Atari has released a new patch for Secret Level's card-based 3D action strategy game Magic: the Gathering - Battlegrounds. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.2 but no details as to what it addresses are available at this point (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

Team Soho director Brendan McNamara, the lead behind the PS2 hit title The Getaway, has left the UK based company to form his own development studio in Sydney, Australia under the name of 'Team Bondi'. McNamara's new studio is working on a third generation PlayStation hardware product, so thats either a PS2 or PSP title. Apparently several of his former Team Soho colelague's have jumped ship and settled into the new development house as well. To be continued ...

Chicago, 1930-Prohibition The Mafia rules the city. A special police task force is formed to take down his gang. This squad is managed by two cops. An open war breaks out throughout the city of Chicago. Spellbound has finally released the English version of the demo, featuring 2 full missions, one playable as mafioso and the second as cops (thanks Tiscali). Read more for dowmload links ...

Following the success of its predecessor – Power of Chaos: YUGI THE DESTINY – the new game can be used in conjunction with the original or played as a stand-alone experience. Power of Chaos: Kaiba The Revenge features over 300 cards to collect, as players attempt to build the strongest possible collection of cards. Konami of Europe has announced a second Yu-Gi-Oh! title for PC, as 'Yi-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos: Kaiba The Revenge' is released for the format in March.

MC2 has announced it will release a PS2 version of its acclaimed PC action title, Ironstorm: World War Zero (previously known as just Ironstorm), in Q2, 2004. Developed by Rebellion ('Aliens Vs Predator', 'Judge Dredd'), Ironstorm is an all-action first-person title spanning 19 war-torn stages. Presenting an alternate history concept at the heart of its plot, Ironstorm is set in a shattered 1964 where the first World War never ended. The pivotal Russian October Revolution has seen history diverted as the insane Baron Ungenberg has crushed the Bolshevik charge. Read more to check out some new screens ...

After a leaked/false start earlier, Ubisoft Europe has officially launched the single player demo for Crytek's eagerly awaited FPS/Action game Far Cry. The demo features the "Fort" mission, playable with three levels of difficulty and 7 weapons available. Read more for download links ...

S2Games has released an updated version of their recently released Savage: Battle for Newerth patch. This upgrade brings your retail game to v2.0b and addresses a few minor bugs that were uncovered in the v2.0 patch as well as some extra optimization. Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

Electronic Arts and UK-based developer Free Radical Design today announced a distribution and publishing agreement for the next game in the best selling TimeSplitters franchise. Developed by Free Radical, the new title in the celebrated series will be published by EA Partners and is scheduled for worldwide release in 2005. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Painkiller is a nickname of a pretty unusual mercenary, who is dealing with supernatural. There are places on Earth where demons and other evil creatures have their nests: abandoned prisons, private castles, deep caves in the mountains. "Cleaning" those places is good money, and our hero needs a lot of it, since he loves living the life to its fullest. One day he gets what seems to be a pretty simple job: to retrieve a religious artifact from one of the nests. When after a furious battle he realizes he might have been tricked into the war between two competing clans of the undead, he tries to play his own cards.

Feel the power of commanding a modern jet fighter. Fly a variety of combat aircraft in the most graphically rich, audio intense game environment ever created for a combat flight simulator. Lock On: Modern Air Combat combines a broad scope of game play that includes a dynamic campaign system, an immersive combat environment, and in-your-face action. Read more for the full review ...

The Sims Bustin' Out features an all-new neighborhood with over a dozen new unlockable locations and a cast of over 40 new zany characters to socialize with. Players will purchase a car or scooter in order to get out of the house and head to the Gym to work out with exercise fanatic Goldie Toane or to Club Rubb to rave with club owner Bing Bling. Players will be able to crash parties, create havoc, or just drive their neighbors crazy!

An unprecedented approach to video game play -- holding two separate game screens in the palm of your hand -- hits the scene later this year when Nintendo introduces a new portable game system, code-named Nintendo DS.

Activision sent over a small notice in regard to the anticipated Call Of Duty patch. According to the PR department "We wanted to let you all know that we're listening to your questions about the Call of Duty patch. I've spoken to the team and thought it might help to let you know that updates are definitely coming. Infinity Ward is working now to complete the first update meant to address several issues like bunny hopping, etc.. We also know that you're very concerned about cheat protection. The guys at Infinity Ward are currently considering the best way to address cheat protection. The guys are working really hard and as soon as I have more info, I'll pass it along."

Cash strapped from the holidays? Then gear up for a hot new game - with all the action you'd expect from SEGA of America, for just 20 bucks! Next Tuesday, SEGA delivers high-octane action with the launch of "SEGA GT Online," the most realistic driving game exclusively for the Xbox. Prepare to hit SEGA's newest high-speed raceways soon - without taking a hit on your wallet!

Interplay has sent out notice that Dark Alliance II is shipping to retail today!!! That means that it will be in stores tomorrow! "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II" features more monsters, 80 levels of gameplay, visually stunning environments, five new customizable player characters to choose from, hidden areas to explore, as well as an item creation system that will allow players to create their own ultimate magical items. To celebrate Interplay has released a new trailer, read more to check it out...

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 :

• Firefighter FD 18 - Trailer
• Alpha Black Zero - Trailer
• Combat Elite: WWII Paratroopers - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Electronic Arts' German Fussball Manager website, known as Total Club Manager 2004 to the rest of us, now offers a new patchpatch for Total Club Manager 2004 (English & German version). This upgrade brings your retail game (only available in Europe atm) to v1.2 and adresses several bugs and game tweaks, etc. Read more for a detailed fix list and download links ...

Entertainment software developer and publisher NovaLogic, Inc. is delighted to announce that the expansion pack for Delta Force - Black Hawk Down has shipped and will be in stores on January 21st, 2004.

Ubisoft today announced that Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 will be released for the PlayStation2 in March 2004. Developed by Ubisoft's Shanghai studio, the game offers the most thrilling and realistic single- and multi-player counter-terrorist experience available anywhere. The PS2 version features exclusive content (single- and multi-player missions) and a very cool split screen feature for 2-player, offline cooperative gameplay. Check out a handful of screens from a brand-new, PS2-only level - set in Trieste, Italy.

Sammy Studios, Inc. today launched the dedicated web site for "Darkwatch: Curse of the West," its recently announced Vampire-Western 1st person shooter (FPS). "Darkwatch: Curse of the West" blends two popular fiction genres to create a truly original premise for a cinematic game and, with many unique gameplay elements, brings tremendous variety and innovations to the FPS genre. Read more for some new screens and download the ingame trailer...

Encore and JoWooD, an Austrian game publisher and developer, today announced that Silent Storm has begun shipping to retail stores in North America. Silent Storm is a true 3D game combining turn-based tactical combat and role-playing set against the background of World War II.

ESPN Videogames announced today that its highly anticipated baseball title, ESPN Major League Baseball, will incorporate broadband online play for both the PlayStation2 and the Xbox. ESPN Major League Baseball is scheduled to release across North America in Spring 2004. ESPN Videogames are produced by Visual Concepts - Sega's sports studio.

Ubisoft has released the anticipated demo for their action/adventure game Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time giving you the chance to check out one level. In Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time players take the role of the Prince in the exotic, mysterious world of ancient Persia. Using groundbreaking animations and innovative time-control powers to recapture the Sands of Time, their role is to restore peace to the land. Read more for download links ...

The anticipated patch for Atari's Unreal 2 XMP free multiplayer addon has been released. This patch brings your retail game to v7710 and helps to reduce server CPU usage, fixes a variety of bugs, adds a number of new features such as in-game server browser, a modified version of the Harbinger vehicle and plenty more. Read more for details and download links ...