Addressing consumer demand for increased audio realism in gaming environments, Analog Devices today announced a new version of its SoundMAX Audio Rendering Technology Toolkit (SMartTools) - which now offers significantly improved cross-platform output capability and a more intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) to game audio developers.

More Lara Croft Tomb Raider announcements.. This time Eidos Interactive announces that the new Tomb Raider game "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness" will be exclusive to PlayStation 2 on the videogame console format. The game will be released on PlayStation 2 and PC on 15th November 2002.

Can today's PC hardware stand-up to the increasingly complex and intense computer games of tomorrow? Although game designers continue to push graphical detail and performance, hardware manufacturers are testing their wares against the existing standards of yesterday. Until now... Leading game and technology developer Epic Games today unveiled the Unreal Performance Test 2002, the first and only game benchmark indicative of the future of gaming.

NVIDIA's Drivers Page now offers new version 28.32 "Detonator XP" drivers for Windows 95/98/Me, Windows XP/2000, and Windows NT (thanks Blues). As is always the case with these reference drivers, no technical support is offered, as they are to be used at your own risk.

NVIDIA Corporation today announced that it is working closely with Sony Online Entertainment, Inc. to optimize two upcoming online games developed by Sony Online Entertainment. Star Wars Galaxies, to be published by LucasArts, and PlanetSide will be among the first wave of games optimized for NVIDIA's GeForce4 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), resulting in a gaming experience rich in crisp 3D graphics, unique visual effects and some of the most realistic, life-like images ever seen in an online game.

BAM! Entertainment today announced that it will publish futuristic racer WipEout Fusion and 3D action adventure Dropship: United Peace Force for the PlayStation 2. This expanded relationship with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe enables BAM! Entertainment to bring the games to the North American market this summer. Just last month, BAM! announced that it will bring North America the critically acclaimed racing title WRC: World Rally Championship for PlayStation 2.

Mindscape is proud to announce an exclusive publishing agreement with Project 3 Interactive for the adventure game ’Schizm: Mysterious Journey’ on DVD-Rom and PC CD-Rom. The popular adventure game has already been launched as localised versions across Europe and the agreement with Mindscape secures distribution of the English version in the UK and Ireland.

A new Lara Croft for a new generation. We already told you some preliminary facts about yesterday and today Eidos Interactive and Core Design officially announce the return of the world’s most famous video game character in Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. The game will be released on PlayStation 2 and PC towards the end of 2002. Of course we added some screens for all you Lara fans out there to drool over and a photo of the official Lara model, Dutch beauty Jill De Jong.... boy oh boy ;)

Update: We just added 15 extra new screens to the article.. Enjoy!

History Patch, patched all versions of the settlers IV to newest version 1090. This SETTLERS IV improves some gameplay and balance issues, costs of certain trojan resources and some "userfriendly" interface fixes. Grab the patch HERE!!

Midway Sports Asylum, the sports brand of leading software industry publisher and developer Midway Games Inc., announced today that RedCardTM Soccer, an 11-on-11 (including goalies) adrenaline-style soccer game is in development for next-generation systems. RedCard Soccer is scheduled to ship in spring 2002. In case you did not see the massively spread screens before .. here's ohh an odd 100 or so to go showing off players, ninja's, monkey's and all kinds of weird stuff.

Xbox Controller S is Microsoft’s answer to gamers that wanted more choice, and a controller that better suited their style of play. Smaller than the standard Xbox controller and featuring a new button layout, Xbox Controller S allows gamers to choose the controller most comfortable to them.

3DO send us eight new Playstation One in-game screens from their upcoming title, "Sven Goran Eriksson's : World Cup Manager". As exciting as Manager's can be ;)

The game is coming out on the PC as well as the PS2, though Smith says that the core mechanics of both versions will be exactly the same. "We have one team working on both versions of the game, but we do focus on the two different platforms separately and try to maximize the individual strengths of the PC and PS2," says Smith. "There will be little elements that will be different, but 99 percent of the game is essentially the same. Visually, they'll be close as well, but there are certain things that each machine is better at." The PC will obviously have a higher resolution, whereas the PS2 version of The Angel of Darkness will likely benefit from more precise control.

Get the PlayStation2 controllers ready for the super sexy heroine, Cate Archer. The Operative : No One Lives Forever for PlayStation2 has gone gold and the warehouse is preparing to ship to stores nationwide. Now you will be able to play the "Action Game of the Year" winner - The Operative:No One Lives Forever - on your PlayStation2 console gaming system. Plus don't forget the four extra missions exclusive to the PS2 featuring Cate Archer in her younger days as a thief. The Operative: No One Lives Forever for PlayStation2 will be available in retail locations after April 16, 2002 for a suggested retail price of $49.99.

Many Hoppy Returns! Frogger, one of the most enduring of the ‘old school’ classic video games, is to make a welcome return as Konami of Europe resurrects the amphibian hero for a new PS2 title: "Frogger - The Great Quest". Hop on over to the screens ;)

We already knew this a few days ago, but here is the official announcement. Infogrames announces release dates for two of the most highly anticipated sequels in the Unreal family of action games. "Unreal Tournament 2003," who won numerous awards, is poised to deliver non-stop multiplayer action starting this summer. And, "Unreal II," sequel to the blockbuster hit "Unreal," will bring single-player story-based action to new heights when it ships this winter in time for Christmas.

Today we bring you 50 some screens from Square's upcoming Final Fantasy XI Online. Some new, some older ... all packed in one for you to enjoy ...

Sports Interactive, the team responsible for developing the record breaking Championship Manager series of football management simulations published by Eidos Interactive, is extremely pleased to announce that Ray Houghton has been retained as a consultant to advise on the eagerly anticipated Championship Manager 4.

3DO was so kind to send us a new 4.7 MB zipped QuickTime movie from their upcoming title, Heroes of Might and Magic IV. Link #1 here and Link #2 here!

We also tossed up same movie for your window media player "wmv" and the size is 3.3 MB. Grab it here or here!

Activision, Inc.’s top-selling game of 2001, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 was honored with the Best Console Sports Game of the Year award by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. The award was presented at the 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony, held at the D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas.

LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC will unleash the power of the Force on the Xbox video game system this May with the release of Star Wars Jedi Starfighter. The game, which launched to critical acclaim last week on PlayStation 2, will give Xbox gamers a chance to experience the exhilaration of piloting the Jedi starfighter from the upcoming film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.

The war you might see on TV in 20 years is about to be interactive. EA announced Command & Conquer Generals today, a 3D real-time strategy game for the PC that will deliver the intensity and chaos of modern war. Generals will be published by EA under the EA GAMES brand this winter.. Our earlier posted screens is available here!

With the new World Cup Manager game by Reality-Game you can already get into the action of the 2002 World Cup. World Cup Manager is online on reality game website . This virtual reality game will allow Internet users to simulate managing a national football team which will compete against 31 other teams and managers.

Sega of America announced today the release of "Sega Soccer Slam," an action-packed, smash-mouth soccer spin off for the Nintendo GameCube. Produced by Visual Concepts, makers of the acclaimed Sega Sports 2K series, "Sega Soccer Slam" is easy to learn, challenging to master, and incredible to watch. Employing sophisticated motion-captured 3D models and multiple modes, "Sega Soccer Slam's" wild cast of characters will dazzle gamers with their detailed expressions, athletic prowess and exaggerated personality traits. Prepare for pandemonium when this addictive game, which takes an unorthodox approach to the world's most popular sport, hits the market.

Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.), the first organization focusing on the advancement of interactive audio and the community surrounding it, will make its debut during the 2002 Game Developers Conference in San Jose.