SEGA today announced an agreement to acquire and publish next-generation game content from Silicon Knights, the Ontario, Canada-based development team responsible for such hits as MGS: The Twin Snakes, Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, and Eternal Darkness. The partnership brings SEGA more Western-developed content in preparation for high-growth opportunities presented by next-generation hardware platforms.

id Software has released a new patch for its FPS DOOM 3. This update brings your retail game to v1.3 and synchronizes the original with the expansion pack, adds Punkbuster support, sound enhancements, fixes various multiplayer issues, etc. An updated SDK is also available. Read more for details and download links ...

Psychologists and psychiatrists estimate that even before the new wave of gaming consoles hits the stores, one in eight players already suffers from some kind of video game dependency. Stories of neglected toddlers, sleep deprevation, suicide and marriages crumbling are not out of the ordinary anymore as more and more people are becoming victims of America's newest social scourge ... video game addiction.

The Witcher is an Action RPG game for PC platform, which combines the features of such games as Dungeon Siege, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, Gothic and Neverwinter Nights. The game is supposed to ensure entertainment to a broad group of older players, incorporating simple yet interesting game system, along with a complex plot and attractive 3-D graphics. Read more for details & screens ...

Ducati World Championship is a 360° view into the world of motorcycle racing allowing you to take up a career as a pilot racing in the amateur, semi professional and professional racing classes, intent on reaching the Superbike and the Grand World Championship.

SNK PLAYMORE announced today that it has shipped a Metal Slug 4 & 5 bundle pack for the PS2 to retailers across North America. The Metal Slug 4 & 5 bundle pack has a suggested retail price of $39.99.

Check out the following new screens from Bethesda's 2005 E3 lineup:

• 'Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth' (Xbox/PC) - Screens
• 'The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion' (X360/PC) - Screens & Trailer
• 'IHRA Drag Racing Sportsman Edition' (PS2/Xbox) - Screens
• 'NTRA Breeder's Cup' (PS2/Xbox) - Screens
  

Check out the following new screens from Buena Vista's 2005 E3 lineup:

• 'Chicken Little' (GBA/NGC/PS2/Xbox) - Screens
• 'Cinderella: Magical Dreams ' (GBA) - Screens
• 'Disney's Lizzie McGuire & That's So Raven' (NDS) - Screens
• 'Herbie Fully Loaded' (GBA) - Screens
• 'Kim Possible: Kimmunicator' (NDS) - Screens
• 'Kim Possible 3: Team Possible' (GBA) - Screens
• 'Kingdom Hearts II' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Lizzie McGuire 3: Homecoming Havoc' (GBA) - Screens
• 'The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge' (PS2/Xbox) - Screens
• 'That's So Raven 2: Supernatural Style' (GBA) - Screens

Ubisoft has just released a new patch for Blue Byte's RTS Settlers 4. This upgrade brings your Settlers 4 retail game to v2.50.1516A, is for all versions of Settlers IV, and fixes a crash during start up which occurred on some systems. Read more for details and download links.

Ubisoft announced today that it has joined forces with Bandai to publish and distribute Lumines in Europe. This critically acclaimed music and luminary action puzzle is slated for release in conjunction with the official launch of the PSP in Europe.

Autodesk today announced 3ds Max software support for Sony's tools & middleware program for the PlayStation 3, allowing game developers to realize their next-generation game ideas in High Definition (HD).

Ubisoft today announced The Settlers: Heritage of Kings Expansion Disk, a new add-on for The Settlers: Heritage of Kings, the popular construction-based strategy game series. The expansion pack extends the story of the original game with a fresh campaign, additional units and buildings, new gameplay features, a map editor and three exclusive heroes.

The Bard's Tale will eschew genre clichés in favor of intelligent humor for an original and truly entertaining experience. inXile's development focus on the RPG genre comes from Brian Fargo's long legacy of delivering standard-setting RPGs to market. This updated demo features a tutorial and one level from Chapter VI: The Mountain Pass area (Mountain Tomb). Read more for download links ...

Where do you take an aging platformer franchise that's still got a big following? You apparently turn it into a racing game, and a rather cool-looking one. Then you sneak an action game onto the PSP, starring your franchise's amusing sidekick. Jak X: Combat Racing and Daxter will be able to link up in a way never before seen in Sony products, letting fans unlock even more bonus material and extra gameplay.

Square-Enix's booth this year was awesome, but one game towered over all the rest in terms of storytelling, gameplay, and graphical quality. That game was the #1 RPG of E3, Dragon Quest VIII. This title promises to give players a trip back to the days when an RPG was about becoming the hero of your own story, while still delivering the immersive experience modern fans have come to expect from Square-Enix.

Amid all the hype and screaming about the Xbox 360, which definitely deserves it, Sony's remained silent about its intentions for the PS3. But at E3 this year they finally showed off the first floor models and first teaser footage for this next gen system. Does the Cell processor have what it takes to keep Sony on top for another hardware generation? The answer just might be yes.

In Gods and Heroes, players become classic heroes of the ancient world, born of immortal blood. As a scion of the gods, each player will have the opportunity to pursue his destiny through a series of epic quests that will span all levels of gameplay, over time commanding amazing God Powers and acquiring famous weapons and treasure of myth.

What is with platformers turning into racing games lately? Crash Tag Team Racing is the way the Crash Bandicoot franchise handles the transition, by dividing the game equally into platforming and racing halves. With polished, traditional gameplay for the action half and the unique Clash mechanic for the racing, Crash Tag Team Racing is shaping up to be a unique experience.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is an online action RPG scheduled for PC in the first half of 2006. A mix of a deep, story-driven single-player experience and a massive and brutal multiplayer end-game brings forth the ultimate representation of the Age of Conan. Now you can enter the brutal domain of the world's greatest fantasy hero.

Night Watch is a tactical RPG using the Silent Storm engine and based on material from Russian writer Lukyanenko. Situated in the not-so-distant future, the game will have you battle vampires, werewolves and other creatures throughout various European cities. No specific release date is mentioned (thanks Mario). Read more for details and screens ...

Check out the following new screens from SEGA's 2005 E3 lineup:

• 'Condemned: Criminal Origins' (X360) - Screens
• 'Full Auto' (X360) - Screens
• 'Gunstar Super Heroes' (GBA) - Screens
• 'NHL: Eastside Hockey Manager 2005' - Screens
• 'Phantasy Star Universe' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Shadow the Hedgehog' (NGC/PS2/Xbox) - Screens
• 'Shining Force Neo' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Sonic Gems Collection' (NGC) - Screens
• 'Sonic Rush' (NDS) - Screens
• 'Spartan: Total Warrior' (NGC/PS2/Xbox) - Screens
• 'Virtua Tennis World Tour' (PSP) - Screens

Check out the following new screens from Square Enix's 2005 E3 lineup:

• 'Code Age Commanders' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Dirge of Cerberus - Final Fantasy VII' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia' (PS2/PC) - Screens
• 'Final Fantasy XII' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Front Mission Online' (PS2/PC) - Screens
• 'Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Kingdom Hearts II' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Radiata Stories' (PS2) - Screens
• 'Romancing SaGa' (PS2) - Screens

Valve's SteamPowered website has been updated with details regarding yet another update for its Counterstrike Source, fixing a hang bug and re-releasing changes from Thursday's update. The Source Engine and Steam also get a few fixes and tweaks. Just restart Steam for the effects to take place.

Gears of War blends the best of tactical action games with the best of survival horror titles, thrusting gamers into the harrowing story of humankind's battle for survival against the Locust Horde, creating cinematic, high-definition visuals so intense and powerful, it feels like the gamers are controlling a blockbuster action movie. In an interview with EuroGamer, Microsoft's J. Allard confirmed that Epic's X360 launch title Gears of War will also be coming to the PC, "Gears Of War will be on both platforms, but it might be on one before the other. That's a little bit more of a game time decision. It's Xbox and PC."

Check out the following new screens from LucasArts' 2005 E3 lineup:

• 'Star Wars Battlefront II' (PS2/Xbox/PC) - Screens & Trailer
• 'Star Wars: Empire at War' - Screens
• 'Star Wars Galaxies: The Total Experience' - Screens