The world’s most insane off-road rally race returns to the consoles bigger and badder than ever before with Dakar 2: Special Stages Racing for the GameCube and Xbox. Choose from a vast assortment of fully licensed trucks, cars and motorcycles in which you’ll compete against the elements that mother-nature has placed in your path to victory. This is a no holds barred quest for world rally supremacy! Check out these new screens as well as an in-game trailer ...

Need For Speed (NFS) is back and better than ever in Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 2! Engage in the thrill of arcade racing with over 22 exclusive and exotic cars from the world's most coveted licensors including Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini… to name a few. 12 tracks (48 variations) and two career event trees, for a grand total of 66 events, provide the widest variety of driving challenges. EA has just released a new patch adressing multiplayer encryption and adding support for a bunch of steering wheels. Read more for download links...

Atari is bringing "Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee," a one-to-four player monster-on-monster fighting game, to the Xbox video game system from Microsoft in Spring 2003. Based on the classic movie characters created by Toho Co., Ltd., the game recreates the look and feel of the titanic film legends and challenges players to punch, kick, stomp, throw and blast each other in massive, city-wide arenas. "Godzilla®: Destroy All Monsters Melee," developed by Pipeworks Studios, is currently available on the Xbox.

"Spellforce – The Order of Dawn", the latest game by Volker Wertich, inventor of the successful "Settlers" series, is an exquisite combination of well-known RTS elements and the best features of roleplaying and tactical games. Today JoWood released some new screens as well as a beautiful 3min trailer (in quite large divx format) showing off some in game action.

With just under one month to go until the February 14th launch of IGI 2: Covert Strike, gamers can today experience covert action IGI style with launch of the single-player demo of Codemasters’ stunning stealth-based shooter. This standalone PC demo is now available for download.. Read more for download links and also a all-new IGI 2 video entitled “Scope”.

UbiSoft just informed us that their eagerly anticipated stealth/action title Splinter Cell has been delayed and is now expected somewhere mid February. The delay is cause due to copy protection implementation. Rumours about RavenShield also being delayed have no yet been confirmed. More information to come ...

Radica UK Ltd, manufacturers of the market leading Gamester peripherals have announced that they will be launching a complete range of accessories Game Boy Advance SP. Details of the line up are due to be confirmed over the coming weeks, but will continue to uphold the strong Gamester brand values of high quality and innovation.

Splinter Cell will grant players access to the highest echelons of national security, where shadowy operatives have the freedom to do whatever it takes to safeguard America. In Splinter Cell, the player controls Sam Fisher, a field operative of a secretive "black-ops" NSA sub-agency called Third Echelon. Sam Fisher is geared up to infiltrate high-security strongholds, seize critical intelligence, destroy threatening data and neutralize the enemy - all without leaving a trace. Last week UbiSoft announced Splinter Cell going multiplatform, today we serve up some new screens from the PS2/GBA version

SpectraVideo plc are about to launch two new Logic3 Flightstick controllers for the Xbox and Gamecube consoles. The Logic3 Flightstick controllers are the perfect partners for games such as Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2 and Jedi StarFighter; Yager; Jane's Attack Squadron and even games like Battle Engine Aquila.

In former Cubans and Russian bases operating in Africa, there is evidence of a huge amount of the nuclear arsenal from the time of the cold war. It is concretely about the nuclear military warheads, plutonium and briefcase atomic bombs. For this purpose, it will be elaborated a program for removing of all materials form the mentioned bases. Of course, the program will be secret to keep these information away from the public especially concerning to the topic of the lost nuclear arsenal form the former military deposit of the Soviet Union. For this purpose, special garrison of a heavy freight carrier type IL76 will be chosen, which will collect this "PACKAGE" and it will export back to Russia. On the way back, after undertaking of the concrete "PACKAGE", the airplane will getting lost. SPECNAZ are coming on the stage.

UPDATE: The official SPECNAZ: Project Wolf website has been updated with new weapon screens, go check them out.

Ubi Soft announced today that it will release Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell for the PS2 as well as for GameCube and Game Boy Advance by spring 2003. Impatient fans will be treated to a PC-version of the blockbuster game earlier this year. Today we serve up a few new PS2 screens as well as a batch of new PC screens.. Njoy!

Nintendo today unveils the latest incarnation of the Game Boy Advance, the Game Boy Advance SP. Guaranteed to meet the needs of the hippest gamers who demand premium quality both in design and technology, this sleek new addition to the range is set to launch in Europe on 28 March 2003.

Pocketeers are delighted to announce that their company has recently signed a deal with New Jersey based Destination Software Inc. to produce Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed for the Nintendo Gameboy Advance platform. The game will utilise their renowned C2 engine technologies, to produce fully featured 3D environments and vehicles along with a realistic physics engine to give the gamer as thrilling racing experience as possible on GBA. The product will feature a much upgraded version of the Pocketeer 3D racing engine shown on their 3D racing engine pages

THQ today announced that it will publish Rainbow Studios' "Splashdown 2," the sequel to the critically acclaimed, top-selling "Splashdown." Inspired by the spectacle and excitement of theme parks and thrill rides, "Splashdown 2" will have players blasting through massive, imaginative locales with amazing sights and startling events around every corner. "Splashdown 2" is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2 in summer 2003. Read more and check out the first screens ...

Splinter Cell will grant players access to the highest echelons of national security, where shadowy operatives have the freedom to do whatever it takes to safeguard America. In Splinter Cell, the player controls Sam Fisher, a field operative of a secretive "black-ops" NSA sub-agency called Third Echelon. Sam Fisher is geared up to infiltrate high-security strongholds, seize critical intelligence, destroy threatening data and neutralize the enemy - all without leaving a trace. A new "making of" trailer is now available for download, featuring in game footage and comments from UbiSoft Canada producer Mathieu Ferland. Read more for links where to grab it...

Set during the last year of the war in Europe, June 1944 to May 1945, the Medal of Honor: Allied Assault Expansion Pack gives players a sense of the courage it took to parachute behind enemy lines during Operation Overlord, halt the German counter offensive during the Battle of the Bulge, and engage the Germans as they desperately try to defend their capital, Berlin. Check out the review, as short as the add-on itself!

"Spellforce – The Order of Dawn", the latest game by Volker Wertich, inventor of the successful "Settlers" series, is an exquisite combination of well-known RTS elements and the best features of roleplaying and tactical games. Check out these 4 breathtaking new screens ...

Although the Splinter Cell PC demo was embargoed until 6PM CET (12PM EST) it seems that the people at FilePlanet have jumped the gun and decided to beat the crowd. Either way, now that the cat is out of the bag, we decided there was no point in waiting any further and activated out links. This demo features Tbislisi 1, Tbilisi3 and Kalinatek missions from the full game. Read more for links where to grab the goods ...

SEGA of America, Inc. announced the release of "SEGA Sports NHL 2K3" for the GameCube. As the most true-to-life hockey simulation, "SEGA Sports NHL 2K3" successfully replicates the sport's details such as lifelike goalie maneuvers, strategic line changes, battling for the puck against the boards and extensive individual player and team attributes that result in ultra-realistic play. Produced by Visual Concepts Entertainment, a SEGA development studio, and developed by Treyarch LLC, "SEGA Sports NHL 2K3" provides the features that hockey fans covet, from an in-depth Franchise Mode and full lineup of NHL and International teams to its authentic ESPN telecast-style presentation.

THQ and Nickelodeon today announced the release of "SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman" for the Nintendo GameCube. This underwater adventure is based on Nickelodeon's pop culture phenomenon, "SpongeBob SquarePants" -- the highest rated program on kids' TV -- drawing 61.5 million viewers per month, more than 21 million of them aged 18-49. "SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman" for GameCube is now available at retailers nationwide.

Splinter Cell will grant players access to the highest echelons of national security, where shadowy operatives have the freedom to do whatever it takes to safeguard America. In Splinter Cell, the player controls Sam Fisher, a field operative of a secretive "black-ops" NSA sub-agency called Third Echelon. Sam Fisher is geared up to infiltrate high-security strongholds, seize critical intelligence, destroy threatening data and neutralize the enemy - all without leaving a trace. Developed by Ubi Soft's Montreal Studio in Canada, Splinter Cell, is a unique experience that will have the player thinly skate on the fine line that separates fact from fiction. A new gameplay trailer and a "making of" are now available for download, read more for links ...

SEGA Sports NBA 2K3 powers forward with the kind of improvement that only results from an off-season dedicated to perfection. Imagine jump shots so real players actually adjust their movement in mid-air based on distance from the hoop and defensive pressure, a passing touch that gives you the control to skirt a defender or start a fast break, and dribble moves that let you jab left, rock right, crossover, spin and much more. It's all here in NBA 2K3.

Once again the official forum for Splinter Cell over at Ubi.com has been updated with more info regarding the upcoming demo for Splinter Cell.. Here is the full clip:

• The demo will be around 90 MB.
  
• A complete level from the first mission of the game is included.
  
• You get access to numerous items including the optic cable, night/thermal vision goggles and disposable lock picks.
  
• Revolutionary graphics with dynamic lighting and environmental effects.
  
  The full retail version will be available for the PC on January 21st.

Just noticed on Shacknews that according to this post on the official Ubi Soft forums, we PC gamers will finally get the chance to play Splinter Cell next week. The PC demo will debut next Thursday, December 19. Thanks, Kurashu! Now THAT is something to be all excited about!!!

SpellForce is the latest creation of Phenomic Games , the team surrounding Volker Wertich, whose claim to fame includes designing and creating the world-famous 'Settlers' series... Today JoWooD launched the official website for Spellforce: The Order of Dawn. The site includes weekly news updates, screenshots and general game information, they will also be giving you a glimpse behind the scenes with making-of videos, concept art, sketches and other goodies. In addition, every month will feature a closer look at a new race – first in line are the Elves.