RedOctane today launched their worldwide search for the next guitar hero! The Be a Guitar Hero II competition offers independent musicians the opportunity to have their song featured in game play for the upcoming title Guitar Hero II for the PS2.

WEBZEN announced today its lineup of PC and next generation MMOGs for showcase at the E3 in Los Angeles. Its lineup includes mainly the same titles as last year, Huxley, Soul of the Ultimate Nation and Project Wiki.

Buena Vista Games today announced it has entered into an agreement with Tokyo-based Q Entertainment Inc. to publish four new titles, in all international regions except Asia, such as Lumines II, Meteos: Disney Edition and Every Extend Extra.

Big Huge Games announced Rise of Legends went gold. Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends morphs the RTS genre into the fantasy space, allowing gamers to rampage through towering cities, flame-swept deserts and brutal ice plains in battles filled with mystic creatures, fantastic machines and stunning acts of magic.

In GRAW you command the Ghosts and Special Forces equipped with the IWS in the quest to save the president of the United States, recover stolen nuclear codes and eliminate a vicious band of renegade soldiers hell-bent on unleashing catastrophe. This demo features the second mission of the game, playable in singleplayer and co-op (LAN) with 3 other players.

On Games, Planeta DeAgostini Interactive’s producing and developing brand, proudly announces the presentation of its upcoming products at the E3 trade show. On display will be 4 new titles, PC Football 2007, Wild Summer, Shadows of War, The Legend of the Dragon. Read more for details ...

Latest issue of Japanese Famitsu has word that Koei will bring its beat'em to the Xbox 360, scheduled for release in Japan this summer. Samurai Warriors 2 will feature several changes compared to the original. You will be able to select from 20 characters each offering different ways of fighting, no load times when the action changes from interior to exterior battles, and new combo configurations and better special attacks.

Infernal, previously known as Diabolique: License to sin, is a 3rd person action adventure that is set in a present day scenario, with stunning environments and strong characters. The story relates to the eternal conflict between good and evil, confronted in supernatural intelligence agencies.

CivCity: Rome is new city building strategy game inspired by the world of Sid Meier's Civilization. Developed by Firefly Studios, CivCity: Rome, gamers will recreate the glory of Rome by building a small settlement into a mighty imperial city.

FreeStyle Street Basketball is a fast-paced online basketball game where players meet on virtual courts to challenge each other in a dynamic pick-up game environment, featuring cutting-edge music, fashions and gravity defying basketball moves.

SEGA announced Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz developed by SEGA Studios for the Nintendo Revolution. AiAi and all his friends have rolled their way onto Nintendo's new console with new mind-blowing puzzle levels and a wealth of new and exciting Party Games specifically designed to fully exploit the innovative Revolution controller.

Fight in the theatre of war that changed the world forever. Battle alongside your compatriots on some of the most inhospitable environments of the Eastern Front in Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 RO places you in the most realistic WWII first-person multi-player combat to date, allowing the player to fight through some of the most intense combat of the war.

In Tycoon City: New York, players become moguls by constructing and customizing hundreds of businesses and famous landmarks anywhere and anyway they want in a bustling simulation of New York City. Players must create and improve their businesses to outclass the competition, and become rich and famous in New York City.

As promised, EA has released The Battle for Middle-earth 2 v1.03 patch which includes numerous technical fixes, increased de-sync fixes, extensive balance changes, and the addition of five brand new multiplayer maps - all new locations to BFME 2, and one of which is the return of a popular BFME 1 multiplayer map, Fords of Isen.

Another day, another batch of game trailers was released. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are trailers for :

• Titan Quest - Trailers (2)
• Lost Planet: Extreme Condition [X360] - Trailer #2
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Various online sources are claiming that a leaked Bethesda release schedule reveals that The Elder Scrolls IV is headed for Sony's next-gen PS3 console, as well as its PSP, and would be scheduled for November 2006 (thanks Modojo). When contacted, Bethesda's PR guru Pete Hines said there were no announced plans to bring Oblivion to any platforms other than PC or Xbox 360. This doesn't mean it's not true because if it were announced, it would not be a rumor. Bethesda has not yet released its E3 lineup, so that might shed some light on the matter ...

Delivering on the franchise's compelling story, unrivaled authenticity and intense squad-based action, Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway drops you into Operation Market-Garden, the largest airborne operation of World War II. Gearbox has launched a teaser website where you can unlock screens by answering WW II related questions, but we thought we'd save you the trouble.

Walt Disney Internet Group today announced today that its MMO Toontown Online is getting an expansion, Lawbot Headquarters, designed for advanced players and delivers more challenges and enemies, including new stealth-based gameplay and an epic final battle.

In The Hustle: Detroit Streets you are an unknown pool player, down on luck and out of money, and you must make a name for yourself by becoming the top player in the city by racking up points and earning cash.

Electronic Arts today announced a settlement on overtime wages for current and former programmers of its California studios. Under the agreement, claims will be dismissed, and EA will make a $14.9 million payment to cover claims by the class members, plaintiffs' attorney fees, incentive payments, and administrative costs.

Wild Earth is a graphically spectacular safari adventure set in the heart of Africa, offering gamers a breathtaking journey through the Serengeti National Park. This demo features one mission, capture elephants on film, but includes the full game which can be unlocked when you purchase a registration key.

An EA community update reveals details on the next Battlefield 2 v1.3 patch, which will add a Co-op Mode, allowing you to play singeplayer levels on the Internet and LAN with both AI controlled bots and human players, and also allows you to send request for air dropping vehicles at your location. The new patch will of course also fix a few bugs, crashes and add several gameplay tweaks.

Another day, another batch of games shipped to stores. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are announcements for:

• Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (PS2)
• Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny (PS2)
• Black & White 2: The Battle of the Gods (PC)
• LostMagic (NDS)
• OutRun 2006: Coast-2-Coast (PSP/PS2/Xbox/PC)
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  We will update this throughout the day when new announcements become available. Read more for details...

Galactic Civilizations II takes place in the distant future, when mankind has become a space-faring civilization and must contend with other extraterrestrial powers for domination of the galaxy. Stardock has released a v1.1 retail patch, which includes a ton of updates and corrections. Read more for a (really) detailed change log and download links ...

According to GamePolitics, Oklahoma senators unanimously passed HB3004 yesterday, 47-0, a bill which considers games and pornography to be in the same category. This bill amends an existing law, which prohibits anything "harmful to minors," to encompass "inappropriate violence." The bill also unanimously passed through the Oklahoma house in March, so its next stop is the desk of Governor Brad Henry. If Henry signs it, HB3004 will become law as early as November 1, 2006.