As you read this Atari’s Driv3r will have be in the shops and being played in homes across the world after it’s worldwide release. If you’ve played it already you’ll no doubt be aware that the game is a huge disappointment and certainly not the Grand Theft Auto beater that the hype may have had you believe. Folk out there playing the game will be aware of it, and judging by Atari’s actions over the last week they are also very aware of it.

Freeform Interactive has issued yet another patch for their 3D RPG/action game Purge Jihad. This update brings your retail game to v2.1.1 and addresses the usual gameplay enhancements, balance tweaks and bug fixes. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

Close Combat: First to Fight is a team-based first-person shooter created under the direction of active-duty United States Marines. Close Combat: First to Fight is being developed by Destineer and Atomic Games, and will be distributed by Take2, expected release date is late 2004.

Hitman: Contracts delivers more action-packed and suspense-filled missions, with a greater variety of ways to make the perfect kill and an increased arsenal of firearms and close-combat weapons. A new graphics engine showcases your 'work' in brutal detail and brings the new locations to life. An improved control system and more gradual learning curve will ensure that the game is accessible to all aspiring hitmen.

Interplay today reported operating results for the first quarter of 2004. Interplay Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Herve Caen also announced the company's strategic decision to enter Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming (MMOG) with Interplay's wholly owned intellectual properties, namely Fallout (thanks Blues). Read more for details ...

As mentioned in previous community updates, DICE has been hard at work putting the Battlefield Vietnam v1.1 update together for a pending release. Today EA has given more information on some of the tweaks and fixes coming in the new patch. No specific release date has been given yet. Read more for a detailed fix list ...

Earlier this week Namco launched the official 'Street Racing Syndicate' website, and without any announcement the website featured a PC logo, indicating that it was also coming to the PC. Gamespot earlier today got confirmation from a Namco representative that this is indeed true, but no specific release date is available yet. SRS features the hottest rides on asphalt including real licensed vehicles ripped from the authentic world of street racing. The performance of these tricked-out street machines has been modeled realistically with lifelike physics and authentic damage effects that will thrust players into this high-speed world.

It’s the season of the fan. The year of people coming together to celebrate sport. And uniting everyone is ESPN NFL Football, a coupling of 'the most responsive and intense gameplay around' and the richest multi-player gaming experience possible. Everyone is getting in on the action with the help of our innovative V.I.P. system – allowing you to play your friends or the elite as if they were sitting right next to you! So dust off those extra controllers, grab some chairs, and get your game on! Check the new screens & trailers...

Set in the 60s and using the Cold War as its inspiration, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater forces the player to adopt a number of new skills to survive in Snake's new jungle environment. Danger lurks everywhere as Snake explores the beautifully-realised forests, encampments and rivers, with guards patrolling key routes, dangerous animals to contend with, and the uneven terrain and noisy foliage making the silent approaches the Metal Gear hero is famed for virtually impossible. Check the new screens ...

'Mourning' is an MMORPG is being developed by Quad Software and Maxim Software based in Europe for Limitless Horizons Entertainment LLC based in the United States. Currently in development and scheduled for a spring 2004 release, "Mourning" will take users into a rich online fantasy world. Check out the new screens ...

Gran Turismo 4 further demonstrates its mission to provide the most authentic driving simulation available in the marketplace. New features will extend above and beyond just pure automotive racing, providing a unique destination for automotive and PS2 enthusiasts to enjoy car culture in every dimension – extending that goal will be highlighted through the new "GT Photo Mode."

KOEI today announced that Samurai Warriors for the Xbox has gone gold. The Tactical Action game will ship to North American retailers on July 13, 2004. Gamers can still pre-order the game now at ebgames.com and gamestop.com.

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 :

• Star Wars: Republic Commando - Trailer
• Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth - Trailer
• NARC - Trailer

Silent Storm: Sentinels is an expansion to the highly acclaimed turn-based tactical game Silent Storm, fully-rendered in breath-taking 3D with totally destructible environments, non-linear campaigns and RPG elements. The expansion takes you further into the story of the covert struggle against Thor's Hammer - a renegade organization set on global dominance.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines allows players to become a dangerous creature of the night as they assume the role of a recently embraced fledgling vampire in the service of the city's dark prince. Vampire: The Masquerade- Bloodlines is being developed by Troika Games, whose founding members' credits include the award-winning Fallout, and is based on White Wolf's renowned pen-and-paper Vampire: The Masquerade RPG series. Built using Valve's Half-Life 2 Source Technology.

As a promotional stint for the upcoming blockbuster movie, Paramount has released a Sky Captain demo featuring 3 maps, fighting against Giant Robot, Flying Wings and Mechanical Crabs (under water). As you defeat the enemy, you will gain points, which you can then use to upgrade your plane in various ways. A fourth map will unlock in several weeks as part of an online contest to win a trip to London. Read more for details, screens and download links (registration on website required) ...

Funcom is proud to announce that Anarchy Online is turning three years on June 27th! Through the years, Anarchy Online has evolved to become the highest ranking sci-fi MMORPG on the market, a feat made possible thanks to the commitment and feedback from our players. Today, Anarchy Online is a highly profitable and thriving online game, and Rubi-Ka has turned into an incredible planet, almost breathing and taking on a life of its own.

DreamCatcher Games today announced that it will publish the Painkiller Expansion Pack: Battle out of Hell for its award-winning PC FPS. Releasing well in time for the holidays, the Expansion Pack will offer multiple features to extend enjoyment of this spectacular shooter.

Jowood has released the first patch for Wing Simulations' multiplayer shooter SÖLDNER: Secret Wars. This v28610 contains improved vehicle functionality, netcode optimisation, various Commander mode and player map, the usual bug/crash fixes, tweaks, and various other stuff. Read more for details and download links ...

In ‘Blood Magic’ the weapon of choice is magic. Graphically stunning, the game is set in a richly detailed medieval-style world, allowing the player a wide variety of choices both in individual quests and character development. There are a dozen different fields of magic, over 100 weapons in the game and nearly limitless spell possibilities.

Star Wars Battlefront is an action/shooter game that gives fans and gamers the opportunity to re-live and participate in all of the classic Star Wars battles like never before. Players can select one of a number of different soldier types, jump into any vehicle, man any turret on the battlefront and conquer the galaxy planet-by-planet online with their friends or offline in a variety of single player modes.

One of the most-loved arcade and console gaming franchises is set for an official European release as Ignition Entertainment announces it is to publish SNK PLAYMORE's Metal Slug 3 and Metal Slug Advance throughout Europe. Read more for details & screens ...

Xpand Rally races take place in different parts of the world, the player gets to race in different environments – from deserts to polar snows. Techland has today revealed the next of Xpand Rally features – diversity of tracks. 5 different sceneries and over 60 tracks on which players will compete are one of the most important game’s aspects. We had a chance to take a recent build for a spin, read more for the verdict...

Valve's Gabe Newell has been spotted on the Half-Life 2 Fallout forum dropping by to post some info about who they signed to do the voice overs in HL2, available language versions and the size of the game. Half-Life 2 is about 3.5 GB uncompressed and about 2 GB compressed. This doesn't include CS:Source, HL-1:Source, DoD:Source, the SDK, or whatever (thanks Shacknews) Read more for list of the voice actors ...