Midway Sports Asylum announced today that Freestyle MetalX, the first true freestyle motocross game, has shipped for the PlayStation 2 with the Xbox and the Nintendo GameCube versions to follow.

Gamers can suit up for top-secret covert operations with the release of Activision's highly anticipated first-person action game, Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix, for the Xbox. Based on the critically acclaimed PC title from Raven Software, the game features all of the intense, gritty action found in the original, plus full Xbox Live support for mayhem-packed, all-out multi-player combat. Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix for the Xbox is currently available at North American retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $49.99 and carries an "M" (Mature -- Blood, Violence -- content suitable for persons ages 17 and older) rating by the ESRB.

Moving 'off world', KOCH media is delighted to announce the signing of EGOSOFT's highly anticipated space flight / trading sim - X²: The Threat. With over two years of development time going into the project, the team at EGOSOFT have crafted a dynamic, active universe, in which to immerse the player. Tagged as the "21st Century Elite" by PC ZONE, the game has already received vast amounts of coverage; with press overwhelmed by the quality of graphics and depth of game play. Read more for details and a batch of new screens ...

Namco announced today that the company has signed a five-year exclusive licensing agreement with Hip Games for the rights to publish million unit-selling video game property, Dead to Rights for the PC. Hip Games will begin shipping Dead to Rights PC in North America in fall 2003. Dead to Rights PC will launch in Europe in October 2003 and will be distributed by L.S.P. Read more for details ...

And Patch Monday continues as JoWood has issued not one, but 2 patches for their just released FPS Chaser (only for UK, not available in the US yet). There's an install fix that needs to be run before re-attempting to install the game, and an executable (aka as .exe) fix that provides a new game executable in case the original won't launch the game (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

FINAL FANTASY XI is a massively multiplayer online RPG which is already live in Japan and will be available in North America for both the PlayStation 2 console and PC. Square Enix USA in association with several online magazines is giving you the chance to win a spot on the beta test for FINAL FANTASY XI for PC. This giveaway is open only until 11:59pm on Wednesday, June 25th. While Gamespy only offers slots to its FilePlanet subscribers, Gamespot to its paid subscribers, IGN's Final Fantasy Vault offers the chance to all users, but you have to answer a 10 part questionnaire. If all of this is not enough, Stratics also seems to offer the beta to its paid members. And now also gfx card manufacturers Nvidia, as well as revil ATI are offering free slots,

Focus Interactive/Cyanide Studio have released the first patch for their recently released cycling simulation game Cycling Manager 3. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.1b (beta, full version available next week) and fixes the 'time bug', adjusts some ratings, improves AI, fixes a few problems in editor etc. Read more for detailed fix list and download list.

Hot on the hells of last week's beta patch, Illusion Softworks has released now released another patch for their Vietnam based FPS Vietcong. This upgrade brings your retail game to v1.27b (beta) and details as to what this new version adresses are not available yet, last weeks improved anti-cheat protections, fixes & crashes, map problems, improves M60 aiming (thanks Unrealik). Read more for details and download links ...

Alienware is the first PC manufacturer to offer the new Klipsch GMX A-2.1 speakers. The GMX A-2.1 speakers deliver the dynamic sound quality and innovative design that Alienware customers demand. These state-of-the-art speakers are available now with all Alienware systems. Read more for details ...

Get ready for the ultimate off road racing game as Ubi Soft announces Monster 4x4: Masters of Metal for the PS 2 and GameCube. Get ready to pilot the world's most powerful trucks and go head-to-head in pulse-pounding off-road competitions. Whether you're grinding through mud pits in Louisiana, crunching up cliffs in California, or smashing up trees to make the ride a little bumpier for they guy behind you, keep your eyes on the prize: cash you earn on the circuit goes to buy new trucks and build up your ultimate Monster machine. Read more for details and the first screens!

Another day, another batch of game trailers were released. Instead of giving them all their own post, we grouped them and so far there are trailers for :

• HomeWorld 2 - Trailer
• Beyond Good & Evil - (DivX) Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers became available. Read more for download links ...

'Horse Race Manager' allows the player to control and participate in various challenges of running a successful thoroughbred racing organization, including hiring of the staff, racing the horses, and betting on the races. The game also has online multiplayer capabilities through Gamespy, allowing players to race against each other. Cyanide Studios (known for the Cycling Manager series) has released a new patch for their management game, 'Horse Race Manager' . This upgrade will bring your retail game to v1.2 and adresses some AI issues, a few modifications and bug fixes etc. Read more for details and download links ..

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE) is pleased to announce that EverQuest Macintosh Edition is now available at retail. For the first time, over 25 million Apple Macintosh gamers running OS X will be able to experience the leading massively multiplayer online role-playing game. EverQuest Macintosh Edition carries a suggested retail price of $49.99 and includes a 30 day subscription to the game.

THQ Inc. today announced Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon for GBA. Flight of the Falcon is scheduled for release during summer 2003. In Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon, gamers can pilot the Millennium Falcon, the most popular vehicle from the classic Star Wars universe, in 14 combat-filled missions interweaving the movie storylines with all new plot twists. Featuring highly detailed environments and ships, frantic battles and high-speed flying action, Flight of the Falcon lets gamers battle the Galactic Empire in the skies of Yavin, Endor and beyond.

UbiSoft released another multiplayer map for their squad-based tactical shooter Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield. "H-Hangar" is mainly designed for Team Hostage Rescue mode and supports Bomb mode (thanks Blues). Read more for download links ...

Got what it takes to become a hero? In Fire Department, experience what life is really like for fire-fighters. Choose your team, vehicles and equipment! Keep your cool when faced with high-pressure situations… Your reactions, your strategy as well as your capacity to manage a team of firemen are the keys to success. MonteCristo/Focus have released a demo (French version, but easily playable) for their upcoming tactical/strategy fire fighting game. The demo sports a mission called '3D Million Dollars' where you must put out a fire in a gas station and save people trapped in a nearby building. Read more for download links ...

Armed with her camera, aikido staff, and resolute investigative skills, Jade sets out to expose the truth and to liberate the minds of her deceived people. Pushed to the very edge of her physical and spiritual will, she soon discovers that even these limits are not what they seem … Her quest for the truth knows no bounds. Check these spiffy new PS2 screens ...

Already revealed during E3 2003, DreamCatcher Games today announced that it will publish US Open 2003 (in other territories also known as Roland Garros 2003 or Next Generation Tennis 2003) for PC & Xbox in North America. The game is expected to ship in conjunction with the US Open tournament itself in New York this September. If you’ve ever dreamt of picking up your tennis racket and smashing a few serves past some of tennis’ biggest names, now’s your chance! With US Open 2003, gamers burn up the court like never before with authentic stadiums, true-to-life players and an array of great shots that only the pros can make. Read more for details and screens ...

Linden Lab today officially unveiled Second Life, a rapidly growing and constantly changing 3D online society, shaped entirely by its residents. In Second Life, Linden Lab has pioneered real-time 3D streaming technologies and advanced compression capabilities to create a persistent, contiguous landscape where residents can discover a world of exploration, socializing, creativity, self-expression, and fun unlike any other.

Vivendi sent over a little note announced that they have lauched a teaser website for their upcoming action/adventure game "The Hobbit" The site sport screens for the various platforms, trailer, story background information and more ... Go Check it out!

"Airborne: Liberation" transports the player to the European theater of operations during World War II as allied airborne forces prepare for the invasion of Hitler's "Fortress Europe" on June 6, 1944. Assuming the role of Pvt Patrick Harper, the player will be dropped into Normandy in the pre-dawn hours of the D-Day invasion to fight his way through war-torn Europe from the D-Day, to Market Garden, the siege of Bastogne, and the final assault into Hitler's Germany. Read more for details ...

Jak II is the follow-up to the “Greatest Hits” PlayStation 2 debut title, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. Destined to be one of the hottest titles of the year, Jak II will stun players with its innovative character designs and animations, superior technology and spectacular graphics. Jak II is a true plot-driven adventure game, where every mission has a direct effect on the storyline. With stunning graphics and animations, Jak II takes gamers on a journey through an enormous mystical world, darker than they have experienced before, as an immersive tale unfolds.

RICHARD JACQUES, video game composer whose credits include Sega’s JET SET RADIO FUTURE and HEADHUNTER, today announced that his orchestral music for HEADHUNTER (PS2) and the forthcoming sequel HEADHUNTER: REDEMPTION (PS2, Xbox) will feature as a world premier suite performed by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra at Gewandhaus, Leipzig in Germany. The concert takes place during GC - Games Convention, the European equivalent of E3, on August 20th, 2003. The event is being launched by the GC - Games Convention 2003 organisers as their opening ceremony and marks the first symphony concert to feature Western and Japanese game music.

Mistaril has released an updated playable demo for their 3D simulation/strategy Space Station Manager. This demo offers "unlimited loading and saving, ability to name saved games, preview of stations before load, and gallery of starting layouts (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...