Quazal and Crave Entertainment today announced that they have entered into a long-term, three-year agreement for the use of Quazal’s online technologies in all of Crave Entertainment’s gaming products.

Several weeks ago we revealed that EA would start its BFME II multiplayer beta test mid December, and EA just announced it has now gone live. People who pre-order the game can join in and check out the sequel before anybody else, until the game ships somewhere early 2006. This online multiplayer beta includes two out of the six factions (Dwarves and Goblins), playable on two brand new maps (Harlindon and Withered Heath.) If you haven't done so yet, you can pre-order at EBGames or Gamestop.

id Software has released three new multiplayer maps for Ravensoft's sci-fi FPS Quake 4 (Railed, Tremors and Campgrounds Redux). Read more for download links ...

Eidos in conjunction with Highway 1 Productions, takes an unrelenting look at urban street crime in its upcoming action video game 25 To Life. Eidos today revealed that 25 To Life will feature all new multiplayer modes for up to 16 players. Read more for details ...

Gearbox Software's community manager Allison "ennui" Berryman sends word that one of their developers has been working on a DM/TDM mod for BiA (both titles), which he has released to the community. One of the most requested gameplay modes for BiA was a traditional deathmatch, and Jeffrey Broome spent his time developing one to invigorate the multiplayer aspect of the game. You can get more info, source code and the actual mods over here ...

Empire Interactive is pleased to announce the next stage of continued multiplayer support for the ultimate PC sci-fi blockbuster Starship Troopers. In the next few days Empire will release a new patch with new maps for multiplayer and some minor bug fixes removing the over-bright glow effect from some graphics cards and resolving game lock-ups due to particular sound cards.

id Software has released a properly working version of last week's multiplayer impaired Quake 4 demo allowing you to try out Raven Software's sci-fi FPS. This demo offers a single-player mission from the beginning of the game where you have to clear a landing zone for the main earth forces, and 2 variations of The Fragging Yard map, playable in Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Tournament modes.

In an interview on Steam Review, Introversion's Tom Arundel revealed that Darwinia's debut on Steam (December 14) allows them to make use of Valve's multiplayer structure and they are "currently scheduling the work / release. We also have a new multiplayer game coming out in Spring that we’ll be talking more about in the new year." Darwinia is a captivating mix of multiple genres including fast paced action with strategic battle planning, arcade, and puzzle games, featuring a novel and intuitive control mechanism, a graphical style ripped from '80s retro classics, and a story concerning a tribe of video game sprites trapped in a modern 3D game world.

id Software has released a demo for Quake 4 allowing you to try out Raven Software's sci-fi FPS, offering a single-player mission from the beginning of the game where you battle with Rhino Squad to clear a landing zone for the main earth forces, and also 2 multiplayer maps (The Fragging Yard, and The Fragging Yard 1v1). Read more for download links ...

In its first week of availability, a whopping 45 percent of people who bought the new Mario Kart DS racing game for Nintendo DS already have test driven its free Wi-Fi capabilities.

Nintendo's official Wi-Fi Service website reveals that people who purchase Mario Kart DS may be experiecing problems in multiplayer as the "Global Wi-Fi Service is experiencing intermittent problems." The problems are only for Mario Kart as the only other multiplayer enabled title Tony Hawk's American Sk8Land seems to have a clean bill of health. There seems to be no particular reason for the hiccups but Nintendo asks to maybe move location or turn of interfering devices such as wireless LAN, microwave ovens, cordless devices, computers.

CustomPlay Golf is the first game to focus on creating and playing your own golf course. Fusion Labs has released yet another updated demo, this time allowing you to take your swing online and compete with others over the internet. Read more for download links ...

Quazal and Eidos Interactive today announced that the upcoming game Commandos Strike Force will be powered by Quazal technology to provide online multiplayer gaming.

In an interview on G4 id Software's Kevin Cloud announced that Nerve Software will be working with Raven Software on the development of the next Return to Castle Wolfenstein title, in particular the multiplayer aspect. Nerve previously already worked on the multiplayer part of the original Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and more recently the DOOM 3 PC expansion Resurrection of Evil.

TrackMania Original will take advantage of Trackmania Sunrise's new graphics engine. All the great features that made TrackMania Sunrise famous will be added. This single/multiplayer demo includes The original Racing mode and 3 technical tracks, but also 3 new (Stunt, Puzzle and Platform) modes. Read more for download links ...

Quazal announced today that JoWooD has chosen Quazal's online multiplayer middleware Rendez-Vous technology as the basis for three of their upcoming online games, SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars, The Guild 2 and Panzer Elite Action.

Brothers In Arms: Earned In Blood builds upon the elements that have made Brothers in Arms Road to Hill 30 a runaway success by adding new features and game modes. Featuring a new single-player narrative, new multiplayer missions, an all-new cooperative-style game mode, and new weapons and vehicles.

The story of GTA: Liberty City Stories takes place 3 years before the events of Grand Theft Auto 3 and we find that our main character Toni Cipriani has returned from laying low for the past 4 years after taking out a rival mob boss for the Leone crime family. Having welcomed him back with open arms, the Don Salvatore Leone is putting Toni to back work under the watchful eye of Vincenzo Cilli, one of his most trusted capo’s.

The PS2 and Xbox editions of Activision's WWII based FPS Call of Duty 2: Big Red One will utilize DemonWare’s State Engine middleware to deliver seamless, state-of-the art, 16-player, cross-platform, multiplayer online gaming to players worldwide.

Vietcong 2 is a FPS set against the background of the 1968 Tet Offensive, in and around the ancient city of Hue, during the Vietnam War. Brought to life through a gritty story compiled from first hand accounts and memories of Special Forces and Infantry servicemen stationed in Hue during the assault. This updated demo features a new MP map entitled Tiger Falls, without the muzzle flash effects, which previously covered the entire screen (thanks Blues).

2K Games has released a small patch for Croteam's Serious Sam II multiplayer demo which addresses a problem if server was not behind a NAT, or was behind a non-strict NAT, client would get the message 'Game session is no longer available' when trying to join the game (thanks Seriously!). Read more for download links ..

F.E.A.R. is an intense first person close-quarters combat experience with rich atmosphere and an engaging, paranormal horror storyline. As promised Vivendi has released the multiplayer demo for Monolith FEAR featuring two maps: DM Factory and CT Facility, and features 16-player support (thanks GameSpot). Read more for download links ...

Blitzkrieg II sports a completely new engine taking WWII into full 3D where players can command famous aces and units, strategically plan battles in multiple theatres, choose their reinforcements and use a wide range of new unit types such as aircraft and ships. This multiplayer demo features one playable map, Autumn Rain.

VU Games announced today that it will release the F.E.A.R. multiplayer demo on Thursday, September 29 at 8:00 a.m. PDT. The 550MB demo will feature two maps: Factory, which will be a deathmatch map, and support team deathmatch, slow-motion team deathmatch, and slow-motion deathmatch, while Facility, a capture the flag map will support slow-motion capture the flag. Of course you will be able to grab the multiplayer demo on our fileserver network as soon as it's released.