As promised a few days ago by Peter Moore, Microsoft has released a new backwards compatibility update, now available over Xbox Live. This free update adds 21 more titles to the original Xbox games that can be played on your Xbox 360, such as Star Wars Battlefront, Lego Star Wars, Doom 3, Silent Hill 4 and several others ...

Since Troika is no longer amongst the living this patch is not official, so use at your own discretion. This update brings Activision's Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines retail game to v2.4 (requires v1.2 patch installed) and addresses a number of known issues, gameplay tweaks, bug fixes and so forth (thanks Werner).

Developed by former Street Fighter II producer Noritaka Funamizu’s new studio, Crafts & Meister, Super DBZ promises fans and gamers incredible on-screen damage and an abundance of intense combos.

CABAL, one of Asia’s most successful RPG games, is launching its English beta across Europe this month. CABAL is more than a mindless hack and slash action game as teamwork, which involves a mix of puzzles, battles and quests, are key to defeating the second rising of evil and win the world war.

THQ has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Gas Powered Games for its RTS game Supreme Commander. Chris Taylor is known for his work with Total Annihilation under Cave Dog, and Supreme Commander will mark his return to a genre that he helped popularize.

Available for download on his website, Major Nelson's latest podcast includes an interview with Microsoft's Peter Moore, giving feedback on his earlier backwards compatibility comments, and also reveals that the next update (due next week) will include not 12, but 20 or more new updates for older Xbox titles, including DOOM 3 and LEGO Star Wars. The podcast also includes comments and feedback on the latest dashboard update, and how to beta test Vista.

MGame USA is distributing 1.000 cdkeys for the closed beta of the asiatic MMORPG focused in martial arts Hero Online. The first 1.000 users of JuegaEnRed.Com/MMOGInfo.Com will get their key and create a game account, activate the game with the key and download the game client and then play starting June 12th 2006.

Valve's SteamPowered website has been updated with details on a small patch for its just released Half-Life 2: Episode One and Topware's Earth 2160. While the latter merely fixes the game incorrectly prompting for a CD key entry, the HL2: Ep. One part fixes some corrupted closed caption lines and addresses a bug in gameplay stats reporting. Just restart Steam for the effects to take place.

CellFactor is a FPS set in a warfare industrial atmosphere. As the plot develops, you'll gain access to other two main characters as well, each one with distinctive singularities in the game play. This updated tech demo features the AGEIA PhysX level we have seen demonstrated in the past few trailers...

Macrovision and in-game advertising provider Double today announced that they have come together to launch a new in-game advertising offering via the Trymedia Network of online portals, ISPs and e-commerce sites.

2006 FIFA World Cup will feature stunning visual representations of the world's superstar players and official stadiums from each qualifying region. Gamers will be able to play as their favorite team from qualification right through to a virtual reproduction of the tournament in Germany.

LucasArts and SOE announced today that Chapter 1: The Corellian Captives will be released to Star Wars Galaxies subscribers Thursday, June 8, giving players a host of new storylines, features and gameplay advancements.

Osaka-based developer Yuke's Company, known for THQ's WWE Smackdown series and the Rumble Roses series for Konami, announced today that it has opened its first North American office, Yuke's Company of America. Yuke's Company of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yuke's Co., Ltd., and intends to publish games on a number of platforms including the PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, and the PSP.

Perpetual announced that the official Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising beta program is nearing, so now is a good time to sign up for your chance to get in! How do you sign up for your chance to get in? Well, the best (and right now the only) way to get signed up is by creating a personalized Perpetual Entertainment Platform Account. This will also get you registered for the message boards, so if you already have a message board account, you are already signed up for your chance at getting into the beta.

Starting tomorrow, Xbox 360 gamers will be able to access a vigorous system-wide update creating a new pinnacle for next-generation gaming and entertainment. The Xbox 360 spring update introduces more than 125 features and enhancements adding to Xbox 360's power, high-definition graphics, online capabilities and media offerings.

EA today declared the winner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany. Using a simulation engine in the 2006 FIFA World Cup videogame, EA was able to test all 32 teams in the competition and determine that the Czech Republic would come out on top.

Developed by former Street Fighter II producer Noritaka Funamizu’s new studio, Crafts & Meister, Super DBZ promises fans and gamers incredible on-screen damage and an abundance of intense combos.

Today 3D Realms posted their latest installment in the weekly Prey update in which, 3DRealms' Joe Siegler talks about the MultiPrey testing, the new deathmatch/multiplayer concept, box art approval, the Triton delivery system, including a little change list from Venom's progress on the Xbox 360 edition, and the recent testing they've been doing.

Back at the Final Fantasy XI fan festival 2006 in Santa Monica, Square Enix surprised fans by announcing that, at some point, they would be able to raise their own Chocobos. Since then the developers have been busy working out a system to implement this, and announced today that it will be included in the next version update!

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is Nintendo's latest incarnation in the popular Super Smash Bros. series of titles. Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii will feature all new characters ranging from Kirby and Wario to Samus, and even Metal Gear Solid's Snake.

Valve's SteamPowered website has been updated with details about a hefty update to its Source engine and the Steam client itself. This update updates source engine base content to support new engine features, brings the friends list out of beta, added a file defrag option and various other tweaks and fixes. Read more for details, or just restart Steam for the effects to take place.

Super Monkey Ball Adventure is an all-new, narrative-driven and platform-based style of gameplay, along with brand-new Monkey Ball abilities and a bunch of fresh new characters, adding 50 new and original puzzles to this new and exciting gaming experience.

The Supersonic Group today announced that it intends to expand its operation, moving into the US market by agreeing to a seven-title co-publishing deal with Cenega, starting with the first-person adventure Gooka: The Mystery of Janatris, followed by Another War, both scheduled for Q4 2006.

Today 3D Realms posted their latest installment in the weekly Prey update in which, Human Head Studios' Chris Rhinehart talks about them moving into a new, and larger office, VEnom debugging The Xbox version and some details about the upcoming PC (and identicla X360) demo, which will be quite hefty in size, but also in content (1-2 hours worth of gameplay).

It has been much talked about, especially over the past few days, and it finally seems to be taking shape. A new Xbox 360 update is scheduled to take effect in the next week and will include the highly anticipated background downloading, boot to the dash option, a much-improved Marketplace, DVD playback tweaks, as well as various other new features and enhancements.