Not wanting to be left out, Microsoft announced it was awarded the Emmy for Pioneering Work in Near and Real-Time Fully Programmable Shading Via Modern Graphics Processors for its DirectX technology, at the 58th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards, on Monday, January 8th at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

In Pirates! you are a 17th century Caribbean Pirate Captain trying to become the most revered and feared pirate in history - exploring high seas and exotic ports, overtaking enemies in fierce naval battles, engaging in duels and attempting to seize valuable booty.

Last Agust Capcom announced it has sold 500k units within the first 2 weeks, and now a few months later the success story continues as it has shipped over 1 million copies worldwide. Capcom also hints at a possible sequel saying it has "established a franchise for years to come."

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas will introduce a new interactive American Idol attraction, featuring Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol, that will allow the public to perform in front of wax figures of Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest, in its ON STAGE area, just like contestants on the LIVE show.

In 300: March to Glory, based on Warner Bros. Pictures' motion picture, players take on the role of King Leonidas, who leads the brave 300 Spartans against Xerxes and his massive Persian army in a battle to determine the very fate of western civilization.

Strategy First and Glyphic Entertainment announce the signing of Warlords Nintendo DS. This classic turn-base strategy title compliments Disciples II DS, Jagged Alliance 2 which are also under development.

In Gods & Heroes you become a classic hero of the ancient world, born of immortal blood. As a scion of the gods, you will have the opportunity to pursue his destiny through a series of Epic Quests that will span all levels of gameplay, over time commanding amazing God Powers and acquiring famous weapons and treasure of myth. In case you missed yesterday's screens and trailer, here are some more ...

Europa Universalis III delves deeply into the areas of exploration, trade, warfare and diplomacy and is an epic strategy game where players take control of a nation and guide it through the ages to become a great global empire.

Fearless Mafia hitman Jackie Estacado is part of the Franchetti crime family helmed by vicious cousin Paulie. On the eve of his 21st birthday, Jackie is suddenly possessed by the terrifying and spectacular powers of the Darkness.

As promised, Microsoft has released the first mappack for Epic's action game Gears of War. Sponsored by the Discovery Channel's new show Future Weapons, the 2 free multiplayer maps Raven Down and Old Bones weigh in at 98mb. There is also a Map Pack 1 Theme and an introductory video by CliffyB available when you log onto Xbox Live.

In Crysis, shooter fans will face a new kind of gameplay challenge requiring adaptive tactics and customization of weapons and armor in dynamic, hostile environments as mankind struggles to survive in the face of a horrific alien invasion.

Heimspiel: Eishockeymanager 2007 is a German 3D icehockey management from Greencode. The Games Company has released a new patch bringing your German retail game to v1.06 and improves features, tweaks, and fixes some gfx problems.

Hellgate: London is an RPG set in the immersive first-person perspective. With a completely randomized world that offers a unique experience every time you play, Hellgate: London introduces a demon-ridden place where the last survivors of the human race must meld science and magic to survive.

Yesterday Sony sent out a media blast to the press touting that it had just won an Emmy for its SIXAXIS wireless controller in the Peripheral Development and Technogical Impact of Video Game Controllers category. Apparently Sony deceived the press en masse as it not only did NOT win an Emmy for the PS3 controller, but rather for its old Dual Shock analog controller, it is also sharing the Emmy with Nintendo for its D-Pad.

Burnout Dominator is an all-new installment of the Burnout series, loaded with intense racing action and dozens of retina-searing World Tour events.

Blizzard has released a small update for its MMORPG World of Warcraft. This v2.0.3 update, requires at least v2.0.x installed, prepares your German/French/UK game for The Burning Crusade expansion, as well as the usual slew of balance/unit tweaks, UI changes, bug and crash fixes...

Techland has launched a Xpand Rally Xtreme demo contest for the best rally driver. Record the best time on the Aces Criteron Stage 2 (Italy) demo map and the winner will receive a Logitech MOMO streering wheel. Read more for details ...

Bust-A-Move Bash!, previously known as Bust-A-Move Revolution, features 10 different characters, including franchise favorites Bub and Bob as well as many new additions.

Sony Europe and Relentless Software today unveiled a new addition to the Buzz! series designed specifically for the schools market. Buzz!: The Schools Quiz combines the quiz format and playability of previous Buzz! titles with bespoke Key Stage 2 National Curriculum content to create a game specifically tailored for educational use in Primary Schools.

JoWooD announced a new distribution partnership with Pinnacle Software who will distribute a number of their titles in the UK, starting with the ski simulation Ski Alpine Racing 2007, the extreme sports game Freak Out: Extreme Freeride and the counter terrorist shooter on The Mark.

NCAA March Madness returns for the 2007 season, offering custom playbooks for each team, an enhanced Dynasty Mode, and other new features.

Blizzard announced that it will co-host special midnight signing events at 4 retail locations in California, and Europe to commemorate the release of WoW: The Burning Crusade. Doors open at midnight on Jan. 15/16, allowing gamers at each location to be among the first to purchase the WoW expansion, and get it signed by Blizzard developers.

Red Mile Entertainment announced the acquisition of the assets of Canadian casual games distro and developer RoverActive Inc.

In CellFactor: Revolution, gamers can manipulate thousands of objects simultaneously, control vehicles and fight against AI-controlled opponents or challenge friends to a match in the networked gameplay modes. CellFactor: Revolution establishes a new standard in physical interaction, combining multiplayer gameplay with massive environmental destruction.

Def Jam: Icon infuses hip-hop music, culture and lifestyle into the gameplay, bringing unique and innovative content to the next generation of gaming.