Square Enix U.S.A., Inc. announced today milestones that were reached due to the successful holiday sales of Final Fantasy XI. The PlayOnline service has surpassed 500,000 registered users in North America and Japan combined, with the total online community population (number of active characters) of "Final Fantasy XI" at nearly one million characters.

THQ Inc. and SEGA of America today announced that "Sonic Battle" for the Game Boy Advance is now available at retail outlets across North America. Coinciding with SEGA's new "Sonic Heroes" console release, "Sonic Battle" will benefit from Sega's multi-million dollar "Sonic Heroes" marketing campaign.

James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, as the world’s greatest secret agent returns in his fifth interactive adventure under the EA GAMES brand. First, you will think like Bond, using espionage, tactical skills, and gadgets from the Q-Lab to analyze your situation. Then you will act like Bond, using his stylish physical skills, clever subterfuge, and bold personality to once again save the world. Check these 40 new screens ...

Following on from the success of Perfect Ace last summer, International Golf Pro is Oxygen Interactive's second sports title, founded on the same firm principles of ease-of-play and accessibility. From the power of the drive to the precision of the putt, International Golf Pro puts you in control. Compete with a score of individual computer opponents, or go head-to-head with your friends across a selection of international courses that will push your skill and test your mental strength.

Based on the TV series airing on BBC Two, FightBox brings together computer gaming, Internet and TV technology to create a new entertainment format. Taking the best FightBox warriors, created by members of the public for the first televised tournament, plus the 'in-house' Sentient characters, the computer games offer players the unique opportunity to recreate the FightBox experience on home PC, PS2, or even GBA. BBC Multimedia is set to launch FightBox as a multi-format gaming title on February 6, 2004. Read more for details & screens ...

EverQuest II returns to the culturally diverse world of Norrath in the future of the original EverQuest, with the sheer size and graphical detail greater than ever seen before. Larger in scope than its predecessor, EverQuest II will allow players from every corner of the earth to explore familiar areas and new, undiscovered territories of Norrath. Read on to check out the latest screenshots!

Developed by The Fighter Collection, Lock On features today's most modern, technically advanced military aircraft in the most graphically rich, audio-intense game environment ever created for a combat flight simulation. Ubisoft has released the first patch for Lock On: Modern Air Combat and is designed to address many of the significant bugs identified with the initial release of the product. This patch is however not designed to fix all identified bugs. We plan to provide additional patch(es) that will address problems not fixed in this first patch. Read more for download links ...

With Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Ubi Soft and Jordan Mechner are channeling their combined talents to breathe new life into the action/adventure genre. They’re creating rich characters, white-knuckle action and a plot with more twists than the exotic, elaborate castle featured in the game,” said Serge Hascoët, Editor in Chief, Ubi Soft Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to move forward with the legendary Prince of Persia brand and eagerly await the launch of the next masterpiece from our world-famous Montreal studio.

Havok announces today it has signed license agreements with Vivendi Universal Games for "Tribes Vengeance" and with Atari's Shiny Entertainment for an undisclosed title enabling these AAA game developers to integrate Havok 2 real-time physics into their acclaimed titles. Both Shiny Entertainment and Vivendi Universal Games made the choice of the Havok 2 dynamics solution after lengthy technical review for functionality and after assessing its ease of implementation into their existing game engines. With these two titles, Havok now adds the 100th and 101st names to their list of successful games using its award winning physics.

NCAA March Madness 2004 storms the court with new schools, improved gameplay, and an incredibly deep Dynasty Mode. Dick Vitale, the voice of college hoops, takes you through the sport's strategy and drama all the way to the "Big Dance" like no one else can. The unique, fast-paced game comes to life with players applying pressure D, diving on loose balls, and throwing it down against rival schools.

The World of Warcraft forums have a new post regarding for the WoW beta end of January. "As many of you know, we are currently conducting an internal Alpha test for World of Warcraft. Our goal for this Alpha test is to provide the best possible experience for players when the Beta launches in early 2004. We would like to announce that sign-ups for the World of Warcraft Beta test will begin at the end of this month." To read more about it (as well as some statement about the alpha leak), head on over to the WorldOfwar forum.

Strategy First has released the first patch for The Disciples II RPG expansion pack Disciples II: Rise of the Elves. This update brings your retail game to v3.01 and addresses some AI issues, game continuity, units balancing and various other fixes (thanks Blues). Read more for detailed fix list and download links ...

Hostile Intent is a Total Conversion for Half-life that rose from the ashes from The Sherman Project. Every original feature for The Sherman Project is still in, but the new team has thought of many new original ideas and concepts. The HI Team has released a new patch (available for Windows & Linux) addressing several issues such as telefragging, updated maps and a few other things. Read more for details & download links ...

Gamers who always wanted to play a Massively Multiplayer Online Game but were put off by the costs should take a look at BiosFear, Tiscali Games' forthcoming realease. No need to spend your hard-earned money on the software - the client is free. Also, monthly subscription fees will be cheaper than most other MMORPGs. Combine this with BiosFear's easy accessibility and you have the ideal game for online-gaming beginners. But veterans needn’t panic – there is more than enough hard fighting action to keep your blade sharp!

Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp. today announced that total sales for the nine- week holiday period ended January 3, 2004 grew 24.4 percent to $544.4 million, up from $437.6 million for the same period a year ago. Comparable store sales increased by 2.5 percent for the nine-week period, outpacing the company's forecast. Read more for details ...

Diversions Entertainment has issued the first patch for their 3D fighting/action game One Must Fall: Battlegrounds. This upgrade brings your retail game to v2101, no details as to what it fixes are available (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

From the far corners of Middle-earth, new adventures come forth to face the growing evil in the East. The forces of Mordor are mobilizing as the Nazgül hunt for the One Ring. The land itself is in peril and its fate lies in the hands of those who possess it. Adventuring alone or in groups, join thousands of players online in the massive world that is Middle-earth. Support the forces of good in an epic struggle to drive back the forces of Sauron. This is Middle-Earth Online, your home in the world of Tolkien. Read more to check some screens ...

Face of Mankind is a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) in a persistent world. Thousands of players throughout the world can compete in a realistic and futuristic world of the 24th century. It combines an epic story-driven mission system over years with a complex economic system which can also affect the story deeply. Face of Mankind tells the epic story of good and evil, justice and intrigues where we have to find our destiny.

Encore today announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with Paris-based developer and publisher Monte Cristo to publish Desert Rats vs. Afrika Korps, a tactical real-time strategy game inspired by campaigns waged in North Africa during World War II. Under the agreement, Encore is managing sales, distribution and marketing for the game in the U.S. and Canada, while Monte Cristo is producing the game. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Midway Games Inc. announced today the appointments of Robert N. Waxman, CPA, 67, and Jay N. Whipple III, 47, as two new independent Board directors, effective December 31, 2003. Mr. Waxman also joins the Board's Audit Committee. The addition of Messrs. Waxman and Whipple brings the total number of directors on the Company's Board to eleven, nine of whom are independent.

Geleos development has been running for the whole 2003 trying to catch one of the escaped ostriches from their game. To set up a good track trying to use it as a decoy, funky developers of a funky Ostrich Runner game have decided to build a new home for their game making a new design for the place where ostriches live. After seeing the new home of his, the ostrich has returned - and it was right on time - the game is in beta-test stage and it's essential to check everything. Read more for some new screens & download links for the news demo...

Developed internally by Empire's award-winning Strangelite Studio, the game will be released on PC, and all current and next generation consoles. The length of the agreement will allow Empire to produce multiple titles. The game will be based on the movie of the same name and animated series franchise. Read more to check out the first screens ...

SEGA of America, Inc. today announced the launch of "Sonic Heroes" for Nintendo GameCube – the first original Sonic The Hedgehog console game in three years. SEGA's most anticipated game launch of the year is expected to ship on Xbox and PlayStation2 January 27.

Noticed on The Fall official website that Silver Style's message boards seem to have an interesting announcement about one of the Black Isle developers teaming up with Silver Style to work on The Fall: Last Days of Gaia . "We're glad to welcome Game Designer Damien Foletto in our team! Formerly he worked at Black Isle on Hits like Baldur's Gate 2 or Fallout 3. He will support Lead Designer Carsten Strehse on the development of The Fall: Last Days of Gaia." No further details are available (as to whether he would move from the US to Germany and such), but we will keep you posted!