Vivendi announced today that the PS2 first-person shooter Cold Winter has gone gold. The shockingly gritty FPS will immerse gamers in a modern and deep story set in the shadowy world of international espionage. Developed by UK-based Swordfish Studios, Cold Winter is set to hit retail shelves this May.

Foundation 9 Entertainment today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Pipeworks Software, an independent studio focusing on development of entertainment software titles for major software publishers. After the transaction is completed, Pipeworks will continue to develop video games for the PS2, Xbox, and the PSP.

The new game will follow the plot of the original "From Russia with Love" film, including the battle on the Orient Express and the boat chase sequence, but will expand the story with new action sequences. The development team approached the game as a director's cut of the film, which will allow the player to utilize such cool toys as the jetpack and a Q-copter as well as the trusty Walther PPK handgun. The game is set for release in the fall on PS2, Xbox and GameCube.

Namco announced today that Dead to Rights II has shipped to retail outlets throughout North America for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Featuring relentless action and a hard-hitting crime storyline, Dead to Rights II is rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB.

Microsoft Game Studios announced today that BioWare's action-RPG game Jade Empire has punched into North American retail outlets and is now available for an estimated price of $49.95 (U.S.). Jade Empire will be available in Europe starting on April 22.

Namco announced today that the latest epic adventure in the enormously popular "Tales" franchise, "Tales of Legendia," will be coming to the U.S. market exclusively for the PS2. Read more for details and screens ...

Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition is the quintessential racing game for any true aficionado of the automotive and racing lifestyle, and is the only game to offer a full range of street vehicle culture including over 50 fully customizable licensed vehicles. The full spectrum includes import tuners, motorcycles and luxury rides all of which are fully customizable in both style and performance.

Got Game Entertainment and co-publisher Merscom today announced that Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition for the PC has shipped to retail stores across North America. The combat-oriented and story-driven RPG casts you in a world where God is dead and religion heresy.

Etrom is an epic adventure among realms and cities, democracies and “nazi” dictatorships, a journey through space-time portals, among the Thrones of the Abyss, beyond the gates of the City of Light and many more locations, situations, rituals, secret-services plots, dark spells.

Game Factory Interactive has released the first details for MiST Land South's Jagged Alliance 3D. Taking place in West Africa, you are contacted to intervene in a nuclear arms race which could destabilize the region. You are sent in to overthrow the government and restore stability in the area, but of course the current rulers are not going to let that happen without a fight. Read more for game details, features and a new screen.

In Kirby: Canvas Curse, it's up to you to use your magic paintbrush (stylus) to guide the pink hero, stun enemies, and launch special attacks. Read more to check out the new screens ...

City Interactive is working on an addon for its Terrorist Takedown action game, Payback. Scheduled for an April release, Terrorist Takedown: Payback is a standalone expansion pack in which the player once againtakes on the role of GIs fighting against terrorrism. The expansion incorporates various gameplay improvements over the original title and adds 10 new missions, and lets you fly AH 64-Apache, control the .50 caliber humvee machine gun, or take aim with an antitank cannon.

EA and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire videogame, scheduled for a November 2005 release in conjunction with the film based on J.K. Rowling's fourth book. The title will be available on all current consoles, handhelds, and the PC.

Activision today announced that the company has signed an agreement with SOE to publish Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade for PSP in all territories excluding U.S., Canada and Japan, as well as those areas serviced by SCEA. Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade is the only multiplayer action role-playing game currently available for the PSP.

Today Ready at Dawn, new dev studio formed by ex-Naughty Dog and former Blizzard people, announced that it is working on a new action/adventure product revolving around Jak's former sidekick. While not many details are available yet, 1UP revealed that you will be able to exchange data between Jak X on the PS2 and the new Daxter PSP title, to unlock new playable characters.

Revealed a little while ago, HD Interactive and Mithis today officially announced their new real-time strategy game for the PC entitled Joint Task Force. The game, a state-of-the-art military RTS with a contemporary setting, is scheduled for a worldwide release in Q2 2006.

Konami Corp announced that it will make its affiliate game software maker Hudson Soft Co a subsidiary through a private offering of new shares later this month. Responding to a capital infusion request from the financially troubled Hudson, Konami will buy 3 million new Hudson shares on April 27 for 1.43 billion yen. Previously Konami already owned 45% of the company, and after the acquisition of shares clims to 54%. Hudson Soft currently has 540 employees, but the upcoming restructuring will surely slim that number down.

The "Constantine" mobile game features lush 3-D rendered environments, fast-paced action, an interactive supporting cast and mini-games strategically placed throughout the story to enhance the player experience. Armed with a variety of weapons and magic spells, gamers can delve into John's sordid history as he races against time to fend off half-demons howling for his blood.

Ace Combat Advance casts the player as a pilot in the United Air Defense. As the newest recruit, you must help the UAD to destroy the Air Strike Force and bring General Resources Ltd., an evil worldwide economic superpower, to its knees.

Dead to Rights II marks the return of action-hero Jack Slate and his K-9 companion, Shadow. In this super-charged sequel, Jack and Shadow find themselves once again in the squalid, mean streets of Grant City, ensnared in a labyrinth of crime, corruption and betrayal.

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

• Jak X: Combat Racing - Trailer
• Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition - Trailer #4
• Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern - Teaser Trailer
• Fire Emblem [NGC] - Trailer #2
• Dragonshard - Dev Diary #5

Today Ubisoft announced the creation of a new videogame development studio that will employ 200 designers, animators and programmers in Quebec City. This announcement is part of the recently announced project to create 1000 new jobs by 2010 in Quebec, thereby bringing its total number of employees to 2000 in the province.

Project: Snowblind is a the first-person action shooter putting you in the role of an elite super soldier, fighting on the front lines of a near-future war using unique weapons, abilities and high-tech gadgetry that inject depth and variety to gameplay. Eidos has released a demo for Crystal Dynamics' latest shooter featuring an intro sequence and the Opera House level. Read more for download links ...