Live fastballs, suicide squeezes, grass-staining dives, seventh-inning stretches, walk-off homeruns, peanuts and hotdogs… these are just some of the things that make the sport of baseball America’s favorite pastime. The victory of a baseball game can depend on the walk-off homerun in the ninth inning or a simple second base steal.

A lot of titles getting slightly pushed back these days, today Sammy Studios updated its Iron Phoenix product page revealing it has pushed back its online fighter from February to March 22, 2005. Iron Phoenix is the first-ever 16 player simultaneous online fighting game combining live team-oriented strategy with fast paced melee combat. Players are immersed in a fantastic world inspired by mythical China where they engage in battles full of depth, variety, teamwork and challenge.

THQ and Climax today announced that MotoGP: Ultimate Racing Technology 3 for the Xbox and PC will ship with a host of new and original features, designed to reward gamers with the most complete racing experience ever! Read more for details ...

Oddworld just got Stranger! In this new chapter in the award-winning Oddworld series, players step into the role of the Stranger, a mysterious bounty hunter who tracks down outlaws for moolah. Using a special weapons system that gives a whole new meaning to "live" ammo, players will encounter massive environments, devious opponents and hostile challenges along the way.

id Software's terrifying battle with the forces of Hell. A massive demonic invasion has overwhelmed the UAC's Mars Research Facility leaving only chaos and horror in its wake. As one of only a few survivors, players must struggle with shock, fear, and an all-out assault on their senses as they fight their way to Hell and back, in an epic clash against pure evil.

Use destructive weapons and innate mental powers to take on the most feared enemy in the galaxy - Mankind! Play as Crypto, an alien warrior sent to Earth to clear the way for the Furon invasion force. Your mission is to infiltrate humanity, control them, harvest their brain stems and ultimately destroy them. You choose the method - infiltration or disintigration!

Dead to Rights II marks the return of action-hero Jack Slate and his K-9 companion, Shadow. In this super-charged sequel, Jack and Shadow find themselves once again in the squalid, mean streets of Grant City, ensnared in a labyrinth of crime, corruption and betrayal. The official Dead to Rights II website shows a new release date, now pushed back until March 2005.

Groove Games today announced the official ship date for the highly touted first-person action game, Pariah. The game, being developed by First-Person Shooter (FPS) aficionados, Digital Extremes will hit retail worldwide on May 3, 2005 for the Xbox and the PC.

ARUSH today announced that Playboy: The Mansion has shipped to retail outlets throughout North America. A lifestyle simulation game that allows players to live the charmed life of Playboy visionary Hugh Hefner, Playboy: The Mansion is available for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.

Rustle up some "live" ammo and head out to Dead Hen's Pass for some serious bounty hunting! ... Electronic Arts today announced that Oddworld Stranger's Wrath, the latest chapter in the critically acclaimed Oddworld series, has begun to ship to retail outlets for the Xbox.

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth is an eagerly anticipated first-person horror adventure based on the award winning RPG from Chaosium that in turn is based on the writings of the acclaimed American horror author H. P. Lovecraft... Some new screens showing just how dark some of those corners are.

Forza Motorsport gives Xbox gamers who are passionate about cars and racing the opportunity to own, customize, and race their favorite cars in a realistic driving simulation. From sport compacts to LeMans prototypes, players use earnings from hundreds of races to buy upgrades and aftermarket parts so they can transform real production cars into high-performance race cars.

The Punisher finally makes his debut on the PS2, in an action-packed game that will test your wits and your reflexes. Play as classic anti-hero Frank Castle as you brutalize the seamy underbelly of New York, giving criminals their just desserts. With a host of guest stars and action ripped right from the pages of Marvel Comics, this game is a must-have for any Punisher fan.

'FIFA Street' is a combination of arcade action blended with the culture of freestyle street football. By removing the rules from the simulation football experience, 'FIFA Street' exposes the heart of the world's beautiful game, on-the-ball flare and individual style.

Empire has announced an optimized version of last year's Mashed, a top down racing game that pits up to four players against each other in a gladiatorial racing battle. Mashed: Fully Loaded, is not a sequel as the new version will mostly have the same content, just with an updated gfx, optimized camera controls, improved power-up system, additional tournament and training mode, new tracks, and a total of 15 cars each with their own specific handling. A release date has not been announced yet, but it is due first in the UK. Read more for some new screens...

In this new episode you lead Team Rainbow as they are called into action and unfamiliar territory to battle a bioterrorist threat. Stakes escalate as they are personally targeted by an evil terrorist organization. Used to protecting the lives of others, Team Rainbow must now embark on a mission to fight and save some of their own. Ubisoft sends along yet another pre-canned Q&A with designer and writer Rafael Chandler, talking about story development, dialogue, briefings, and cinematic concepts.

In TimeSplitters Future Perfect, Cortez - the hero from previous installments - returns with humanity on the brink of destruction. With the help of some familiar faces (some very familiar!) he must chase a mystery foe across different time periods to trace the origins of the TimeSplitters and save the day.

Featuring NBA legends, today's top stars, and original characters from past editions, NBA Street Vol 3 reaches new heights by making over-the-top, larger-than-life moves even bigger in this action-packed, arcade-style game. Customize your baller, build courts from the ground up, throw one down in an all-new dunk contest and go online to put your reputation to the test.

Black Bean announced today that it has signed an exclusive deal with Alfa Romeo to develop a racing videogame based on the prestigious Italian car brand. Black Bean's acquisition of the worldwide Alfa Romeo rights underlines its determination to make an impact in the world of multiplatform videogame development and publishing. Read more for details ...

Far Cry Instincts will introduce wide open environments and unique, immersive gameplay elements that are destined to become the definition of survival action. In addition to the PC version's signature locations, non-scripted A.I., and unprecedented view-distance, Far Cry Instincts will feature brand new gameplay scenarios that will challenge players to use an even broader range of strategies and survival tactics in order to uncover the many secrets within the beautiful-but-deadly islands. Ubisoft has pushed back the Far Cry Instincts release date from Q1 to Q2 2005.

Based on the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer graphic novels, the supernatural thriller Constantine tells the story of John Constantine, a man who has literally been to hell and back. Constantine is being developed by Bits Studios and is based on the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures film starring Keanu Reeves, due in February 2005.

Cold Fear is the first action-horror title to be published under the Ubisoft brand and combines the popular elements of both action and horror releases, delivering an action-packed, tension-filled gaming experience.

In Advent Rising, a common legend pervades the galaxy - that of a powerful, ancient race that will one day unite the universe. Millions of cultures from vastly distant worlds revere and hallow these mythological beings known as humans. One race, the Seekers, know humans actually exist and are threatened by their potential power. Under the guise of benevolent explorers, the Seekers travel throughout the galaxy in a desperate attempt to eradicate any human society they unearth. Check these 60+ new screens...

The first-ever Battlefield console installment will drop players into the heat of battle on the high tech frontlines, entering a new modern era of combat with more firepower and new expansive environments. Armed with the latest modern weaponry, players can take control of over 30 vehicles, including tanks, helicopters and fast attack vehicles, to engage in major conflicts in some of the largest online battles.

The Roots combines a classic RPG with dynamic gameplay and the fast paced plot characteristic of action-adventure games. The Roots has a complex, multi-threaded storyline and a vast world, which the player discovers whilst traveling with his party, fighting various monsters and living through great adventures. Cenega has updated The Roots product page with a new release date, pushing it back from its original February 2005 date back to Q2 2005.