Eidos has released the first patch for ION Storm's stealth/action game Thief: Deadly Shadows. This update patch brings your retail game to v1.1 and addresses the previously reported savegame/AI bug. Read more for download links ...

"Spoils of War" skillfully combines the successes of real-time strategy and first-person shooter to create intense warfare and player depth that is unparalleled. As Battlefield Commander, switch between RTS and FPS modes to manage your team's economy and technology while leading your fellow human players to victory. As one of three first-person characters you will commandeer vehicles, become skillful with weaponry, and use unique powers in a high velocity war (thanks Blues).

Vivendi Universal Games, in cooperation with Internet community site Tribalwar.com, announced today a contest to create alternative “skins” for use within Tribes: Vengeance. The competition, which starts immediately, will end on July 9th when a panel of judges from Vivendi Universal Games, Irrational Games, and Tribalwar.com will select the best skin and award its creator a high-end graphics card from ATI Technologies and an in-game credit.

Electronic Arts announced today that it has signed a agreement with Oddworld Inhabitants for the worldwide publishing rights to the next Oddworld game, the latest in the internationally acclaimed character-based action series. Slated for release in 2005, the new title will bring a unique action gaming experience to owners of the PlayStation2 and Xbox.

As a special military operative, you are sent to investigate a deadly genetic outbreak in a small West Coast town. Operating alone and with minimal information, you quickly realize that your mission will ultimately become a battle for survival. Hunted by unspeakable horrors and haunted by your past, you soon discover that in order to overcome evil, you must become more than evil.

EA SPORTS now is taking on all fantasy football comers with the announcement of EA SPORTS Fantasy Football. Available starting July 21st at www.easports.com/fantasy. Electronic Arts, in conjunction with STATS, Inc. will offer a variety of fantasy football experiences for the 2004-2005 football season.

This summer is going to be a scorcher with the addition of three new features and highly anticipated hits from distinguished third party publishers. With this unrivaled line-up, we plan to deliver on our promise of taking the online gaming experience to an unprecedented level. Read more for new features and 20 upcoming titles supporting Xbox Live!

Fly one of the many spacecraft and battle huge cruisers - or break through hull, grab your rocket launcher and explore the enemy's vessel in your superior battle suit! Fight morphing aliens and fierce time warriors in a dark future that will become your worst nightmare!

1C Company and Pointsoft Interactive have signed a Pan-European distribution deal for Vivisector: Beast Inside. Vivisector: Beast Inside developed by Action Forms (creators of Chasm and Carnivores series) is a unique mixture of 3D Action/Horror. The game blends a thrilling interactive story with intense, high-adrenaline action and immerses players in a rich and fascinating storyline. Read more for some new screens ...

Lionhead Studios is delighted to announce the appointment of brothers Ron and Chris Millar who both formerly worked for Jaleco Entertainment and Blizzard Entertainment. Ron Millar is to continue his work as designer at Lionhead Studios and his experience on games such as Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo will undoubtedly bring a new perspective to Lionhead's design process.

A couple years ago, the GarageGames position on shader support was that it was not needed. Now, however, a new generation of video cards supporting shaders and DirectX 9 have been on the market for several years and are becoming ubiqutious in new computers. Shaders are becoming a technology that cannot be ignored by game makers, but that cannot easily be addressed by old techniques.

Three makers of video games (EA, Vivendi & Atari) sued a Missouri company marketing software that enables consumers to make backup copies of computer games. The federal lawsuit, filed Tuesday in New York, alleges that Games X Copy software by 321 Studios Inc. of suburban St. Louis violates copyright laws by illegally cracking copy-protection systems used by game makers.

Featuring all 30 NHL teams, plus teams from all the other major hockey leagues of North America and Europe, NHL Eastside Hockey manager provides ice hockey fans complete franchise control of their favourite ice hockey team. Read more to check out some new screens ...

Take control of Nick Delios, an ex-scientist fallen from grace living on the edge as a detective with a penchant for gambling and booze. Specialized in solving cases of industrial espionage, by using his medical studies and also his acquaintances of the underworld Nick finds himself in a world of trouble... GMX Media today announced that Conspiracies will be launched across the UK exclusively on PC on June 25th 2004.

Launching for PC on July 2nd, Soldiers allows you to handpick your troops from your real-life mates and team up with three buddies as a crack squad and play through any of the tactical action missions in the campaign. Complementing the strong single-player game, co-operative multiplayer affords all-new gameplay possibilities, vastly increasing the tactical options available to the players. Read more for details & screens...

Once again, Garrett finds himself without allies, standing alone between the City and the forces that would crush it. Will his skills be enough to save the dying City? Can he survive betrayal, assassins, and war in the labyrinthine city streets? Will he destroy or be destroyed by the evil he awoke? And finally, what must he do to get what he wants most of all: to be left alone plying his trade as the City’s greatest… Thief?

Epic has released the final patch for their recently released FPS Unreal Tournament 2004. The patch brings your retail game to v3236 and features a TON of tweaks, bug fixes, multiplayer & performance enhancements. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

Vietnam, 1967. You are Specialist Heavy Gunner Grant of the 6th Platoon US Marine Corps. Weeks earlier on a routine search and clear mission, members of your platoon were ambushed and taken prisoner by the Black Skulls, an elite North Vietnamese unit under the command of Colonel Trung also known as the “butcher of Bac Ninh”. Your mission is to find the hidden POW camp and rescue your buddies…and perhaps exact a little revenge along the way.

Lineage II offers a dynamic 3-D world drawn in exquisite detail. Set 150 years before Lineage, just as the kingdom of Aden becomes a unified state, Lineage II: The Chaotic Chronicle shows the struggles that take place during a time when several medieval provinces come under one rule. The soon to be released Lineage II, Chronicle 1 update includes many new player adventures, NCSoft has sent us some new screens showing off battles with various monsters.

A Time of Bootleggin’, Bribery and the Valentine’s Day Massacre. Mob rule has taken over and Al Capone’s fighting for control of the streets. You are Jimmy “Machine Gun” DeMora, Scarface’s main enforcer. Pay off cops and knock off informants to rise through the ranks. Wash your hands in the blood of many to seize control of Chicago’s underworld. It’s nothing personal—it’s just business.

Shadow Hearts: Covenant, the sequel to the critically acclaimed fantasy-style RPG Shadow Hearts, is a mix of turn-based strategy and RPG elements. Shadow Hearts: Covenant (known as Shadow Hearts 2 in Japan) provides players with an even greater magical quest than its predecessor. Read more for some new screens...

Set in the 60s and using the Cold War as its inspiration, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater forces the player to adopt a number of new skills to survive in Snake's new jungle environment. Danger lurks everywhere as Snake explores the beautifully-realised forests, encampments and rivers, with guards patrolling key routes, dangerous animals to contend with, and the uneven terrain and noisy foliage making the silent approaches the Metal Gear hero is famed for virtually impossible.

Matrix Games and Panther Games are pleased to announce the development Airborne Assault: Conquest of the Aegean, a new wargame covering the battles for Greece, Crete and a hypothetical Malta operation during World War II. Designed by the talented historical wargame specialists at Panther Games and planned for release during fall 2004, Conquest of the Aegean will bring to life 20th Century warfare on ancient battlegrounds.

Digital Jesters has launched the official website for their upcoming adventure game 'Sherlock Holmes: The Silver Earring'. The site offers a heady mix of tantalising screens, downloads, links and its own dedicated forum in which fans can discuss all aspects of the great man himself. Playing as both the detective Sherlock himself and his no less loved sidekick Dr Watson, the player will investigate their way around massive, sumptuous levels rich in graphical detail, which are sure to delight knowledgeable fans and newcomers alike. An expansive adventure that spans the globe, The Silver Earring promises to deep and involving experience that will, in all likelihood, completely destroy any social life that hopeful PC owners aspire towards.

Strengthening its portfolio of high-profile entertainment licenses, Majesco today announced Mighty Beanz Pocket Puzzles for Nintendo Game Boy Advance is now available at retail outlets nationwide. This marks the first offering from Majesco's exclusive deal to publish video games based on the popular Mighty Beanz collectibles, currently one of the hottest toy crazes in the United States.