Rival Interactive is creating a high-end, 3D, first person shooter game based on homeland defense called “Prism: Black Shield” for the Army National Guard (ARNG). The ARNG seeks to create a commercial quality game that is both entertaining and graphically rich. The game will be distributed as a recruitment tool and for increasing the awareness of the Army National Guard. In the game, players will use futuristic US military weapons, equipment and technology as part of a secret new team to combat terrorists on US soil. Players will battle individually or in teams against the game’s advanced artificial intelligence (AI) terrorists and react to a wide range of homeland terrorism scenarios.

PlayStation today announced a unique partnership with International Sports Multimedia (ISM), exclusive licensee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for Interactive Entertainment software, to develop a PlayStation 2 game based on the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Scheduled for release in July 2004 just prior to the start of the next Olympic Games in August, Athens 2004, The Official Videogame of the Olympic Games will be the only official licensed videogame product of the IOC on PlayStation 2.

Electronic Arts today announced that it has signed a publishing agreement with Black Hole Games, a development studio launched by Cinergi Interactive, a subsidiary of the award-winning motion picture production company Cinergi Pictures Entertainment. The new PC title, Armies of Exigo (*working title) is a grand scale fantasy real-time strategy (RTS) that leverages the studio's cinematic expertise and ability to deliver captivating entertainment to a worldwide audience. Armies of Exigo is expected to ship in Fall 2004.

Electronic Arts today announced the development of the next expansion pack for the massively multiplayer online game, Ultima Online. Expanding the world and advancing the franchise, the new title will give consumers considerable player vs. player capabilities, two additional professions and a vast new land to explore. The UO expansion pack is scheduled for release in Fall 2004. The game name has not been announced.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. today announced the second title to utilize the EyeToy camera technology. EyeToy: Groove, exclusive to the PlayStation2, is the first interactive videogame that enables players to dance in time with one of the 28 licensed songs, from such artists as Elvis, Madonna, Jessica Simpson, Jamiroquai, and Fatboy Slim, with no controller or dance pad necessary. Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment London Studio, EyeToy: Groove is scheduled for release in Spring 2004 and will be available at an SRP of $49.99 with the EyeToy USB camera or $29.99 without.

The Adventure Company today announced that it will publish Aura: Fate of the Ages on PC. Aura’s powerful story is based on an ancient legend that decrees that four sacred rings will bring great strength, power and immortality to he/she who collects them. Read more for details and screens ...

Tecmo officially announced today that the ship date for its eagerly anticipated new action title, Ninja Gaiden, for the Xbox will be Tuesday, March 2, 2004. Gaining an incredible amount of buzz since it was first shown on the E3 floor in 2002, the powerhouse title will ship out to retailers across the country in mass quantities, arriving on store shelves throughout the first week of March.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today that the popular and critically acclaimed Jak and Daxter and Ratchet & Clank series, created and developed by Naughty Dog, Inc., and Insomniac Games respectively, will return exclusively to the PlayStation2 in Fall 2004. Read more for details and the first screen for each title ...

Free Radical Design, developer of the highly successful and critically acclaimed TimeSplitters series announces their latest game, Second Sight. Combining an immersive thriller storyline with paranormal psychic abilities, stealthy exploration and intense shooter action "Second Sight" redefines the standards for action adventure narrative and gameplay. Read more for details & screens ...

Fresh from a hugely successful Q4 of 2003, including the appearance of four titles in the top 20 budget PlayStation 2 chart in December alone, Midas Interactive are delighted to announce a publishing deal with Kuju Entertainment that will ensure that even better results are achieved in 2004. The first two games set for release by Midas Interactive under the Glass Ghost label are "GTR-400" and "Bikes 'n' Sides". Both will be released on PlayStation 2 in mid-2004. Read more for details...

NCsoft and Blue King Studios announced plans today to publish a monthly comic book based on NCsoft's highly anticipated online computer game, City of Heroes. City of Heroes is the creation of San Jose-based game developer, Cryptic Studios. The full-color, monthly comic book features the triumphs and tragedies of a trio of super-powered heroes as they fight to find their way in Paragon City, the setting for the groundbreaking game.

Funcom was recently awarded a grant from the Norwegian Film Fund to partially finance the development of Dreamfall, the long-awaited follow-up to The Longest Journey. The Norwegian government has, for the first time, actively endorsed game development, marking a welcome shift in the cultural acceptance of computer games as a medium comparable to film and television.

BBC Multimedia, BBC Worldwide's software publishing business, is set to take the BAFTA-award winning drama Spooks to PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC. It's the first time a BBC drama has been developed into a computer game. The multi-format title, developed by BBC Multimedia's in-house studio, Gamezlab, will be launched in Autumn 2004, and feature all the main characters from the TV series.

What does the future of gaming look like? What are your hopes, dreams and fears? Do you wish you could influence game developers’ decisions, but feel powerless to do so? Microsoft’s “If You Ruled the Gaming World” contest gives you the power to change gaming forever. Tell us what games would be like if you ruled the world and be heard by the biggest developers and publishers in the business. Read more for details ...

Mythic Entertainment announced “Dark Age of Camelot: New Frontiers,” a free downloadable expansion that reinvents the game’s unique Realm vs. Realm combat system, where player characters from the game’s three different Realms engage in life and death struggles across numerous battlegrounds, keeps and through the expansive frontier areas. Mythic plans to make “New Frontiers” available in Q2 2004.

Matrix Games and 2 by 3 Games are pleased to announce the development of an exciting new World War II grand strategy title, Gary Grigsby’s World At War, to be released later this year by Matrix Games. Read more for details & screens ...

Adults and kids alike will walk with the animals when a new, graphically stunning 3-D version of America's best-selling* virtual zoo debuts on store shelves this fall. Microsoft Game Studios today announced it will launch "Zoo Tycoon 2," the long-awaited sequel to the award-winning "Zoo Tycoon" game for Windows from Blue Fang Games LLC in time for holiday gift-giving. "Zoo Tycoon 2" adds a spectacular new chapter to the wildly popular franchise. Read more for details and the first few screens ...

The Adventure Company today announced that it will publish The Egyptian Prophecy on PC-CD in North America. This first person adventure has an easy to use point-and-click interface with high quality cinematics, and integrated 3D real-time puzzles. Read more for the first screens and trailer...

'Poacher' represents an entirely new facet of gameplay for all first person shooter and resource management enthusiasts. You are Roman Sar, a poacher with a bad attitude and big guns. You fight and struggle your way through the African Congo to the deep jungles of India as you hunt for the most famous of endangered species; all the while avoiding and battling the dreaded Game Wardens. Read more for details and the first poached screens ...

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced SingStar, an innovative new title that invites players to step into the spotlight and exercise their vocal chords. Developed by Sony London, the studio responsible for EyeToy, SingStar offers an engaging, social experience that encourages even the most reticent singer to unleash their inner rock star. SingStar's groundbreaking technology analyses the player's vocal skills, based on their pitch, tone and timing as they sing into the USB microphone, and provides feedback based on how well or badly they have sung.

Atari proudly announces that 'Toca Race Driver 2' (V8 Supercars 2 in Australia), the second release of the official AVESCO licensed V8 Supercar game will include the addition of four new race tracks and five new teams including extremely popular Holden Racing Team (thanks xis). Read more for details and screens ...

Brigade E5: New Jagged Union is a tactical turn-based game. The scene of action is a small country called Palinero somewhere in the tropics. Recently a coup d'etat has happened in the country and civil war is about to break out. The main character of the game has to hire a band of mercenaries and take control of the situation. Read more for details & the first screens ...

Following the critically acclaimed and award-winning Anarchy Online - Shadowlands, Funcom today announces Anarchy Online - Alien Invasion. Set for release this summer, the next chapter in the Anarchy Online saga further strengthens the sci-fi aspects of Anarchy Online, making the game even more unique compared to current and forthcoming offerings within the Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) genre.

Electronic Arts and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced that EA has been awarded the worldwide interactive rights to develop, publish and distribute computer and video games based on the highly anticipated Catwoman motion picture starring Oscar winning actress, Halle Berry, scheduled for release on July 30th.

SNK NEOGEO USA announced today that the company will ship the first home version of the hit arcade title, Metal Slug 3, in May 2004 for the Xbox. Metal Slug 3 will support the Xbox Live leaderboard. Read more for details & screens ...