KOEI today announced that it is publishing Crimson Sea 2 exclusively for the PlayStation2. The action-adventure game will ship to North American retailers on March 30, 2004.

Today CDV announced their lineup for 2004, revealing quite a few interesting developments. Breed is about to hit the streets, but CDV/Brat Designs seems to be already working on an addon for end of the year. On deck for release are also Panzers, Lula 3D, Cossacks II, Vultures and a Blitzkrieg addon, as well as an yet unannounced addon for Panzers. Read more for details ....

Konami of Europe has confirmed the latest installment of its best-selling Suikoden series will be released across Europe within the 2004/2005 fiscal period. A sprawling role-playing game, Suikoden IV marks a huge step forward for the series, with a fantastic 3D play area populated by an incredible 100+ heroes and villains.

The release of Suikoden IV sees the popular series make its PlayStation 2 debut in Europe, and Producer Noritada Matsukawa and his award-winning team have pulled out all the stops to produce an absorbing role-playing title wherein the player guides a party of heroes through a number of missions, facing an increasing danger as they explore.

Game Developer Master Creating announces today that they have cancelled their publishing agreement for RESTRICTED AREA with 4am Entertainment for a major breach of contract. Spokesman Jan Beuck: "4am didn't pay the advance payment in time – this is a substantial and un-remedied breach. We are currently considering legal action."

RESTRICTED AREA is an action-RPG set in the dark future and is already in the alpha phase. Master Creating, an independent game development studio based in Hamburg, Germany, is now seeking a new publisher.

The third Secret Weapons Over Normandy Xbox Live content package has officially been released! This package features one additional flyable plane, an all-new single player mission, and an alternative camo scheme for the Ju-87 Stuka. Combining Italian design skills, with a German inline engine, the Macchi 202 is a more than capable fighter plane. Secret Weapons Over Normandy players will get the chance to pilot this aircraft for the first time as they fly for the Axis in combat against Allied invaders in a brand new mission named "Escape from Tripoli." Also added to Xbox Live is an updated camo pattern for the Ju-87 Stuka. Read more to check out some screens of the new content...

Join a secret squad of pilots dedicated to thwarting the most heinous plans of the Third Reich. Fly over twenty authentic aircraft across thirty daring missions in this new WWII action-flyer. Lawrence Holland, the legendary creator of Star Wars: X-Wing, Star Wars: Tie Fighter and Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe returns with an exhilarating new game of action and intrigue. Can you be trusted with the most dangerous secrets of the war?

Purge Jihad is an online-only PC computer game. It is a hybrid First-Person-Shooter / Role-Playing-Game set in the near future accounting a war between the diametrically opposed forces of science-fiction (the Order) and fantasy (the Chosen). Technology versus magic. Science versus religion. Using ESD (Electronic Software Distribution), Purge Jihad is offered in both a free (unregistered) and paid (registered) mode. "We are allowing everyone to have fun together," explains Freeform's Lead Artist Joerg Ecker. "Unregistered and registered players can play together on the same server." The free, unregistered trial includes the full game without any time limits but is simply limited to 4 classes. Registered players will have access to all 8 classes.

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 ...

In X²: THE THREAT you have the freedom of exploration and uninhibited style of game play. A first person space experience, X²: THE THREAT immerses the player in a dynamic, living, breathing universe, where every event and action has 'cause and effect' upon the entire gaming universe. Discover new worlds and life forms across countless sectors of space, players can become either a trader, bounty hunter, pirate, miner or a strategic combination of them all. The choice of how the player experiences the X² universe is up to them.

At the company’s annual gamers’ day, Konami Digital Entertainment today revealed a brand new PlayStation2 3D action title, Nanobreaker. Developed by Koji Igarashi, the famed producer behind the legendary Castlevania series, Nanobreaker is poised to become another celebrated Konami action game franchise. Read more for details and the first ingame screens ...

This weekend, MTV is premiering a new show titled “Making the Game: NFL Street” which gives fans an early look at the latest EA SPORTS BIG branded title from Electronic Arts to set the street a-buzz. The show features exclusive behind the scenes access to the creative forces responsible for NFL Street, including the Tiburon (game development) team, street artists, musicians, athletes and more. The show airs on MTV this Friday, January 9th at 8pm with repeat airings on Sunday the 11th at 11:30pm and Friday the 16th at 1am. The show will also run on MTV2 at 9:30pm on Tuesday, January 13 with follow on shows at 8:30am on Thursday, January 15 and 7:30am Sunday, January 18. (All times are ET). NFL STREET, from EA SPORTS BIG, is available on all three console platforms - PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube and the game is on track to ship nationwide to retailers on January 13th, 2004.

At a time where the marketplace for independent games is saturated by Tetris clones and other casual puzzle games, UK developer Positech computing have just released their management/Sim game Starship Tycoon Starship Tycoon draws its inspiration from games such as Eve Online, SimCity and Rollercoaster Tycoon, to put you in the position of a futuristic businessman running his own stellar shipping company. Read more for details and download links ...

Wrath Unleashed, the exhilarating new LucasArts action-strategy game that will transport every player to the fantasy universe, has officially GONE GOLD for Xbox and PlayStation 2! The epic unfolds with the official release on February 10, 2004. The game introduces players to a unique and spectacular fantasy universe where players engage in both single and multiplayer battles with more than 30 fierce, mythological creatures from four realms. Each character has special attributes, powers and attacks...but all characters have the power to unleash their wrath to defeat opponents and dominate the universe!

Xbox today announced an agreement with Tecmo Ltd for the exclusive rights to publish Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive Online (working title) in Europe. Both Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive Online are exclusive to Xbox and will be published by Microsoft in 2004.

Maintaining law and society order is veteran Headhunter Jack Wade, older, wiser and battle hardened. At his side is the reluctant new sidekick, the rebellious street kid Leeza X. Whether ripping up the highways of the silver metropolis on a super bike or stalking the criminal masterminds of the shadowy underworld, they are led into the greatest danger of their lives and must overcome something much more sinister than a simple human threat. Each must face their darkest fears. Together they must redeem a world facing chaos...

In Tribes: Vengeance's single-player campaign, gamers become immersed in a roiling galactic thriller. Throughout the game, the player catches glimpses of other, interrelated stories that are unfolding behind-the-scenes. In addition, gamers are given the opportunity to experience the full scope of the single-player story through multiple viewpoints and characters. Check out these 20+ new screens ...

Today, Sony Online Entertainment is announcing its future plans to add a number of new Updates and Gameplay Improvements to PlanetSide. The PlanetSide team is enhancing the very foundation of gameplay in its next set of updates. In many ways, the game is getting a makeover. We're shaking things up to create a stronger and more flexible game that rewards players even better. We call these foundation-level updates because it will give us a clean playing board that is flexible enough to enhance even further in the future and gives players dramatic new goals to achieve. Read more for details ...

After reuniting for a fall tour, Korn and Limp Bizkit are ready to throw down. Don't go looking for Back 2 Brawling Tour tickets just yet, though, as the bands are set to battle only in the cyber world, in a video game Jonathan Davis is developing called "Pop Scars." Read more for details ...

This evening during his keynote address at the 2004 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates unveiled Windows Media Center Extender Technology. The software will power a new generation of products that will extend the Media Center Edition PC experience allowing consumers to access their favorite digital entertainment, such as live and recorded television, photos, movies, and music that reside on their Windows XP Media Center Edition PC, from any room in the home - regardless of where the PC is located. Media Center Extender Technology will not only provide access to rich content and services, but will enable devices throughout the home to utilize the full processing and storage capabilities of the PC creating new opportunities for services and providing unprecedented choice and access to content for consumers

Midway Games Inc. announced today new appointments to its North American marketing and sales teams. Leading these new appointments is Steve Allison, who was named chief marketing officer, a new position at the Company. Midway also announced the marketing appointments of Mona Hamilton, vice president of marketing; Greg Mucha, director of channel marketing; and Reilly Brennan, director of media relations. Additionally, further bolstering the leadership of its North American sales team, Midway named Brad Wildes director of sales and Paul Flynn as regional sales manager of its operating subsidiary.

Square Enix U.S.A., Inc. announced today milestones that were reached due to the successful holiday sales of Final Fantasy XI. The PlayOnline service has surpassed 500,000 registered users in North America and Japan combined, with the total online community population (number of active characters) of "Final Fantasy XI" at nearly one million characters.

Gamers who always wanted to play a Massively Multiplayer Online Game but were put off by the costs should take a look at BiosFear, Tiscali Games' forthcoming realease. No need to spend your hard-earned money on the software - the client is free. Also, monthly subscription fees will be cheaper than most other MMORPGs. Combine this with BiosFear's easy accessibility and you have the ideal game for online-gaming beginners. But veterans needn’t panic – there is more than enough hard fighting action to keep your blade sharp!

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 ...

Noticed on The Fall official website that Silver Style's message boards seem to have an interesting announcement about one of the Black Isle developers teaming up with Silver Style to work on The Fall: Last Days of Gaia . "We're glad to welcome Game Designer Damien Foletto in our team! Formerly he worked at Black Isle on Hits like Baldur's Gate 2 or Fallout 3. He will support Lead Designer Carsten Strehse on the development of The Fall: Last Days of Gaia." No further details are available (as to whether he would move from the US to Germany and such), but we will keep you posted!

EA SPORTS has released the FIFA 2004 Creation Centre giving you the chance to create new players, edit all attributes, change formations and export it all for later use (thanks FIFA 2004 Online). Read more details & for download links.