Experience the first console RPG set in The Lord of the Rings universe in The Lord of the Rings, The Third Age from EA GAMES. Travel in the wake of the Fellowship in a unique structure that allows players to explore their own path while periodically intersecting the major events of New Line Cinema’s film trilogy. Check these 20 new screens ...

ESPN NHL Hockey returns to the ice with the confidence of a seasoned veteran. Improved player control, an all-new fighting engine and lightning fast gameplay truly capture the feel and pace of NHL-calibre hockey. ESPN NHL 2005 features several new ways to play online leagues, multi-player mini-games and a deeper Franchise mode, all adding endless replay value to an already robust lineup!

BBC UK is reporting on a case where Rockstar's "Manhunt" is being blamed for a 17 year old going berserk on his friend. The parents of a boy who was murdered with a claw hammer by a friend have blamed a violent video game which the teenage killer was "obsessed" with. Warren Leblanc, 17, repeatedly stabbed 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah after luring him to a Leicester park to steal from him on 27 February. Read the full story over at BBC UK.

Midway today announced a multi-year, multi-product agreement with Epic Games to publish three new videogames based on the popular Unreal franchise. The agreement marks Midway's entrance into the premium PC games sector with a property that has sold more than seven million units worldwide and generated nearly $200 million in revenue at retail since the introduction of Unreal Tournament in 1999.

Eidos today announced the hard hitting in-game soundtrack for Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes The Neighborhood. The sequel to the genre-bending phenomenon Backyard Wrestling: Don’t Try This At Home, Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes The Neighborhood offers a soundtrack featuring contributions from legendary artists, today’s hottest acts, and tomorrow’s industry leaders. The in-game soundtrack delivers a direction that further refines and voices the sound of Backyard Wrestling and today’s youth.

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!

Electronic Arts announced today the development of NFL STREET 2, scheduled for release in early 2005 under the EA SPORTS BIG brand. The title is being developed by EA-Tiburon for the PlayStation2, GameCube, and Xbox.

Empire Interactive are celebrating the spirit of 50 years of Rock n' Roll by encouraging new rock and indie bands to look to the interactive entertainment industry as a springboard to a career in music. Empire have teamed up with Overplay.com, the up and coming music site dedicated to the development and exposure of unsigned bands, to put together a killer rock soundtrack for their upcoming free-roaming, smash-fest racer FlatOut which releases on PS2, Xbox and PC in Fall 2004

The popular fighting franchise, Guilty Gear X2 #Reload, makes its debut on the Xbox this summer, courtesy of Majesco. Developed by ARC System Works, Guilty Gear X2 #Reload features Xbox Live support, offering players head-to-head competition, real-time global rankings, and community support of voice and friends.

Following the recent Lucasfilm title announcement of the Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith motion picture, LucasArts revealed today that it will release the Star Wars: Episode III video game on May 5, 2005, two weeks before the opening of the film.

Combining the best elements of simulation and arcade-style play, Juiced will feature more than 50 licensed vehicles; real-time modding with hundreds of authentic aftermarket parts; realistic car physics and damage; and online head-to-head play, including for the first time ever, "crew based" team racing. Read more for new screens...

While already revealed a few weeks ago, Electronic Arts announced today the return of one of the most critically acclaimed console first-person shooters with TimeSplitters Future Perfect, in development by Free Radical Design Ltd. and slated to ship in early 2005 under the EA GAMES brand. Read more for details and screens...

Crave Entertainment today announced that they would co-publish Bad Boys: Miami Takedown with Empire Interactive. The agreement calls for Crave to release Bad Boys: Miami Takedown for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube in Q3 of 2004 in North America. Read more for further details ...

For the first two weeks of sales, NCAA Football 2005 from Electronic Arts is the number one selling football videogame in America. First week sales for the game were more than 50 percent above the same period last year.

Groove Games and ARUSH Entertainment today announced that their upcoming, highly anticipated title Playboy: The Mansion, published under license from Playboy Enterprises, will feature celebrity guests Carmen Electra and Tom Arnold on its interactive game play roster.

Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams will continue following Tak on his adventures against evil. However, players will take on the role of a more experienced Tak as he goes on an epic adventure that will require him to learn all new Juju magic in order to recover the Nightmare Scepter and defeat the evil shaman, Tlaloc, once and for all. Developed by Avalanche Software, Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams is scheduled to release in October 2004 and will be available on the PS2, GameCube, Xbox, and GBA

Electronic Arts announced today that NBA STREET V3 is in development and scheduled for release in early 2005 under the EA SPORTS BIG brand. The game is being produced by Electronic Arts Canada, the studio which also is home to the industry-leading NBA LIVE and NCAA March Madness hoops videogame franchises.

Attention all Drivers! Get ready to jump into some unbelievable racing action with Atari's Test Drive: Eve of Destruction releasing on August 24 for Xbox and PS2.

As we reported last week, Electronic Arts has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Far Cry developers Crytek, which made us wonder what would happen with the 'Far Cry Instincts' console edition. Recently, Ubisoft announced that Far Cry Instincts was pushed back for both Xbox and PlayStation2 to Q1 2005, which makes sense in light of the new developments. Today it came to our attention that Crytek is no longer in charge of the 'Far Cry Instincts' project, but it is instead under the internal wings of Ubisoft Montreal.

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.

Going where no previous James Bond game has dared to tread, the upcoming GoldenEye: Rogue Agent first-person shooter from Electronic Arts breaks all the rules by transporting players to the dark side of the Bond universe to experience life as a high-rolling, cold-hearted villain.

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.

Electronic Arts announced today that its NASCAR video game franchise will be renamed NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup to reflect both the changes in the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and revolutionary additions to the upcoming game from the EA SPORTS brand, in stores August 31st.

Going where no previous James Bond game has dared to tread, the upcoming GoldenEye: Rogue Agent first-person shooter from Electronic Arts breaks all the rules by transporting players to the dark side of the Bond universe to experience life as a high-rolling, cold-hearted villain. Read more for new screens & a new trailer.

Burnout 3 takes the series even further, now featuring a unique 'crash and burn' racing concept and a one-of-a-kind special effects engine that delivers spectacular visuals. The intensity heats up as players race, and often crash, their way through oncoming traffic in an attempt to claim the top spot. Check the new screens ...