Since this is turning out to be a boring news day, why not dig up some mod stuff. Noticed on HomeLan that UnrealSpeed, a racing mod for Unreal Tournament 2003, has been released. Drive a car, gliding through the twists and turns to win the race. Your car is (optionally) heavily armed, so shoot your opponent into pieces if he isn’t letting you get past him. Or drop a mine behind you to get rid of people that are trying to overtake you. UnrealSpeed uses on a lap-based system, the track goes in laps. All you need to do is drive smarter and faster than your opponents. Read more for download links ...

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!

A few weeks ago Ubi Soft Entertainment announced plans to release Kola Cell, a new level for the highly successful videogame Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell available for download via Xbox Live. Sam Fisher fans won't have to wait much longer! The new mission for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell will be available to Xbox Live subscribers beginning March 14, 2003. UbiSoft was so kind to send us a few new screens to keep you happy ...

Radica - the company behind Gamester, the UK's leading video games accessories brand - have unveiled the first products in a brand new high quality range of accessories exclusively for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP. The range includes a Kit Bag, the N-Case SP console case, the Game Case, a three-strong accessory Starter Kit and an Ultimate Essentials pack. All of these products will be released this month to coincide with the UK launch of the Game Boy Advance SP on March 28th.

As the country gears up for Spring Break, Nintendo heightens the anticipation for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP (GBA SP) through a marketing initiative targeting teens and college students, as well as an advertising program highlighting the "Brilliance" of GBA SP. In advance of its March 23 launch, GBA SP will begin to make appearances via extensive print and broadcast advertising, plus consumer sampling cameos at some of the nation's coolest "hot spots."

Feel the power of World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars 2002. Hurtle around the track at speeds in excess of 170 Mph as you race your way to the sprint car hall of fame! With jaw dropping graphics, realistic physics, and boundless white knuckle action, World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars 2002 will take your breath away. So you have what it takes to master the meanest machines on wheels? Read more and find out!

Icculus has issued another updated dedicated Linux server for MoH: Allied Assault Spearhead, allowing Linux PCs to host multiplayer games for v2.11 of the World War II FPS expansion by EA. This is still in beta stage (v3) so not the final product and the developers encourage email support! Read more for details & download links ..

Gameloft today announces the release of its wireless game: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell. Adapted from the console stealth action game of the same name (best-selling XBox title for the 2002 holiday season soon available for PC, PlayStation2 and Nintendo GameCube), the wireless version is an explosive mix of platform action game and infiltration game. Hours of fun guaranteed, with a truly great game title on your cell phone!

An ensemble of hilarious characters featured on Cartoon Networks's top-rated television programs go interactive, as Majesco, one of the fastest-growing publishers of interactive entertainment, introduces Cartoon Network Speedway for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Developed by DC Studios, the game is slated for release this July and will be the first in a series of Cartoon Network titles to be released by Majesco on GBA.

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.

The Ziff Davis Game Group announces its media sponsorship of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) on May 14-16, 2003, the second year in a row the Ziff Davis Game Group has sponsored the Expo. As part of the sponsorship, the editorial team of the Game Group will produce the E3 Show Daily, the publication that reports the ongoing developments, deals, launches and breaking news of each day of the Expo.

Last week there was a Splinter Cell patch for the US version and now UbiSoft has released a similar patch for the European version of their stealth action game Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell. This upgrade brings your retail version to v1.1 and enhances graphics quality and performance, fixes map and AI issues, and more. Read more for details and download links ...

Mad Catz Inc., the worlds leading third party manufacturer and marketer of video game accessories, today announced that the Company's full line of accessories for Nintendo's recently announced Game Boy Advance SP, will be available to European retailers in time for the launch of Game Boy Advance SP in March. Mad Catz will launch with an innovative range of core accessories for Game Boy Advance SP, which will include magnifiers, carry cases, game cases, charger kits, grips and link cables.

Game Live Events today announcedtheir "2003 Spring Game Life Tour." The 12-city tour begins on Saturday, March 1st in Houston, TX and runs through Sunday, March 30th in San Francisco, CA at top-tier regional malls throughout the US. Tour stops also include Panama City for the College Spring Break and New Orleans for Mardi Gras weekend. The tour will feature this Spring season's most highlyanticipated video and PC game titles. The tour will showcase titles that are in final build beta version or current first stage launch.

It's spike or die as players choose their team and head out to one of the 16 different volleyball courts. 'Outlaw Volleyball' will draw on the Xbox graphic capabilities to provide extremely well-rendered and fun environments with dynamic elements. From the beach house beach to the big house, the courts will feature such graphic treats as deformable sand, dynamic backgrounds and highly detailed crowds. Today we scored some new screens and a trailer showing off some in-game footage...

There is some new information on Infogrames Unreal Tournament 2003 forum, letting us know that the upcoming bonuspack is delayed (thanks Blues). They also posted up info about what they done so far for the next patch. Here is a clip from the bonuspack posting:

A lot of unexpected issues have come up that have delayed the release of the bonus pack. We had to release patch 2186 before the bonuspack, because the bonuspack relies on some functionality added in 2186. Testing and releasing that patch took a little longer than expected. Then, we had to make a new version for Germany to satisfy the German requirements to avoid having the game "indexed". After that, we had to make another patch (2199) to address the server exploits that were published.

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

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. It's been over a month since the first batch was released but as you can see from the shots, it was definitely worth the wait!

Splinter Cell has barely started showing up in stores and as promised by UbiSoft, they have just released the first patch for stealth action game Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell. This upgrade brings your retail version to v1.1 and fixes a Radeon 9700 rendering issue, a "static wall/floor fire" texture issue, and some more bugs. Read more for details and download links ...

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell sets new standards on the PlayStation2, immersing gamers in a deadly world of shadowy conspiracies and heart-pounding intrigue. State-of-the-art technology including the true-to-life dynamic lighting and shadow system, and new weather and ambient environment effects such as hazy heat, reflective surfaces, sea waves and depth and focus blurring, make Splinter Cell one of the most visually enticing titles on the system to date. Ubisoft has now confirmed that the Playstation 2 version of Splinter Cell (developed by UbiSoft Shanghai) will be released April 8, 2003.

THQ Inc. today unveiled Sphinx -an original interactive adventure game. Developed for the PS2 and Gamecube by game design veterans Eurocom, Sphinx takes the character-based, action-adventure genre to new heights with sophisticated gameplay mechanics, original character designs, amazing visuals and superior technology. Eurocom has created successful titles based on some of the strongest intellectual properties in the world of entertainment including Crash Bandicoot, James Bond, Hercules and Disney's Tarzan. Sphinx is an entirely original property inspired by the mythology of ancient Egypt and is Eurocom's most ambitious project to date. Sphinx is scheduled to ship in fall 2003.

PC game fans everywhere are excited to learn that Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, one of the hottest games of the year, has shipped and will soon be available on store shelves. Expected to blow PC game fans away, the game is already a critical success earning Editor's Choice awards from both Computer Gaming World and PC Gamer. Read more for details and a few new screens ...

Codemasters is attending this year's Game Developers Conference [GDC], March 4 – 8 in San Jose, California, with a clear mandate to acquire five A to triple-A game titles. As part of Codemasters' aggressive product acquisition programme, its team is ready to meet game developers with exceptional projects to discuss global publishing opportunities. Codemasters recently won the highly-contested publishing rights to 1C's "WWII:RTS" (to be published as Battlefield Command). With a particular interest in US-centric games, Codemasters is prioritising titles for PC, PC online, PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube formats.

Nintendo today announce the eagerly anticipated news that a limited edition bonus disk will be included with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker at launch on 3rd May. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, will include a bonus disk containing two additional Gamecube games: The N64 Classic The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and previously unreleased title The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest, which was originally designed for the N64DD. Also on the bonus disk will be additional gameplay footage including the all-new F-Zero, 1080° Avalanche, Time Splitters 2, Phantasy Star Online, Rayman 3 & Super Monkey Ball 2, all for Gamecube