Buka Entertainment, one of the European publishers, and Microforum Italia S.p.A., one of the well-known software distributors in Italy, are pleased to announce a new deal, which includes the following titles:

• Echelon: Wind Warriors
• Midnight Nowhere
• March!: Offworld Recon
  
  The titles will be fully localized and distributed in Italy in DVD boxes at the price of 9.90 euro per unit.

Atari is bringing forward the release date of Horizons: Empire of Istaria to December 5th, to ensure eager gamers can get their hands on this highly anticipated massively multiplayer online role-playing game in plenty of time before Christmas. Available for PC, Horizons: Empire of Istaria will allow players to experience online gaming like never before in a single massive online world primed for exploration, brimming with adventure and rife with danger. The game is expected in North America on December 9th, in the meantime, read our preview ...

TRON 2.0 is a story-driven, first-person action game that propels the player into an alternate universe inside a computer. Monolith has released an updated version of last weeks TRON 2.0 multiplayer deathmatch patch. This update requires you to have the latest v1.030 patch, is NOT compatible with the previous version and adds Derez (deathmatch) and Team Derez game modes, as well as three multiplayer maps designed by Touchdown Entertainment. Single-player save games are affected and will no longer work after applying this patch. The official patch requires WinXP to install, but there is also an unsupported 3rd party version that works on all Windows versions (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for details & download links ..

Pirates is broadband only, with high-end hardware specifications for graphics -- a GeForce 3 or better is required in at least a 1GHz machine, and the game is optimized for the latest DirectX 9.0-class cards. Pirates is being published on-line directly to gamers using Valve's new Steam technology, the same delivery system used by Half-Life 2 and Counterstrike 2. Check out the new seaworthy screens ...

Valve's Doug Lombardi sent out a note to let us know that Day of Defeat 1.1 is in the final stages of development and will be available for wide beta testing via Steam later this week. The team-based multiplayer game sends players into Axis vs. Allies battles set in Western Europe during WWII. Version 1.1 adds enhanced animation through the incorporation of Valve's nine-way blending system. DoD 1.1 also includes new maps plus a host of tweaks and fixes. For more information visit www.dayofdefeat.com or www.steampowered.com.

"Unreal Tournament 2004 is the next evolution of the greatest competitive computer game ever created," said Jean-Philippe Agati, senior vice president and general manager of Atari's Los Angeles studio. "The addition of new modes, mods and maps as well as the controllable land-, air- and space-based vehicles, means Unreal fans are getting an entirely new experience featuring devastating vehicular combat and wide scale warfare." Check out some new screens ...

From the far corners of Middle-earth, new adventures come forth to face the growing evil in the East. The forces of Mordor are mobilizing as the Nazgül hunt for the One Ring. The land itself is in peril and its fate lies in the hands of those who possess it. Adventuring alone or in groups, join thousands of players online in the massive world that is Middle-earth. Support the forces of good in an epic struggle to drive back the forces of Sauron. This is Middle-Earth Online, your home in the world of Tolkien. Read more to check some screens ...

THQ and Nickelodeon today announced the release of The Fairly OddParents: Breakin' Da Rules for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, Microsoft's Xbox game console and Nintendo's GameCube and Game Boy Advance. Based on Nickelodeon's chart-topping show, The Fairly OddParents: Breakin Da Rules is currently available at retail outlets throughout North America.

Midway Games announced today that Justice League: Chronicles, based on the hit Cartoon Network series and DC Comics favorite, shipped today for the Game Boy Advance.

In Justice League: Chronicles, it's up to the greatest Super Heroes of all time to save the world from danger. Super Villains have unleashed a triple threat for global domination and the Justice League must join forces to combat the evil menace. Gamers will take control of their favorite DC Comics Super Heroes including Batman, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and Martian Manhunter, using each character's superpowers, skills and special weapons to battle the combined forces of their greatest foes.

Juice Games and Fund4Games have announced a major multi-million pound collaboration, which will fund Juice's first console project.

The deal involves the formation of a partnership that will be responsible for financing and developing the game. Due for completion in Q4 2004 the game is headed for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC. The partnership will deliver the completed game to the publisher using resources provided by Juice and Fund4Games.

Achtung! LucasArts is excited to announce that the revolutionary new flight-action combat game, Secret Weapons Over Normandy has officially GONE GOLD on PS2, Xbox and PC and is scheduled to land in store shelves on Tuesday, November 18, 2003. If you haven't yet, check our "Secret Weapons Over Normany" preview...

TRON 2.0 is a story-driven, first-person action game that propels the player into an alternate universe inside a computer. Monolith has released a new patch for TRON 2.0 which adds multiplayer deathmatch to their 3D cyberspace shooter. This update requires you to have the latest v1.030 patch and adds Derez (deathmatch) and Team Derez game modes, as well as three multiplayer maps designed by Touchdown Entertainment. Single-player save games are affected and will no longer work after applying this patch (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for details & download links ...

Championship Manager: Season 03/04 will be released on PC on 21st November. Other new features and improvements include four new leagues, a pre-game database editor (enabling you to keep data updated), the ability to view previously saved matches, updated players, team and competition data for the 2003/2004 season. Championship Manager Season: 03/04 has everything from the stress of dealing with feuding players to the ecstasy of winning the league.

Nintendo is set to reveal an enormous and hugely impactful marketing campaign in the run up to Christmas. In a far-reaching and innovative campaign, Nintendo are investing 35 million Euros across Europe in high impact marketing activities. The campaign is expected to drive NINTENDO GAMECUBE sales, create noise around the Game Boy Advance SP, drive software sales and focus on some of Nintendo's top games in the key Christmas period.

4am Entertainment brings all of the sci-fi action and atmosphere from films like Aliens and Blade Runner and moulds it together into a frantic action RPG shooter, boasting over 160 hours of solid gameplay and four unique characters to control – each having two different possible endings. 2083 is the time period of 4am's latest game 'Restricted Area', offering an all action RPG set in an apocalyptic future, where the player takes on the characteristics of one of four freelance mercenaries. Read more for details & a few new screens ...

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today that SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs, the sequel to the number one online console game and "Greatest Hit" title, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs, set a new standard for online console gaming in its first two days of release, even before the title was in full retail distribution. Expanding on the success of the original, which has sold more than two million units worldwide, the highly anticipated sequel, released on November 4th, quickly bumped its predecessor from the number one online console game spot. On November 4th, the two titles in the SOCOM franchise ranked as the number one and number two online console games in terms of simultaneous players, and the user base is quickly growing.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe invites you to step into the deadly world of Ghosthunter, a ghoulish action-adventure game developed for PlayStation2 by SCEE Studio Cambridge, the Bafta Award winning developer behind Primal, C-12: Final Resistance and the MediEvil Series.

The Battle for Middle-earth utilizes the Generals game engine, and in the game players can select from the different "good" or "evil" campaigns, where they will be given the freedom to command a variety of major armies from the films, each with their own distinct strengths and weaknesses. Prepare for war by creating offensive and defensive strategies set in the memorable battle locations taken straight from the big screen. The Battle for Middle-earth RTS game will utilize the digital assets created for the films and will feature exclusive voiceover from the real actors as well as actual movie footage from the three films.

What could be greater than God? To be God - just like in Heaven and Hell! In the year 1500 BC you announce to four peoples: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. To make your commandment effective, you are supported with miracles and plagues by seven different prophets. Convince your future followers with sound arguments such as chain lightning, locusts, and other mysteries. As you have to compete against a strong opponent at the same time, the fight for the most followers will be even more challenging. There can be only one after all! Read more for the full review...

GMX Media today announced that it has secured the rights to publish the PC adventure title – Journey to the Centre of the Earth in the UK, Scandinavia and Portugal. “Inspired by the classic Jules Verne novel with the same name, the game promises to be as exciting as the book.” Commented Barry Leonard COO of GMX Media. Read more for details & screens ...

Microsoft Corp., beset by widespread criticism of security flaws in its software, on Wednesday put up a bounty to track down the authors of two computer bugs that choked the Internet earlier this year. Microsoft offered two $250,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the Blaster worm and the SoBig.F e-mail virus, which infected more than half a million computers, crashed thousands of systems, and snarled Internet traffic across the globe in August and September.

Ubisoft and Crytek announced two rising stars of game development have joined the already talented Far Cry development team.The game's next phase in development will focus on multiplayer excellence, and leading development is Chris Auty as lead multiplayer level designer and Richard Tsao as the multiplayer producer for the game. Auty and Tsao are tasked with developing a compelling multiplayer experience as innovative as the spectacularly deep single-player game. Far Cry is a first-person shooter set in a lush tropical paradise that sets out to bring the first-person shooter to an entirely new level of entertainment and technical excellence. The expansive plans to Far Cry's unique multiplayer modes and lightning-fast online play have extended its development period to Q1 2004.

Enlight announced today that the highly anticipated space simulation game, X²: The Threat, has gone gold. A sequel to the Egosoft's award-winning X: Beyond the Frontier, X²: The Threat transports players back into the dynamic X-Universe where gameplay is completely boundless and a new race is introduced- determined to disrupt the harmony within the galaxy.

Eidos and Sports Interactive announce that Championship Manager: Season 03/04 has 'gone gold' and will be released on 21st November. At the same time SIGames has released a fully functional but time limited (6 months) demo. Read more for facts and download links!

FIFA Soccer 2004, the deep and authentic videogame from Electronic Arts that allows users to play the world's most popular sport with the world's greatest teams and players, is now available in stores under the EA SPORTS brand. Complete with the revolutionary new Off The Ball Control, comprehensive game modes, and benchmark presentation, FIFA Soccer 2004 offers the most authentic soccer gaming experience available.