As a result, the decision has been taken not to precede any further with the project."