GarageGames, the online developer community and indie games publisher, has announced the first Independent Games Conference. IndieGamesCon '02 (IGC - www.indiegamescon.com) will be held this fall November 1, 2 & 3. IndieGamesCon will be an informal and informative gathering of independent developers from around the world. The conference will providing an unprecedented opportunity for independent developers, professional guest developers, hardware manufactures as well as the GarageGames staff to exchange ideas and promote independent gaming.

Essential Reality, Inc., a developer and integrator of leading-edge sensory and real-time remote tracking devices, announced today that its highly anticipated P5 glove is set to debut nationwide during the week of October 21st 2002.

Co-publishers, Groove Games and Hip Interactive, announced that the PC title Incoming Forces has shipped. The game, developed by Rage, is the sequel to the hugely successful, multi-million unit selling, Incoming. Bundled with the original game, Incoming Forces will be available through North American retailers for a value price of $19.99 (U.S.).

Rage is pleased to announce its line-up of titles to be shown on the Xbox video game system from Microsoft at the X02 event taking place in Seville, Spain on 24-25 September 2002. Rage will unveil several exciting Xbox titles at the event including the eagerly anticipated Rocky; an exclusive world first showing of Lamborghini using Xbox Live; an exclusive world first showing of Rolling and also brand new exclusive footage of Team SAS via a special video demonstration.

Ubi Soft Entertainment announced today that it would be bringing the popular game Batman Vengeance to PC enthusiasts this fall. Now PC gamers can become the Dark Knight and follow a twisting, unpredictable plot through stylish environments based on the hit television animated series The New Batman Adventures. Not really much of a surprise since there was a demo available already a few weeks back, but now its official!

Vivendi Universal Publishing announced today several new games as part of its Games division's long-term agreement with Tolkien Enterprises to develop interactive entertainment based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit." The new titles include The Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Online, an Online Massively Multi-player role playing game, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Ring, a real time strategy game, and additional PC and console titles based on Tolkien's "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King."

The official Blizzard web site is getting hit hard now that they have announced their secret title - 'Starcraft : Ghost', a mission based tactical console shooter set in the Starcraft universe, developed by Nihilistic Software andco-published by Capcom and Blizzard Entertainment in Japan. The game is targeted for next-gen consoles for release in late 2003, with no PC releases planned. Read more for details and 20+ screens!

Singularity Software, a division of Brightstar Entertainment Ltd, today announced the release of its European summer hit, Team Factor, in the US. Going under the title U.S. Special Forces: Team Factor, it will be published through Xicat Interactive, a Ft. Lauderdale-based video game publisher. This first person shooter, available September 24, takes you to the very limits of military endurance and drops you head first into the world of covert military operations.

Ubi soft today announced details for the second mission CD for their strategy hit 'Settlers IV'. The expansion pack will be titled 'Settlers IV - The New World', expected to be available in stores by end of the year. Story: The Vikings have discovered America - The New World. Back in Europe this message spreads like wild fire in the settler universe. A contest of the nations is proclaimed : He who discovers new ground as the first, can call it his own and establish himself on the new found grounds. Romans, Vikings and Trojans go on a journey facing never before seen obstacles, while the Maya's are on large travel into the 'Old World '. The seemingly harmless voyage increasingly develops into a gripping adventure, in which each race has to complete exciting tasks.

Ubi Soft Entertainment today announced features of IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles, its forthcoming expansion pack for use with the multi-award winning IL-2 Sturmovik World War II combat flight simulation. The expansion pack will add 30 new missions, 27 additional flyable aircraft and a new dynamic campaign system offering almost limitless replayability. IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles is expected to ship to North American retail shelves this winter, with an MSRP of $19.99.

Co-publishers, Groove Games and Hip Interactive, announced that the PC title Incoming Forces has gone Gold. The game, developed by Rage, is the sequel to the hugely successful, multi-million unit selling title, Incoming. Bundled with the original game, Incoming Forces will ship to North American retailers on September 23 for a value price of $19.99 (U.S.).

JoWooD Productions is pleased to announce the launch of Archangel, the gripping third-person action adventure game, scheduled for release in the UK on 18th October 2002 on PC CD Rom.

Majorem Ltd., a developer of massively multiplayer games and technology, is pleased to officially announce the development of a software development kit to provide solutions for both server-side and client-side needs in facilitating the creation and running of massively multiplayer worlds.

Xicat Interactive, a Ft. Lauderdale-based video game publisher is set to release its newest title in the hugely popular team play category, U.S. Special Forces: Team Factor. This first person shooter, available Sept. 24, takes you to the very limits of military endurance and drops you head first into the world of covert military operations.

Hercules is thrilled to announce the launch of its new DIGIFIRE 7.1 sound card. DIGIFIRE 7.1 completes Hercules' revolutionary 7.1 channel PCI sound card range with an all-in-one digital upgrade solution, providing both high speed FireWire connections and powerful audio performance in games and DVDs.

Co-published by Hip Interactive and Groove Games, Incoming Forces is the sequel to the hugely successful, multi-million unit selling game, Incoming. The fast paced, innovative arcade style action title has players defend their alien home planet against an invading human armada. Set 20 years after the original game, players pilot aircrafts, tanks and turrets, switching vehicles on the fly, in incredible action-packed battles. The story driven campaign is set across ten exciting levels within four different worlds, delivering powerful and intense gameplay. Already out in Europe it is finally "Incoming" to the North American market! Check the colorful/explosive screens!

Mystical Development is excited to announce the name of their upcoming title - "Mi'Jarin Chronicles: The Path to War". The game focuses on the legends of the Mi'Jarin - an order of mystics and knights in the far future.

Sunstorm Interactive has launched the website for its new game concept, titled 'Final Score'. Users can check the website for updates on the game's development and other news related to the title. "Final Score is a First-Person, Tactical-Action/Stealth Game designed to offer fans of the action and tactical-action genres the tension-filled game-play and high-adrenaline excitement they crave-from the perspective of a crew of professional criminals." More about the game HERE!

No doubt about it, Volley World League (VWL) is a volleyball videogame ;) Italian developer Idoru is currently working on the PC version but also an XBOX conversion is scheduled. Not too many volley ball titles on the PC at all so lets hope they make it a good one. Check the screens, it looks like they are in the right track ...

Prowler Productions is pleased to announce that beta tester signup for their upcoming Sci-Fi MMORPG StarLock will begin October 1st. Beta testing itself is slated to start November 1st with the final public release of StarLock planned for January 1st. Please stay tuned for more information on StarLock and on how to register for the beta test as the October 1st signup draws closer. In the meantime, those looking to learn more about StarLock can visit the official website.

Hercules is proud to announce the launch of the most powerful of its 3D Prophet boards, 3D Prophet 9700 Pro. The 3D Prophet 9700 Pro, based on ATI's highly-anticipated RADEON™ 9700 PRO VPU (Visual Processing Unit), is a technological breakthrough delivering both the fastest 3D acceleration in PC gaming and a whole new range of groundbreaking, photo-realistic effects for hardcore gamers. In addition, 3D Prophet 9700 Pro is offered with the complete version of the highly acclaimed Morrowind: The Elder Scrolls III.

Sam & Max, interactive entertainment's most beloved canine and rabbit combo, hit the road again first quarter 2004 in a long awaited adventure comedy sequel for Windows PC from LucasArts. The follow up to the critically acclaimed 1993 adventure classic Sam & Max Hit the Road® will dispatch the Freelance Police into a wild world of screwy and vaguely quixotic missions. Each one will be jam packed with nerve-jangling action, brain-busting puzzles, and the kind of easygoing banter one might expect from a talking dog and a naked, hyperkinetic bunny.

Ubi Soft Entertainment today announced a pre-order program for Catz 5 and Dogz 5, the newest editions of its best-selling Petz family. Petz fans can now pre-order both titles through Ubi.com or Amazon.com reserving their copies for when the games hit North American retail shelves in mid-November. Additionally, Ubi Soft announced that anyone purchasing any two Petz 5 titles (two copies of Catz 5 or Dogz 5, or one of each) can also receive a $10 mail-in rebate. Catz 5 and Dogz 5 have an MSRP of $29.99 each.

Aces of World War I, the ultimate flight simulation meets action combat PC game, fully immerses gamers into the heat of World War I combat. Assuming the identity of Edward Rickenbacker, a great American ace, players are challenged to hold their ground against the most lethal German flyers of the Great War. Flying in one of six authentically rendered planes, players must successfully combat all of the opposing ground, air and sea German forces if they intend to win the war victoriously. We took one of our more modern planes all the way to Poland to have a chat with Lemon Interactive & Tatanka developers...

Donning yellow trousers and mounting a shiny red engine, Monte Cristo today announced the release of Fire Department for PC for November 2002. Fire Department allows players the chance to experience what life is really like as a fire fighter. As captain of their own fire departments, players will be able to choose and train their team of specialists how to fight fires, develop their stress resistance in emergency situations and, most importantly, how to survive emergency call-outs intact. 38 new screens is included below with the announcement!