Gamers can suit up for top-secret covert operations with the release of Activision's highly anticipated first-person action game, Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix, for the Xbox. Based on the critically acclaimed PC title from Raven Software, the game features all of the intense, gritty action found in the original, plus full Xbox Live support for mayhem-packed, all-out multi-player combat. Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix for the Xbox is currently available at North American retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $49.99 and carries an "M" (Mature -- Blood, Violence -- content suitable for persons ages 17 and older) rating by the ESRB.

And Patch Monday continues as JoWood has issued not one, but 2 patches for their just released FPS Chaser (only for UK, not available in the US yet). There's an install fix that needs to be run before re-attempting to install the game, and an executable (aka as .exe) fix that provides a new game executable in case the original won't launch the game (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

Focus Interactive/Cyanide Studio have released the first patch for their recently released cycling simulation game Cycling Manager 3. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.1b (beta, full version available next week) and fixes the 'time bug', adjusts some ratings, improves AI, fixes a few problems in editor etc. Read more for detailed fix list and download list.

Alienware is the first PC manufacturer to offer the new Klipsch GMX A-2.1 speakers. The GMX A-2.1 speakers deliver the dynamic sound quality and innovative design that Alienware customers demand. These state-of-the-art speakers are available now with all Alienware systems. Read more for details ...

Get ready for the ultimate off road racing game as Ubi Soft announces Monster 4x4: Masters of Metal for the PS 2 and GameCube. Get ready to pilot the world's most powerful trucks and go head-to-head in pulse-pounding off-road competitions. Whether you're grinding through mud pits in Louisiana, crunching up cliffs in California, or smashing up trees to make the ride a little bumpier for they guy behind you, keep your eyes on the prize: cash you earn on the circuit goes to buy new trucks and build up your ultimate Monster machine. Read more for details and the first screens!

Another day, another batch of game trailers were released. Instead of giving them all their own post, we grouped them and so far there are trailers for :

• HomeWorld 2 - Trailer
• Beyond Good & Evil - (DivX) Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers became available. Read more for download links ...

'Horse Race Manager' allows the player to control and participate in various challenges of running a successful thoroughbred racing organization, including hiring of the staff, racing the horses, and betting on the races. The game also has online multiplayer capabilities through Gamespy, allowing players to race against each other. Cyanide Studios (known for the Cycling Manager series) has released a new patch for their management game, 'Horse Race Manager' . This upgrade will bring your retail game to v1.2 and adresses some AI issues, a few modifications and bug fixes etc. Read more for details and download links ..

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE) is pleased to announce that EverQuest Macintosh Edition is now available at retail. For the first time, over 25 million Apple Macintosh gamers running OS X will be able to experience the leading massively multiplayer online role-playing game. EverQuest Macintosh Edition carries a suggested retail price of $49.99 and includes a 30 day subscription to the game.

Already revealed during E3 2003, DreamCatcher Games today announced that it will publish US Open 2003 (in other territories also known as Roland Garros 2003 or Next Generation Tennis 2003) for PC & Xbox in North America. The game is expected to ship in conjunction with the US Open tournament itself in New York this September. If you’ve ever dreamt of picking up your tennis racket and smashing a few serves past some of tennis’ biggest names, now’s your chance! With US Open 2003, gamers burn up the court like never before with authentic stadiums, true-to-life players and an array of great shots that only the pros can make. Read more for details and screens ...

Vivendi sent over a little note announced that they have lauched a teaser website for their upcoming action/adventure game "The Hobbit" The site sport screens for the various platforms, trailer, story background information and more ... Go Check it out!

"Airborne: Liberation" transports the player to the European theater of operations during World War II as allied airborne forces prepare for the invasion of Hitler's "Fortress Europe" on June 6, 1944. Assuming the role of Pvt Patrick Harper, the player will be dropped into Normandy in the pre-dawn hours of the D-Day invasion to fight his way through war-torn Europe from the D-Day, to Market Garden, the siege of Bastogne, and the final assault into Hitler's Germany. Read more for details ...

RICHARD JACQUES, video game composer whose credits include Sega’s JET SET RADIO FUTURE and HEADHUNTER, today announced that his orchestral music for HEADHUNTER (PS2) and the forthcoming sequel HEADHUNTER: REDEMPTION (PS2, Xbox) will feature as a world premier suite performed by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra at Gewandhaus, Leipzig in Germany. The concert takes place during GC - Games Convention, the European equivalent of E3, on August 20th, 2003. The event is being launched by the GC - Games Convention 2003 organisers as their opening ceremony and marks the first symphony concert to feature Western and Japanese game music.

Mistaril has released an updated playable demo for their 3D simulation/strategy Space Station Manager. This demo offers "unlimited loading and saving, ability to name saved games, preview of stations before load, and gallery of starting layouts (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds is a 3rd person action-adventure game based on the successful cult series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Just like the show, the adventure takes place at ground zero for all things vampire – Sunnydale, California. Developed with the show's writers as a 'lost episode' from season 5, Chaos Bleeds involves an unraveling tale in which a dimensional bleed has been enabled by Pure Evil to consume humanity once and for all. It's up to Buffy and her friends to stop it all from happening...again! Read more to check some screens ...

"Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow" is the new episode of the critically acclaimed stealth action game. The game will bring back more of the single-player intrigue that made the original game a bestseller. With exciting new action scenes and a strong cinematic feel, the player will experience new and even more realistic surroundings. Read more for some cinematic & ingame screens !

The latest installment in the award-winning series, Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria is a unique blend of role playing and turn-based strategy gaming. Set in the troubled land of Etheria, old foes such as Dwarves, Elves, and Orcs have resumed their ancient hostilities and the Undead legions of Lord Bane have returned. The game centers on the actions of your Warlord, who plays a pivotal role in the success or failure of your military efforts. Read more to check some new screens ...

Another day, another batch of game trailers were released. Instead of giving them all their own post, we grouped them and so far there are trailers for :

• Dino Crisis 3 [Xbox] - Trailer
• TombRaider: Angel Of Darkness - Trailer
• The Italian Job - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers became available. Read more for download links ...

Jar Head Games/Groove Games have released a patch for their budget-priced FPS CTU - Marine Sharpshooter. This upgrade brings you retail game to v1.01 and addresses save game problem and and a mission scripting bug. Read more for download links ...

BioWare has released a new patches for their 3D RPG Neverwinter Nights and the just released Shadows of Undrentide expansion pack. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.30 and adds compatibility between the original and its add-on, two new creatures, 50+ scripting commands, stability and multiplayer performance, improvements, cheat/hack prevention, and numerous other changes. They also released a v1.30 updated dedicated Linux server and the full standalone server for Win32 and Linux (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

SOE will be opening applications for beta testing EQOA: Frontiers, the second edition of EQOA. Beta testing can be an exciting time and an opportunity for new players to check out the game. SOE hopes to have roughly 10,000 existing EQOA players in the beta and the other half (10,000) be new people who haven't played the game before. To apply for a Beta slot, players should head over HERE . Beta applicants will need to have a PlayStation 2 and their own internet connection and must be at least 18 years old. SOE will be mailing out Beta DVDs in July to those chosen to be part of the testing process. Read more to check out a few new screens from the upcoming expansion ...

Sony Online Entertainment is breaking ground yet again, delivering the first unlockable content in EverQuest Online Adventures. EverQuest Online Adventures takes place during the Age of Adventure; a time set approximately five centuries before the original EverQuest for the PC. A brand new zone, the nefarious Isle of Dread, is now available for high level EQOA heroes to explore. The Isle of Dread is actually already encoded on the EQOA disc and is now being opened to players. Read more for details on the new 'Isle of Dread' zone and some screens ...

Valve, creators of Counter-Strike and Half-Life, and Plantronics, a leading manufacturer of computer headsets, today unveiled a custom Counter-Strike headset. Based on the Plantronics' popular DSP-500, this plug-and-play USB headset features DSP technology and Counter-Strike's distinctive branding. The Counter-Strike headset is now available exclusively right here!

This is not a drill. KOEI announced today, Naval Ops: Warship Gunner, the real-time naval action game is prepared to ship this Tuesday June 24, 2003. Consumers can still pre-order the title at gamestop.com, ebgames.com, and amazon.com. The title is available exclusively for the PlayStation2. Read more for details ...

S2 Games and iGames Publishing announce the debut of the beast horde into the current beta testing phase for Savage: The Battle for Newerth ; the much anticipated, first-ever real-time-strategy-shooter (RTSS). Participants in the beta test can now choose to fight on the side of man, equipped with technology and science, or on the side of the beast horde, armed with the forces of magic and nature. Savage: The Battle for Newerth is due to ship later this summer.

Gathering and software developer Triumph Studios have fired up the Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic website. All the latest screenshots, downloads, and features are now available at the official Age Of Wonders: Shadow Magic website . The PC game, due to ship this July, is the latest installment in the award-winning spellbinding fantasy series. Read more to check out a few local screens ...