Sony has begun developing the next generation of its PlayStation video game platform for sale by 2005, when it plans to roll out a console that would allow gamers to play opponents over high-speed Internet networks, a news report said Sunday.

Since Hercules and Cyberlink (the makers of PowerDVD) announced a collaboration earlier today to bring you the best possible sound to your home, Hercules now introduces their upgraded GameTheatre XP to support and take full advantage of CyverLink's PowerDVD Pro 6.1! I want one!

CyberLink Corp., software developer of digital video entertainment applications and e-training solutions, and Hercules today jointly announced a strategic partnership to deliver a truly innovative and realistic movie viewing experience to consumers with PowerDVD Pro 6.1, offered as part of Hercules’ Game Theater XP 6.1 sound card system.

Tiscali Games got their hands on Ghost Master trailer, an upcoming RTS / resources managment game from Empire Interactive. It includes 2:47 minutes of new in-game footage and character animations and is available to download in high-res (15 MB) or low-res (5 MB) DivX versions here.

Star Wars Jedi Starfighter for Xbox presents more than 20 breathtaking one and two-player cooperative story-based missions set amidst a variety of new and beautifully rendered worlds and environments from Attack of the Clones. In addition to the ultra-fast, ultra sleek Jedi starfighter, players can battle in three other original heavily armed and highly maneuverable craft, the Havoc, Zoomer and Freefall. Check out two new screens below!

Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer is the most authentic and exhilarating surfing game ever, featuring Kelly Slater, the most recognized surfing pro of all time. Players experience an all-out adrenaline rush as they drop down huge wave faces, pull into barreling tube rides and pull off hundreds of insane trick combinations and signature pro moves. Read more to download the 1min50sec/7.5mb trailer. Some ingame footage mixed with real life surfing images.

EuroGamer had a chance to take a look at Divine Divinity, the upcoming Role Playing Game under development by Belgian developers Larian Studios and to be published by CDV. Gamespy has a preview for The Sum of All Fears based on playing a build of the game. The Sum of All Fears is a tactical shooter being developed by Red Storm, based on a Tom Clancy novel. A movie is also due soon starring Ben Affleck. PC.IGN previewed Westwood's upcoming 3D RTS, Command & Conquer: Generals.

The intro movie of the upcoming combat racing title HoveRace is now available for download. The movie is 16MB "DivX" to grab and runs for 1.5-minute, displaying HoveRace gameplay in action. The game is scheduled for release in Q3 2002. Read more below for download links.

Today we bring you six new screens and three new sketches from GSC's upcoming arcade FPS title, FireStarter. Read more below to check them out!

Since the SoF II test was release Raven Software has recieved a few hundred emails with suggestions and comments for improvements. The following is a list of what has been fixed, changed, and or updated since the test build was made available. Note, this does not mean Raven are releasing a patch for the test, instead its simply an update to let everyone know what we have been up to.

The team from Gaminggroove today tossed Vladimir Nikolaev "Burut's Project Head" into a corner and wouldn't let him out until he agreed to pen (type) a Kreed Developer Diary for them! Here is a clip:

After that we gather the whole team together and started on mission projection, describing each step of the player in detail, thinking of traps and all kinds of level tasks, making up tactical and logical riddles, creating mission plans and numbering each level, each room, even each single polygon. We made 9 missions, each consisting of 3 or 4 episodes and it took about 4 weeks of working hours, 3 packs of paper, about twenty pencils, and lots of Tonic. It was one of the hardest parts, a long brainstorming exercise.

You own your own Armored Core Unit and you’re always looking for ways to earn hard cash to buy upgrades and weapons. Do you want to tell the Earth Government that the Corporations have also been calling for your services? Don’t think so. Let them handle the political stuff, you’re just interested in getting the best missions from the highest bidder – it doesn’t matter who signs the cheque – right Raven! Yesterday we announced Metro3D's latest product, today we bring you 20+ screens ...

A new movie trailer from Activision and their upcoming title, Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix, is now available for download. The movie runs for 2 minutes and shows some kewl in-game action.. Fileplanet offers 3 diffrent versions from 45 MB down to 11 MB and we offer you a 7 MB compressed "high-res. wmv" version. Read more below for the links!

Capturing the intrigue, danger and heroism of Allied escape attempts from POW camps during World War II, this is the experience offered by Codemasters ' Prisoner of War, a new kind of escape adventure game coming to PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC. Its gameplay delivers a tense 3rd person adventure where the player's bravery, stealth and cunning will ensure Stone wins the day. A few new screens and the packshots, so you know what to look for this summer!

We recieved word right now that the Goldmaster of Sudden Strike is finally ready in Germany. We'll try to get hold of a copy and see what its all about (and we'll just mute all the german talk ;).

Codemasters' let us know that the “demo” that is being circulated online for Codemasters’ TOCA Race Driver should be taken as unofficial. Very early demo code produced several months ago for US long lead-time magazine usage, the code was not intended for distribution online. The code is not representative of the current status of the game, nor should be taken as an example of the finished title, which will be released in September. It has only experimental car physics, basic AI, the car damage is an early test model and it will not run on a wide range of machines, as it is not optimised code.

Activision, Inc. is giving gamers something to sink their claws into with the announcement of X-MenTM: Wolverine’s Revenge for the PS2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube. In this third-person action-adventure game, players take control of the ultimate fighting mutant and shred man and machine alike in an action-packed journey through the Marvel Universe. X-Men: Wolverine’s Revenge is expected to ship in the spring of 2003 and has not yet been rated by ELSPA.

Continuing on the success of the original EverQuest and in line with its tradition of consistently providing new and exciting content, Sony Online Entertainment Inc., a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming, today announced it is developing EverQuest II. Scheduled to launch in Winter 2003, EverQuest II adds significant improvements over the first, widely popular, iteration.

UPDATE: Official site is now available HERE!

Capturing the intrigue, danger and heroism of Allied escape attempts from POW camps during World War II, Prisoner of War is a new kind of escape adventure. Its gameplay delivers a tense third-person gaming experience where the only weapons are the player’s bravery, stealth and cunning.

Further building upon the strength and world-class development capabilities of its internal studios, Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. today announced that it has established a new product development studio in Manchester, England. Located in one of the fastest growing technology sectors in Europe, Acclaim Studios Manchester is comprised of several software development teams and certain proprietary assets that were formerly part of Software Creations, a world-renowned studio which has created hit products for the industry's leading publishers, including Acclaim, Electronic Arts, THQ and Activision.

Metro 3D send over a game description from their upcoming PS2 title, Armoured Core 2 Another Age.. Earth is still rebuilding from the devastation from the 30 years war. There’s a power struggle between the Corporations and the Earth Government – and you’re right in the middle! The Earth Government has contacted you, a mercenary known as Raven, to do battle on their behalf. Full story below!

Computer and video game publisher Gathering of Developers, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and UK-based developer FireFly Studios Ltd today announced “FireFly Studios’ Stronghold: Crusader” for the PC. “Stronghold: Crusader” is a dynamic “castle sim” set in a distant Arabian land, that combines the finest aspects from the city builder and a real-time strategy genres. The game is set to ship this summer.

A New Adrenaline-Fueled Smuggling Adventure Begins This Summer. Rockstar Games, Take 2 Interactives' hi-end publishing division, is pleased to announce that "Smuggler's Run: Warzones" is crossing the border and heading for a release on Nintendo GameCube this summer.

An isolated imposing manor lurking silently at the edge of a forest and near the outskirts of a small nameless village… Such is the starting point for this game which reinvents the survival horror genre. Project ZERO will immerse players in a frightening and oppressive atmosphere, forcing them to confront their worst nightmares. A survival/horror game due out on PS2 in September 2002.

Apply For The Ultimate Summer Job: Playing Video Games! School's almost out and it's time to get the ultimate summer job: playing video games and getting paid for it! Forget flipping burgers, stocking shelves or bagging groceries. Thanks to Nintendo, nearly 50 individuals will have an opportunity to beat the job market blues by becoming a part of the Nintendo Street Teams in six markets across the country.