Videogame publisher Capcom has launched a special telephone helpline for consumers scared from playing its latest title Resident Evil Zero. Available now on 08700 46 55 20 (calls charged at national rates), the line has been designed explicitly to offer comfort and reassurance to terrified gamers. Players simply ring up and listen to the two-minute recorded message scripted by a top psychologist. Once the call is completed, they should feel much more calm.

Do you remember raving away back in the day? Ever recall those awesome sweatbox raves, laced with fluorescent lazers and dirty smoke, euphoric, high-octane tunes and long-haired ravers, sporting accessories that would look better on Ali G these days? If plastic whistles, dummies, moon boots, white gloves and glow sticks revive fond memories in you then eJay salute you and have just what you need! Beep beep beep. Parp. Where's the Party? Read more for the pressrelease!

Ubi Soft Entertainment today announced that the highly anticipated World War II combat flight simulation IL-2: Forgotten Battles has shipped to retailers in North America.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today that five additional major recording artists have agreed to provide music and video content for the upcoming rhythm-action game, Amplitude, exclusively for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. Adding to the mass-appealing music roster of Amplitude, newly signed acts include Herbie Hancock, Papa Roach, Baldwin Brothers, Production Club, and Manchild. These artists will join other major recording artists on the Amplitude roster that include blink 182, David Bowie, Dieselboy, Freezepop, Garbage, Logan 7, Mekon, Quarashi, and Weezer. Developed by Harmonix Music Systems, Amplitude allows players to become a rhythmical DJ and jam with more than 25 diverse songs in virtual, vibrant, interactive musical environments while mixing and remixing hit songs during offline and online gameplay.

Funcom has today unlocked Anarchy Online accounts for a 30 day free trial of the The Notum Wars. The motivation behind the initiative is to allow people to try out the award-winning booster pack with their old characters.

NovaLogic is pleased to announce that the competition to find who can build the best Delta Force - Black Hawk Down Fan Site on the Web will begin on March 5th, 2003! To help get people started, NovaLogic is providing some basic assets in a Web Design Kit. These include screenshots, vehicles, characters, weapons, logos and box art. Entrants may also explore the NovaLogic website (www.novalogic.com) and the Internet for additional material. Entrants are not required to use all the assets in this kit.

Can you lead Ace Lightning on his mission to defeat the evil Lord Fear and send him and his gang back to prison in the sixth dimension? Taking the CGI characters, the storyline and the humour from CBBC's leading drama, this third person action adventure is set for release on PlayStation 2 this Spring.

SCI is pleased announce the street date for Conflict: Desert Storm on GameCube as 18th April 2003. The highly anticipated launch comes a month earlier than anticipated and riding a wave of keen specialist press interest. Already flagged as a key GameCube release for the year, it will benefit from the increased retail activity of the Easter holidays... "Cube version gets bigger explosions, a higher frame rate, "dynamic aiming" and four-player split-screen"

Essential Reality, Inc. a developer and integrator of leading-edge sensory and real-time remote tracking devices, announced today that the P5 Software Development Kit (SDK) for PlayStation2 is now available for download on the Sony Computer Entertainment America developer website. The SDK, which is being offered exclusively to licensed members of the PlayStation2 game development community, is being released in an effort to support the development of P5-enabled gaming content.

Midway Games Inc. announced today that Freaky Flyers, the first-and-only, fast-and-furious, 3-D airplane cart racing-adventure game is scheduled to ship in July for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and Nintendo GameCube.

GarageGames today announced its Game Developer's Conference (GDC) showcase of games. The company plans to premiere ThinkTanks a cartoon styled tank game from BraveTree Productions, preview a new release of Orbz with a single player mode from 21-6 Productions and display the highly acclaimed Marble Blast from GarageGames and Monster Studios.

Eidos Interactive, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, announces an exciting partnership with multi-platinum recording artists the Insane Clown Posse (ICP) and Psychopathic Records for the forthcoming video game Backyard Wrestling. The partnership allows Eidos usage of ICP songs for the in-game soundtrack and multiple marketing co-opportunities at ICP concerts and Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) events in addition to events at retail. Gamers will be able to unlock exclusive ICP content on the game disc as well as play as ICP's lead-singers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope in the game.

Set in Somalia in 1993, Delta Force – Black Hawk Down is based upon and around the Operation Restore Hope and Task Force Ranger campaigns and follows members of the elite Delta Force and US Army Rangers as they participate in a number of daring raids against the oppressive Somali warlords in and around Mogadishu. Read more for a batch of new screens ..

Jaleco Entertainment brings exciting new car action to North American audiences this fall with the tentatively titled Lowrider, exclusively on the PS2. Read more for details ...

Eidos Interactive today announced its exciting partnership with multi-platinum recording artists the Insane Clown Posse (ICP), Psychopathic Records and the Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This At Home video games for the PS2 and Xbox. The games are scheduled for release this summer. Read more for details ...

Konami of America today announced that the celebrated videogame franchise Castlevania will debut on the Sony PS2 in Fall 2003. Castlevania for PS2 is being reinvented from the ground up by legendary game producer, Koji Igarashi at Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, and the creative team behind the critically acclaimed Castlevania Symphony of the Night (PS1), the award-winning Castlevania Harmony of Dissonance (GBA) and the all-new adventure Castlevania Aria of Sorrow scheduled for release on May 6, 2003 (GBA). Set against the backdrop of a gothic Transylvania, Castlevania for PS2 will plunge players into a fantastic new vampire-hunting adventure. Maximizing the processing power of the console, the ominous drama of the franchise will be realized through exhilarating action, a rich story, breathtaking environments, dazzling next-generation graphics and a sweeping musical soundtrack.

Kemco and Vidis, two veterans of the games industry, agreed exclusive distribution for all Kemco-titles for the German market... Since 1984, Kemco has produced over 100 titles including the popular Top Gear racing games and Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle series for a wide variety of video game platforms. An original Nintendo licensee, Kemco works closely with DC Comics, Warner Bros. and Universal Studios on ongoing video game projects. Currently Kemco's development teams are creating games for Nintendo's next generation platforms, as well as Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox.

Sony are once again accepting applications for the PlanetSide Public Beta Test. Those of you who have already submitted beta applications will not need to re-apply. PlanetSide is a Massively Multiplayer Online First-Person Shooter involving thousands of players fulfilling all the roles needed to wage war across the face of ten gigantic continents. The war will involve infantry, ground vehicles, and air battles in a science-fiction setting.

Planet Duke now got an updated version of the official Duke Nukem Forever FAQ. Pretty much everything known about DNF can be found in the official FAQ. If it's not there then it's probably not known. So we urge you all to check out the FAQ for all your questions. Today's update of the FAQ adds several new pieces of information including info about all the talk on shipping DNF out in DVD cases, Bombshell and whether or not she's still in the game, system requirements and more. Head on over to the official DNF FAQ now!

IL-2: Forgotten Battles is the full-featured sequel to the hugely popular, multi-award winning IL-2: Sturmovik World War II combat flight simulation. Created by 1C Maddox Games, IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles adds new maps and missions for both single and multiplayer play, as well as dozens of new World War II aircraft, including the American P-47 "Thunderbolt" and German Ju-87 "Stuka," a new dynamic campaign system, and several other features for almost limitless replayability. A new batch of screens showing off some raw Geforce4 power, various aircrafts and cockpit details ...

CDV Software Entertainment UK has upped the ante in its virtual War of Independence by doubling the amount on offer to entrants. Thanks to the generosity of the sponsors - The Overclocking Store, Pure Digital, Saitek, Gainward and Logitech - the total value of prizes available to players competing in this prestigious online tournament has now topped an astonishing $20,000 - the largest ever offered by CDV to its players.

Xbox, the future-generation video game console that delivers new and unforeseen gameplay experiences, today announced that Xbox owners can get caught up on the journey of Ryo Hazuki to avenge his father's death through the "Shenmue The Movie" DVD. The DVD will come bundled with the Xbox exclusive "Shenmue II" when the game ships in Europe on 21st March. The DVD is 90 minutes long and features English or Japanese voice-overs with the option for Japanese subtitles, and is playable on the Xbox with DVD remote or PAL DVD players.

Konami of Europe has announced that Silent Hill 3 - the latest title in the hugely popular horror series - will be released for PlayStation 2 on May 23rd - several weeks before Japanese and US fans can sample its macabre delights.

Microsoft today announced that the first batch of new downloadable content is now available for "MechAssault" via Xbox Live. In this first update, players will find two new multiplayer maps which support all five of the current gametypes and two agile new 'Mechs: Raven and Corvus. The new maps include Hell's Kitchen, a fiery volcanic world; and Stone Cold, a frigid snowy environment. These new items will greatly expand multiplayer play, and this update is available for no additional charge.

Entertainment software developer and publisher NovaLogic, Inc. is pleased to announce the arrival of the ultimate covert operations compilation – The Special Forces Pack. This exciting three game pack contains two of the best selling titles in the history of the tactical first person genre: Delta Force and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six. Combined, these ground breaking franchises have sold more than 10,000,000 units. In addition, the pack also includes the acclaimed title Shadow Force: Razor Unit. The Special Forces Pack is in stores now, SRP $19.99