Emphasizing substance and involving storyline, Nintendo introduces four new games for the Game Boy Advance to satisfy adventure and role-playing fans, while also meeting the current demand for all things magical and fantastic. Role-playing games are not just for hard-core gamers, but are one of the most popular gaming genres, accounting for approximately 20 percent of U.S. game sales.

The new titles -- Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Fire Emblem, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and Sword of Mana -- continue Nintendo's pursuit of developing deep, dynamic storylines and character-development opportunities for players. Quests in these games parallel the popularity of supernatural hits like the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies. Unlike films, these new role-playing games allow players to immerse themselves in entertainment as an interactive player versus a passive viewer.

The Japanese unit of U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp. said Thursday it has appointed Yoshihiro Murayama as general manager of the unit's Xbox division. The hire of the game-industry veteran signifies the company's commitment to catching up with industry rival Sony Corp. and its popular PlayStation 2 game console. He begins his new role on Oct. 1.

Enter the world of urban street racing and high performance tuner cars with the latest title in the hit Need for Speed series: Need for Speed Underground. Take on today’s most popular tuner cars from Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru, Toyota and many more, building the ultimate street machine by earning cash to pay for custom body kits and a host of licensed car performance mods. But just creating a custom street racing machine will not get you to the top; it takes a certain amount of attitude and razor sharp driving skills to compete in the tough world of urban racing. Check out the new & shiny screens!

Exclusively for the PlayStation 2, 'Transformers Armada: Prelude To Energon' is a revolutionary 3rd person 3-D action/adventure game. Players enter the world of Transformers as they become one of three AUTOBOT robots and control their character's every move and decision. The massive robots can explore numerous rich 3-D environments on foot or convert to vehicle mode for high-speed maneuvering. Players will battle DECEPTICON forces with an arsenal of weapons including cluster rockets, homing missiles and vortex cannons.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 2004, the number one golf title from Electronic Arts is available in stores today on four platforms. EA, continuing its exclusive partnerships with the PGA TOUR and the world's best and most famous golfer, Tiger Woods, brings new features that appeal to golf and videogame fans alike. Still the most realistic golf videogame available, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 2004 is packed with new modes and gameplay.

The Battle for Middle-earth utilizes the Generals game engine, and in the game players can select from the different "good" or "evil" campaigns, where they will be given the freedom to command a variety of major armies from the films, each with their own distinct strengths and weaknesses. Prepare for war by creating offensive and defensive strategies set in the memorable battle locations taken straight from the big screen. The Battle for Middle-earth RTS game will utilize the digital assets created for the films and will feature exclusive voiceover from the real actors as well as actual movie footage from the three films. Earlier today we were invited over to EA's HQ in Redwood City to see the game in action and brought back some awesome screens. Expect a preview SOON.

The battle for Middle-earth is about to begin...Electronic Arts officially announced today the development of The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth for the PC under the EA GAMES brand. Developed at EA Los Angeles by the same team that created the award-winning real-time strategy (RTS) PC hits Commander & Conquer Red Alert 2 and Command & Conquer Generals, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth game will capture the epic battles from The Lord of the Rings films and deliver them to PC gamers in summer 2004.

Combining real time strategy and first person action, Savage delivers the next level in multiplayer gaming. Instead of sending mindless computer drones into battle, imagine organizing real human players on a crusade to conquer your adversary. Choose to be a commander, and you will play an in-depth RTS game, researching technologies, mining resources, and issuing orders to your units. Choose to be a warrior, and you will play an intense game of first person combat, wielding your weapon of choice to strike down the enemy.

Schanz International Consultants (SIC) closes Gorky Zero publishing deal for Metropolis with Jowood. Jowood will publish the title in North America and most of the European countries while SIC maintains rights to finalise territory-wise deals in Asia.

Gorky Zero takes place a few years before the times of Gorky 17, as we participate in one of Sullivan's first missions that is a secret operation in the Ukraine. The game belongs to the popular sneak-em-up genre including a real time playmode. Cole Sullivan prefers to stay in the shadow but in the face of a real threat, he can pull out a gun and get rid of all his enemies.

Enter the world of urban street racing and high performance tuner cars with the latest title in the hit Need for Speed series: Need for Speed Underground. Take on today’s most popular tuner cars from Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru, Toyota and many more, building the ultimate street machine by earning cash to pay for custom body kits and a host of licensed car performance mods. But just creating a custom street racing machine will not get you to the top; it takes a certain amount of attitude and razor sharp driving skills to compete in the tough world of urban racing. Check out the new & shiny screens!

Electronic Arts and Disney Interactive, a publishing label of Buena Vista Games Inc., announced that Disney's Party is available in stores today for the Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance. Uncle Scrooge has invited gamers and a whole cast of Disney characters to visit his new Party Park, which he designed himself with all of his favorite youngsters in mind.

THQ and Nickelodeon today announced that Jimmy Neutron: Jet Fusion is now available for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and Nintendo GameCube at retail outlets throughout North America. A one-hour television special with the same storyline will air on Nickelodeon on October 13, the day THQ is scheduled to release the Game Boy Advance version of Jimmy Neutron: Jet Fusion.

Some of the nation's favourite video games are to be sold in a special pack to raise money for young people's charities. The video games industry's official charity, the ESC (Entertainment Software Charity), has lined up a special limited edition games pack for the PlayStation 2 which will be in all video games stockists from 26th September.

ESCAPE 2003 Special Edition pack will comprise three titles: Commandos 2: Men of Courage from Eidos, WRC II Extreme from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and SSX Tricky from Electronic Arts.

THQ Inc today announced the release of BIONICLE for Game Boy Advance. BIONICLE, the second title under THQ's multi-title exclusive publishing agreement with LEGO Interactive, is now available at retail outlets nationwide.

"BIONICLE is a fun twist on a classic brand name that is perfectly suited for the Game Boy Advance," stated Tiffany Ternan, senior vice president, North American sales and distribution. "We are happy to add the strength of the LEGO brand to our leading Game Boy Advance catalogue."

Micorsoft announced new European details for its Xbox Live service, the only fast-action, always-on broadband gaming service where gamers can simultaneously play, talk and build their legend across games and around the world. New Xbox Live-enabled countries, flexible pricing options, a trial offer for Europe, and some amazing games mean that European Xbox gamers will have a lot to look forward to this Christmas and beyond. Read more for details ...

For the first time ever, EA Games console titles including The Lord of the Rings; The Return of the King will feature online gameplay for the PS2, Electronic Arts announced today. Along with The Lord of the Rings, The Sims Bustin' Out, Need for Speed Underground, and Medal of Honor Rising Sun will allow gamers to connect and play online this holiday season. Read more for details ...

In their immeasurable greed and constant thirst for power, the thirteen most powerful Mages of all time doomed the land, hurling it into an endless spiral of chaos and despair. Entire countries were wiped out in the blink of an eye when the devastating power of the Elements was unleashed – Elements summoned by dark rituals. Continents shattered like glass, the pieces strewn about like leaves in the wind. Huge armies, bound by the the power of ancient runes, brought war and destruction to the lands that survived the initial onslaught. All that was left were a few islands, connected by magic portals. Read more for 4 tasty new screens ...

Empire Interactive plc ("Empire") has signed an exclusive deal with the Ford Motor Company to develop and publish its much anticipated Ford Racing 2.. It will be released in Q4 2003 on the PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox and PC. The game is being distributed exclusively by Take 2 Games in the US and by Empire in the UK and Europe.

Enter the world of urban street racing and high performance tuner cars with the latest title in the hit Need for Speed series: Need for Speed Underground. Take on today’s most popular tuner cars from Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru, Toyota and many more, building the ultimate street machine by earning cash to pay for custom body kits and a host of licensed car performance mods. But just creating a custom street racing machine will not get you to the top; it takes a certain amount of attitude and razor sharp driving skills to compete in the tough world of urban racing. Check out the new screens!

In their immeasurable greed and constant thirst for power, the thirteen most powerful Mages of all time doomed the land, hurling it into an endless spiral of chaos and despair. Entire countries were wiped out in the blink of an eye when the devastating power of the Elements was unleashed – Elements summoned by dark rituals. Continents shattered like glass, the pieces strewn about like leaves in the wind. Huge armies, bound by the the power of ancient runes, brought war and destruction to the lands that survived the initial onslaught. All that was left were a few islands, connected by magic portals. Read more for 4 tasty new screens ...

Logitech today announced that its two newly designed corded controllers for the PlayStation2 are now on retail shelves, ready for prime-time action. The Logitech Extreme Action Controller and the Logitech Action Controller (U.S. suggested retail price of $24.95 and $19.95, respectively) are available at retail outlets and at www.logitech.com. European pricing and availability will be announced separately.

S2 Games and iGames Publishing today announced that Savage: The Battle for Newerth has shipped to retail stores nationwide. The much anticipated real-time strategy shooter has had the gaming industry buzzing since its unveiling at this year’s E3. Savage is considered by many to be the first title to seamlessly meld two separate game genres, real-time strategy and first-person shooter, into one game. Savage has an MSRP of $49.99 and has been rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.

Electronic Arts announced today that reigning NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart will be the official cover athlete for NASCAR Thunder 2004 from EA SPORTS. Tony's likeness will appear on all NASCAR Thunder 2004 packaging and merchandising. Read more for details ...

Broadening the reach of its portfolio of brands throughout the world, Acclaim Entertainment today announced that it has formed a new publishing label, Acclaim Connected, that is dedicated to developing and licensing interactive entertainment content for global mobile gaming platforms. In July of 2003, the Company commenced its entry into the mobile gaming market with the announcement of an exclusive agreement with Vodafone Live!, offering video game content based on Acclaim's forthcoming console release, Freestyle Street Soccer, in Vodafone countries. Acclaim Connected has since expanded its mobile gaming offerings in the European market by partnering with German mobile provider O2 to create a unique video game based on its console release of XGRA: Extreme-G Racing Association.

THQ and JAKKS Pacific today announced the release of their newest World Wrestling Entertainment licensed video game, "WWE WrestleMania XIX," exclusively for Nintendo GameCube. Emphasizing simulation-style gameplay, "WWE WrestleMania XIX" features all the action, excitement and attitude of World Wrestling Entertainment. The World Wrestling Entertainment videogame franchise remains one of the biggest brands in interactive entertainment, with total sales in excess of $350 million in the U.S. alone. "WWE WrestleMania XIX" is available now at major retail outlets throughout North America.