Avatar Reality announced that it has licensed Crytek’s CryENGINE 2 for use in creating their recently announced Mars-based massively multiplayer virtual world, allowing players to live their fantasy lives by creating personalized characters, or avatars, in a beautiful environment.

DiamondWare announced today that its 3D voice technology has been selected for Auran's MMORPG, Fury; each voice will sound like it was spoken by the player's avatar. 3D voice adds elements of realism and immersion, improves tactical coordination, and provides live voice communications.

Red Ocean combines fast-paced, uncompromising action with perilous diving sequences. You take on the role of Jack Hard, who stumbles upon a Cold War-era Russian research station on the ocean floor taken over by a terrorist group.

EA today announced The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth Anthology, a compilation which will include The Battle for Middle-earth, LotR: The Battle for Middle-earth II Collector's Edition, and its The Rise of the Witch-King expansion. It will ship March 20, 2007, for an MSRP of $39.99.

Check out the following new screens from EA's PC lineup presented at GDC 2007:

• Crysis (PC) - Screens
• Hellgate: London (PC) - Screens & Trailer
• Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (PS2/X360/PS3/PC) - Screens
• Portal (PC) - Screens

Shrapnel Games and Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space developer Digital Eel are taking gamers on a bold new adventure with Eat Electric Death!, a fast and furious board game of tactical starship combat for two or more players (allowing for team play).

Paradox Interactive announced a new booster pack for Hearts of Iron II: Doomsday, Armageddon. Scheduled for March 2007, as a download only, Armageddon will include two completely new alternative history scenarios, perfect for those looking for new challenges!

EA announced today it has signed on to publish Harmonix's next title, in cooperation with MTV. Oddly enough the announcement did not reveal any details as to what sort of title, its name, platform, nor an estimated release time. Harmonix is of course known for developing the Guitar Hero, and Karaoke Revolution franchise and promises that its next title will take all they have learned from past projects to the next level.

Philips has signed a licensing agreement with Rivers Run Red to have its ambient experiences technology included in Linden Lab's 3D virtual Second Life world, allowing a dedicated amBX-enabled environment to be created through light, air movement and rumble.

A stunningly beautiful martial arts drama set in a mythical time and place in the Far East, Heavenly Sword, developed by Ninja Theory, takes players on a roller coaster of emotion and action that truly exploits the potential of gaming as the new artistic entertainment medium.

Microsoft announced that more than 6 million gamers worldwide are connected to Xbox Live, a milestone that was reached four months ahead of schedule. Xbox Live offers the best in online gaming, ubiquitous voice, video and text chatting, Achievements, demos, trailers and more.

Death to Spies was the name of a set of counterintelligence departments in the Soviet Army formed during WWII. Their mission was to secure the rear of the active Red Army by arresting traitors, deserters, spies and criminal elements. During the war these agents became the main force combating the German intelligence service.

The Guild 2: Pirates of the European Seas is the official add-on of the beloved medieval experience. It provides a total new area – the seas of Northern Europe, where trading might be as promising as roaming the dangerous waters as a pirate...

NCSoft is preparing to announce a fourth and final expansion to its MMORPG Guild Wars, Eye of the North, adding mostly content for high-level players, such as new multi-level dungeons, new armor sets, new skills and additional Heroes. On top of that, NCsoft is also starting to work on a full-fledged sequel, with an updated gfx engine, set 100 years after the original. Scheduled for launch in 2009-10, with a beta starting in 2008, Guild Wars 2 will add zone-wide events like DAoC, a refined control system and plenty more ...

Runaway: the Dream of the Turtle is an adventure game with 3D characters with a cartoon look and high-impact visual features that include 2D and 3D in an unmatchable style. This v1.1 patch is for the German edition of the game only, and fixes a DirectX bug and the "Globe" problem.

During a Morgan Stanley investor conference Electronic Arts' outgoing chief executive Larry Probst said the publisher expects Sony's 10 year console market dominance to slip in the current hardware war, mainly due to the year lead by Microsoft, and the much cheaper Wii with its innovative Wiimote controller. While Probst still expects Sony to prevail, it will be a tough fight with a less commanding lead.

Dreamlords combines the accessibility of a web game with RPG character development, RTS battles and long term tactical strategy in a never before seen gaming experience. Lockpick has released a new set of patches for its online RTS-client bringing it all the way up to v1.05.

Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle is the follow-up to the hit adventure title Runaway: A Road Adventure. Featuring 3D characters with a cartoon look, the game's high-impact visual features incorporate 2D and 3D in an unmatchable style.

Bomberman Land marks the first appearance on the Nintendo console, featuring no less than 51 minigames and 3 game modes (Land Mode, Attraction Mode and Battle). Bomberman Land is currently only scheduled for Japan, but Hudson is sure to bring it to North America.

Microsoft announced plans to launch a 512MB Memory Unit for the X360, available April 3, 2007 at $49.99 USD, and an increase in the official size limit of Xbox Live Arcade games from 50 MB to 150 MB.

Giving game developers the opportunity to create visions in a world where they make the rules, shape the characters and create the evolution of the story, Microsoft kicked off the Dream-Build-Play game development contest, offering a $10,000 USD grand prize and the opportunity for a winner’s game to be published on Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Teaming up for even more firepower, Death Jr. and Pandora will take on a variety of possessed enemies as they progress through an adventure that seamlessly blends smooth platforming, intense combat, complex enemy AI and a unique sense of humor.

Godzilla: Unleashed is the ultimate fighting monsters game on a giant scale. The game stars the legendary Godzilla and a slew of the most renowned monsters of all-time.

Dead Rising is survival horror game in which you play Frank West, a freelance photographer who has made his way to an idyllic suburban town to get his hands on the scoop, but soon discovers it has been overrun with zombies. According to a the rumor section in the April EGM issue, a Dead Rising Platinum edition might feature an additional co-op mode, also downloadable for current owners via Xbox Live.

Featuring 3 different game play modes, Tank Beat is a touch based action battle game that drives the player through each battle in a variety of tanks against armored, airborne, and sea opponents, playable in single or multi player modes.