Tracks come to life as dirt, debris, and oil buildup on the windshield, clouds cast shadows and flags wave in the breeze, giving players the most engaging driving experience available for the PC. Extraordinary 3D graphics, an explosive sound system, driving lessons and track tutorials, and 2003 drivers, teams and paint schemes will complete the legacy of award winning NASCAR Racing games. We had a chance to take have some hands on impressions and took our 'Nascar Racing 2003 Season' press beta for a spin!

A sudden climatic change triggers a global crisis and a dramatic betrayal propels an adolescent misfit into a heroic battle for survival. The Battle Engine Aquila world consists of a series of islands that result from devastating climatic changes brought on by centuries of atmospheric pollution. With land at a premium, tensions have built between the surviving nations, as each tries to stake claim to the precious dry land. Is Battle Engine just 'another' mech clone or does it offer something new!? Read more and find out...

The Gladiators is a 3D real-time strategy game featuring a heavy emphasis on tactics and action. Arxel feels that The Gladiators could be a real hit in the North American market and wants to make sure it gets there in a timely fashion. The Gladiators is scheduled for a February 2002 release in North America. This demo includes a sample from the multiplayer part in the game, but further details on its contents are not available. Read more for download links ...

Gladius allows players to control a group of gladiators in turn-based combat. The development team has added a twist to the turn-based genre by adding real-time swing meters once targets engage each other on the battlefield. With careful timing, players can execute devastating combo attacks and unleash powerful spells. Visit the official site for Gladius for more gameplay information.

Breed is a cutting-edge science-fiction shoot-'em up, which skilfully blends addictive, accessible, free-roaming gameplay with cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technology to expand not only the gameplay potential, but also the player's perceived freedom within the game world. Utilising both 1st and 3rd person viewpoints, players can freely take control of a variety of units and vehicles – from standard ground troops to APCs and Dropships – to do battle with The Breed both in orbit and on the Earth's surface. The objective is simple: Halt the invasion of The Breed and stop the destruction of mankind.

Join Isador, the inquisitor monk, on an epic journey through Europe ravaged by years of conflict. The fate of the world lands squarely on your shoulders, as you visit great European cities isolated from each other for hundreds of years, trying to find the person who escalated a personal conflict into a quickly unfolding drama that encompasses the known world. Check out the latest screens from Axel Tribe's upcoming epic adventure.

After last summer’s successful PS2 release of the greatest V-Rally yet with V-Rally 3, Eden Studios has gone back in to the development studio to work on the Xbox release. Utilising the unique technological architecture of the Xbox, they have produced two real innovations to make V-Rally 3 on the Xbox a much different and refined experience than that of its PlayStation 2 counterpart. Firstly, dynamics have been improved to produce more sensitive and responsive handling; easier yet still simulation oriented. Check out these blazing new screens ...

HiTech Creations, producer of the award winning online combat simulation Aces High, has announced plans to launch the next generation of the game, Aces High II: Tour of Duty, in Q3 2003. Aces High is the most popular massively multiplayer online flight simulator on the market, with players from over 50 countries worldwide participating in virtual combat 24 hours a day (thanks VE3D).

Publisher Strategy First and Developer Stardock announced today that the release date for their upcoming 4X space-based strategy game, Galactic Civilizations, has been updated to March 25, 2003. The decision to hold back the release of Galactic Civilizations came after the recent delay of Quicksilver/Infogrames’s Master of Orion 3.

Donald Hayes, a well known competitor in the world of classic arcade gaming has beaten a 20-year-old record on the legendary arcade game Super Zaxxon. Considered among the the top ten "hardest games of all time," the world record on Super Zaxxon had not budged an inch since Greg McLeod of Halifax, Nova Scotia, set the benchmark standard of 339,750 points on July 25, 1983 during a Twin Galaxies event. Not only will Donald Hayes be recognized as the Super Zaxxon champion in the forthcoming edition of the Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records, but he also holds the world records on TRON and Centipede, two of the most highly contested titles of all time. The entire story can be found at TwinGalaxies

Crashday is comparable with "Carmageddon" (SCI) and "Stunts" (Distinctive Software); mostly because Crashday's gameplay also concentrates on realistic stunt physics, absolute freedom of movement and the ability to create custom maps with a powerful track editor. A release might be possible in quarter III/IV 2003. read more for 10 new shots!

Pride FC pits the top fighters in the world from several different combative sports including wrestling, karate, judo, kick-boxing, and others into one ring under the same rules. The philosophy of Pride, known as ValeTudo, is the acceptance of any technique of any school of combat. Pride is the survival of the strongest. Not the strongest in a specific genre, but the strongest of all combative sports, period.

Tri Synergy announced today that it will release Purge, an online-only title that delivers a compelling combination of first-person-shooter gameplay and role-playing character development in Q1 2003. Developed by Freeform Interactive LLC, Purge immerses players in a strife-torn world that blends science fiction and fantasy. In Purge, players will find themselves engrossed in a war between two opposing forces, the Order (humans genetically modified to scientific perfection) and the Chosen (religious believers who reject all forms of technology).

Microids has now launched the official English web site for their upcoming RTS title War and Peace.The web site sports gameplay details, demo link (which is also mirror'd on our file servers), artwork and a batch of new screenshots. Players in War and Peace lead a nation and influence the course of 19th Century history. You'll be in charge of your country's entire governing strategy - from politics and economics to science and war. Go check it out!

Game developer, S2 Games, has opened visiting registration for beta tests of its highly anticipated first-person strategy shooter, Savage. Gamers can sign up to be among the first to battle on the side of humanity or join the ranks of the Beast Horde by visiting the Signup page HERE. An initial beta test will commence by mid-February with qualifying participants. Eventually the testing will be opened up to include additional gamers in order to test the title with various hardware configurations.

Hot on the heels of the last patch, Westwood has yet again released a new update (as well as 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. No specific details are known at this point, read more for download links..

Infogrames announces the Spring 2003 release of RollerCoaster Tycoon - the game that has won the hearts of millions of roller coaster fans worldwide - on Xbox, the video game system from Microsoft.

The U.S. entertainment software industry grew 8% to a record-breaking $6.9 billion in 2002, according to data released today by the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA), the U.S. association representing computer and video game software publishers. The IDSA today also released results of a new poll that shows that consumers plan to keep spending on computer and video games in 2003, with 41% of all Americans, and almost two-thirds (63%) of parents, saying that they plan to purchase at least one game this year. In addition, a majority of Americans (56%) under the age of 45 plan to buy at least one computer or video game this year; while 37% of 45 to 54 year olds, and 26% of adults ages 55 to 64, also plan to buy at least one game this year. The poll was conducted in mid-January for the IDSA by KRC Research, and dramatically illustrates the industry's popularity among adult consumers.

In a move to promote long-term growth of his businesses, George Lucas announced today that he is bringing his award-winning companies of Lucas Digital, LucasArts Entertainment, Lucas Licensing and Lucasfilm Ltd. into one organization (thanks HomeLan).

Yesterday we posted up the Ikaruga announcement for the American market, today we received details of the European release. Read more for full pressrelease!

ATI Technologies Inc. today announced that it is the title sponsor of GDFest, one of the largest LAN party events held on the West Coast. In addition to its sponsorship, ATI will be giving away 10 RADEON 9700 PRO graphics boards to gamers at GDFest.

Agetec, Inc, today announced the next addition to their Designer Series of games, COLOR QUEST will be available in early May 2003. Created by TAITO with the creative gamer in mind, COLOR QUEST will be released exclusively for the Sony PlayStation2 computer entertainment system.

Ubi Soft Entertainment announces the immediate availability of Scrabble 2003 Edition for the PC. This follows the successful launch of Junior Scrabble in November 2002 and precedes Scrabble for Sony PlayStation 2 scheduled for Q1 2003.

Intrinsic Graphics, developer of the innovative Intrinsic Alchemy game development platform, is announcing today that Flying Lab Software, maker of the award-winning Rails Across America, has selected Intrinsic Alchemy as their engine for game development of their next title on the PC. Recently announced, Pirates of the Burning Sea, is a Massively Muliplayer On-line Role Playing Game (MMORPG) and will be released for the PC in the Fall this year.