As expected, the multiplayer beta test for Innerloop and Codemasters' upcoming first person shooter IGI 2: Covert Strike has been released, allowing people to try out the team based multiplayer mode on one map from the full version. As IGI 2: Covert Strike reaches its final stages of development, this public Multiplayer Beta Test provides gamers with an early taste of what to expect from the game’s multiplayer maps. The multiplayer gameplay is set to be a major highpoint in the game. Codemasters’ recent, closed Beta Test was a massive success and attracted over 30,000 players, double the number anticipated. Read more for links where to download the demo ...

Launch your attack – swiftly and decisively! Blitzkrieg is the fine art of strategy, but with more finesse! Dissect your enemy with surgical precision, halt the enemy's advance with strategic tank and air assaults, and maintain your offensive momentum. You can prove your tactical skills by triumphing in the various historical campaigns from around the world during WWII. Command German, Soviet or Allied troops who if commanded well, will gain experience and fight more effectively over the course of the war. Nine new screens just arrived from the battlefield ..

Mercedes-Benz World Racing, a 3D Racing-Simulation with high quality, mission-based elements, is the first game ever to feature a line-up of current Mercedes-Benz cars, plus selected classic and vintage models. Players start out as a rookie racer struggling to climb the ladder to the top of the racing circuit. After the completion of each mission, drivers can unlock new and vintage Mercedes-Benz cars, as well as new car interiors and racetracks in this exhilarating 3D racing game. A batch of new screens ...

Rage has exclusively licensed the computer and video game rights from MGM Interactive to produce a series of games based on the critically acclaimed Rocky movie anthology. The Rocky series will be recaptured and brought to life on consoles. The original Rocky film starring Sylvester Stallone earned an Academy Award for Best Picture in 1976, and went on to gain worldwide recognition as one of the greatest feel good movies of all time. To commemorate the titles 25th anniversary, MGM have released a special edition of the Rocky Gift Set. Read more and find out if it makes the final round or not ...

Computer Artworks has just released a new patch for their third-person horror action game The Thing (European version only!). This update brings your retail copy to v1.2 and just like the previous German version it adds a mouse-look option to the game, accessible from the Options->Advanced Controls menu (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for links where to grab the goods ...

Praetorians is an epic 3D troop based strategy game centred around the historical battles from the campaigns of Julius Caesar. Taking on the role of a Roman General you are transported back to the deserts of Egypt, the frozen lands of the Gauls and to the heart of the Empire itself, Italy. The quest will be no easy task as the lands you seek to conquer are heavily defended by thousands of troops, all with special skills and individual strengths and various war machines. A few weeks ago there was a leaked (and therefor pulled) demo, this is now the official demo. Read more for details and links where to grab this beauty...

Ubi Soft today launched two new web sites for Shadowbane, the highly anticipated massively multi-player online (MMO) game. Shadowbane is being developed by Austin, Texas-based Wolfpack Studios, and offers a ground breaking approach to MMO gaming that allows players to permanently change the history, politics and landscape of the game.

Westwood has just released a new update patch and an update dedicated server for their fast-paced 3D action game set in the Command & Conquer universe. Fight it out on the ground, among the structures, vehicles and weapons made famous in the original C&C. Only a few minor tweaks and fixes, read more for details and download links..

Bandits: Phoenix Rising is a Mad Max-style action game for the PC, immersing gamers in a desert world of battle cars and desperadoes. In BANDITS, players control a cannon-mounted combat car blasting a multitude of enemies and cargo trucks while defending their gang and seeking glory. Gamers will encounter more than 22 missions in a variety of terrains ranging from car duels, train robberies and storming of trade outposts to battling it out with hordes of heavily armed enemies. Bandits is finally getting distributed by TriSinergy in North America, expect it Q1 2003. Check out our 10 new screens ...

Harbinger is a single-player action / RPG set in a fantastic science fiction universe. As one of three distinct character types, players explore the world of Harbinger – journey to the far reaches of space, battle unique foes never before seen in any medium, discover powerful new weapons and alien technologies, and uncover the dark secrets buried within the massive starship’s steel walls. In human words think Diablo in a Starcraft environment! Check the screens and the small in game footage trailer! Njoy!

The game is developed on original high-tech engine The Firestarter Engine, which uses the possibilities of the latest accelerator generation GeForce 3, 4. Among the engine possibilities are work with outdoor and indoor areas, coloured dynamic lighting, dynamic shadows, vertex and pixel shaders, T&L, procedure textures, various classes of particle system-based effects, interactive and destructible level objects, realistic physics, high-polygonal character and monster models (up to 5000 of polygons), skeleton animation. The official website has been updated (thanks Unrealik)with 3 new screens, read more to check them out

The Road to Rome focuses exclusively on the key Italian and Sicilian campaigns of WWII. Each map comes with highly detailed environments such as Italian houses, Mediterranean trees, and even the Monte Cassino Monastery. This expansion pack features eight new vehicles. These include the German BF-110 and British Mosquito twin-engine fighter-bombers as well as new Italian, British, and German tanks and anti-tank guns. The Road to Rome supports up to 64 gamers (on select maps), playing as several infantry classes, controlling many weapons available to the Axis and Allies, and commanding numerous land vehicles, ships, and aircraft. A new batch of screens has just arrived ..

The official site for the upcoming expansion pack "Viking Invasion" to the award-winning Medieval: Total War is now online, loaded with info, support, screens and much more.. You find the site here!

ATV Quad Power Racing 2 puts you in the driving seat of powerful off-road quad bikes and then gives you that little bit extra. The fast, edge-of-your-seat arcade gameplay blends seamlessly with the outrageous tricks you can pull both in the air and on the ground. Whether you’re performing a heart attack over the dunes, an endo across the stadium or a nik nak in the swamps, you’ll always be pushing it to the limits. Plus, you can do it all as one of 10 real top pro riders or one of 10 new characters. Race against the AI competitors and friends to take the top prize in many game play modes. It’s astoundingly detailed but, don’t worry, the only thing you’ll get bogged down in is the mud. Race through the dirt in this all-action racer but be prepared to fight dirty too.

Sony Computer Entertainment UK (SCE UK) announced today that during the peak selling season of 2002, PlayStation 2 achieved the highest ever sell-through breaking all records in its history for both hardware and software in Japan, North America and Europe.

A fantasy world has never looked so fantastic... The online gaming world of Dragon Empires, currently in development at Codemasters for PC, is benefiting from specific enhancements to its already powerful graphic engine. New images released today reveal the stunning detail that Dragon Empires' future inhabitants can expect from the game's vast landscapes.

Entertainment software publisher NovaLogic, Ltd. today announced the release of the official single player demo for Highland Warriors. Featuring two single player missions from the Mackay and Cameron clans campaigns, the 154 MB playable demo lets gamers re-enact the Scottish battle for freedom. The demo will be available for download from www.novalogic.com.

Activision Inc. and Marvel Enterprises Inc. agreed to extend their superhero video game licensing agreements. Financial details weren't disclosed, but the companies said the new agreement represents the largest deal between the parties and includes improved financial terms. In a press release Wednesday, Activision said it will develop and publish video game products based on Marvel's comic book franchises Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four and Iron Man through 2009. Under the new agreement, Activision also has the option to acquire the interactive entertainment rights to develop products in conjunction with motion pictures and television series involving those characters.

SpectraVideo plc are about to launch two new Logic3 Flightstick controllers for the Xbox and Gamecube consoles. The Logic3 Flightstick controllers are the perfect partners for games such as Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2 and Jedi StarFighter; Yager; Jane's Attack Squadron and even games like Battle Engine Aquila.

Vulcan Software Ltd. is proud to announce the release of Episode 6 of the Valhalla Classics Speech Adventure. This episode, entitled The Dungeons, requires the player to accompany the Lord of Infinity on his ongoing quest to murder his goody-two-shoes brother King Garamond. The Dungeons provide the backdrop for yet more headache inducing puzzles, illustrated by the dry humour of the Lord of Infinity, who speaks to the player throughout the episode with approximately 500 phrases of digital speech.

Come and join BioWare's art director, Derek Watts and producers, Casey Hudson (BioWare) and Mike Gallo (LucasArts) for a Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic chat, at Stratics on Jan. 16th. This will be the first chat focused on art for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the first Star Wars role-playing game, set 4000 years before the rise of the Empire. In addition, fans can post questions ahead of time, at the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic official forums, and the developers will answer these questions at the chat on Jan. 16th. All details here!

Midtown Madness 3, the latest in Microsoft Corp.'s popular "Midtown Madness" franchise, allows gamers to get behind the wheel of more than 30 vehicles while competing in exciting race modes such as Blitz, Checkpoint and Cruise. With a robust Career mode featuring 14 driving careers, Midtown Madness 3 delivers the rush and excitement of street racing while challenging gamers to put their driving skills to the ultimate test. Midtown Madness 3 provides gamers with madcap, over-the-top racing and driving excitement in two of the world's most fascinating cities: Paris and Washington, D.C. Serving up today, 3 new Audi Avanti screens...

One ring to rule them all… Based on New Line Cinema's epic adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy novels, The Lord of the Rings™, The Two Towers™ video games will integrate cinema and gameplay to deliver an epic interactive experience. In the game, players will be able to relive the most memorable movie moments from the first two films, "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers." Does the game measure up the the excellence of the movie? Read more and find out!