"Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight" lands on store shelves today. This 20th anniversary edition of "Flight Simulator" celebrates the first 100 years of powered flight while continuing the traditions of realism, technological innovation and richness that have delighted aviation enthusiasts and pilots around the world and made Microsoft "Flight Simulator" the best-selling aviation simulation produced for the PC. "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight" is available today at retail stores nationwide for an estimated retail price of $54.95

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight for Windows has gone gold and is clear for takeoff. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight is scheduled to land on store shelves on July 29 in North America for an estimated retail price of $54.95 U.S. Virtual pilots will soon have the opportunity to relive history as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight takes them on a journey through the friendly skies.

Yesterday there was, initally, the story that Half-Life 2 was not coming to xbox, then GameSpy got the confirmation from Valve that it WAS scheduled. Now GameSpy has talked to Microsoft Xbox Group product manager David Hufford that it is coming and explaining how the confusion about the fate of the Xbox version of HL2 came into existence in the first place. Check out the soap story!

Earlier today we had a quick press release with some of the highlights of the pre-e3 MicroSoft/Xbox press event held yesterday, now we have the first screens coming in from our reporter in the field. Later on we will have impressions/first look articles coming as well... For now enjoy the Halo2, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Project Gotham Racing 2, Kameo: Elements of Power, Conker: Live and Uncut, True Fantasy Live Online, Xbox Music Mixer, Amped, BC, Links 2004, Crimson Skies, CounterStrike, Fable, Voodoo Vince, MidTown Madness3, TopSpin, Sudeki, NHL Rivals 2004 and NFL Fever 2004 ... Njoy!

Vanquishing a strange alien race on a distant ring-shaped world, battling against the end of creation as a Norse immortal, rewriting the world's past by prolonging Roman rule another thousand years, or re-creating Orville and Wilbur Wright's first flight: Microsoft Game Studios takes gamers on a gripping journey through the history of the world to distant lands with its PC games lineup at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) next week in Los Angeles, May 14-16.

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that Microsoft Train Simulator 2 will make its debut at the E3 expo next week. "With five new, highly detailed routes, Microsoft Train Simulator 2 provides the opportunity to command a 200-ton modern diesel locomotive or operate a steam-breathing behemoth from the past. The game also adds dynamic weather in a living-breathing world complete with people, vehicles and animals roaming the countryside". Microsoft Train Simulator 2 will be in stores this Fall. Just what we need .. more trains :)

Microsoft Game Studios announced the in-house development of "Mythica," a revolutionary online PC game that uses new Private Realms Technology to merge the depth and sophistication of a single-player game with the social experience of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). "Mythica" is scheduled to arrive on store shelves in 2004.

Article pulled by Request of MicroSoft/AEG...

Activision, Inc. announced today that two of its acclaimed titles for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft -- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and WRECKLESS: The Yakuza Missions -- have been selected for inclusion in Microsoft's "Xbox Platinum Hits" program. The new "Platinum Hits" program launched on February 11, 2003 with over a dozen best-selling Xbox games, repackaged with the "Platinum Hits" banner. The titles carry a suggested retail price of $19.99.

Software giant Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday said it would cut the price on some best-selling titles for its Xbox video game console, a week after rival Nintendo cut some game and hardware prices in a bid to spur sales.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said the "Platinum Hits" program would start with more than a dozen titles at a price of about $19.99 each. Top titles for the Xbox, which holds the No. 2 position in the U.S. market, usually retail for $49 or in some cases $39. Among the titles to be offered at the discounted price are Xbox hits like Microsoft's "Amped Freestyle Snowboarding" and "Project Gotham Racing" and third-party titles like Electronic Arts Inc.'s "Bond: Agent Under Fire" and Activision Inc.'s "Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions."

NVIDIA Corporation the worldwide leader in visual processing solutions, and Microsoft Corporation announced today that the companies have settled all issues related to pricing of the Microsoft Xbox GPU (graphics) and MCP (audio and networking) chipset and have ended the arbitration between them. In addition to resolving this pricing dispute, the two companies have agreed to collaborate on future cost reductions for the Xbox. More details will be provided during NVIDIA's quarterly conference call to be held February 13th, 2003.

Silver Creek Entertainment is proud to announce the arrival of a new age of computer solitaire games with the launch of Hardwood Solitaire III . The game is the latest in Silver Creek’s award winning line of card games that present Solitaire as it should be – an exciting game, not just another application bundled with a computer. Hardwood Solitaire III is available now for only $24.95. A free demo is also available.

Noticed on Shacknews that Yahoo.biz reports Investment bank Investec believes Microsoft Corp. was in talks with French media conglomerate Vivendi Universal about buying Vivendi's video game business for as much as $2 billion. A spokeswoman for Vivendi Universal's game unit declined to comment. A Microsoft spokeswoman could not be immediately reached for comment. This can only amount to the recent rumours and speculations ..

Xbox today announced that it has reached an agreement with Tecmo to distribute the upcoming Xbox game 'Project Zero' in Europe. Project Zero, the survival horror hit from Tecmo, will be distributed by Microsoft Game Studios in the second quarter of 2003 and has been enhanced for its Xbox debut. The psycho thriller hit that has captivated players around the world boasts a variety of new terrifying features in the updated Xbox version. These include enhanced graphics, terrifyingly real new ghosts, unlockable new costumes for Miku, and an alternative ending that promises to reveal new answers to some of the mysteries surrounding the Himuro mansion.

Train buffs can now explore the beautiful Allegheny mountain region from the comfort of their own homes. Publisher Strategy First and Developer Maple Leaf Tracks are pleased to announce that the latest MSTS Add-On, Sandpatch¸ has shipped to retail stores nationwide.

Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has entered a publisher partner deal with renowned Japanese game developer Capcom which will see Microsoft publish the widely anticipated title 'Steel Battalion' in Europe. Steel Battalion will be exclusively available on Xbox, the future-generation video game console that delivers new and unforeseen gameplay experiences.

Today we are serving up another batch of upcoming Xbox titles from Microsoft. Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus, 'Sudeki and 'Capcom vs. SNK 2'. Read more to check out the goods!

Ubi Soft has formed local marketing partnerships with Microsoft throughout Europe and Australia to promote the November 28 European release of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. While marketing actions vary from country to country, the overall strategy is to introduce Splinter Cell as a new huge franchise within the Tom Clancy brand and to position it as a game of choice for Xbox. Microsoft and Ubi Soft have made a joint investment to ensure Splinter Cell is a success this Christmas.

Today the Xbox Linux Project announced that Microsoft Windows 2000 has been successfully started and run on a Microsoft Xbox gaming console. This has been accomplished by using the Linux operating system, which already works reliably on the Xbox, as host environment. Windows has been run inside Linux with common PC virtualization software...

It would not be a REAL Xbox event/presentation if MicroSoft themselves did not have a big lineup of titles to introduce to the public. We got info and screens on : BC, Fable, Fishing Live Online and Sudeki.

Microsoft Corp. today announced it has purchased U.K.-based Rare Ltd., one of the world's leading video game developers, further demonstrating Microsoft's commitment to providing the most innovative interactive experiences available on its Xbox. Rare has been the mastermind behind some of the most popular video games in history, including such global multimillion sellers as "GoldenEye 007," "Perfect Dark," "Banjo-Kazooie" and "Donkey Kong 64." Under terms of the $375 million cash transaction, Rare will today begin creating exclusive console gaming blockbusters for Xbox.

IWon.com let us know that Microsoft may launch services in Japan that would allow users to play some Xbox games using mobile phones, as the company seeks out ways to gain market share against its game-console rivals. The U.S. software giant is in talks with Japanese companies about developing games that would be downloaded and played on wireless phones, said Takashi Sensui, Microsoft's Xbox marketing director for Japan.

Ubi Soft Signs an Agreement to Distribute Budget Games from Microsoft's Age of Empires, Flight Simulator and Midtown Madness Franchises, Among Others.. Full pressrelease below!

On August 28, Sony announced that it would lower the price of its PlayStation 2 games console to E249-259/GBP169.99 across Europe. Within hours, Microsoft countered by cutting the price of its Xbox to E249/GBP159.99. Interesting read/opinions ...

We got a bunch of XBox screens from Microsoft this morning and we collected them all in one article. The screens are from following games:

• Kakuto Chojin (10)
  
• MechAssault (9)
  
• Midtown Madness 3 (20)
  
• Quantum Redshift (15)
  
• Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus (8)
  
• Tork (14)
  
• Whacked! (12)
  
• NBA Inside Drive 2002 (13)
  
• NFL Fever 2003 (13)
  
  Read more below for the candy and be patient while the screens load (there is lot of them). Njoy!