Microsoft Game Studios announced today its first baseball title for the Xbox, "Inside Pitch 2003." This Xbox Live enabled title will begin turning double plays, throwing brush back pitches and clearing the fences for the 2003 Major League Baseball season. Nomar Garciaparra will appear on the cover and serve as spokesperson for "Inside Pitch 2003." Joining the All-Star shortstop on the "Inside Pitch 2003" roster is the top broadcast team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Read more for details and screens.

Eidos Interactive, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, announces an exciting partnership with multi-platinum recording artists the Insane Clown Posse (ICP) and Psychopathic Records for the forthcoming video game Backyard Wrestling. The partnership allows Eidos usage of ICP songs for the in-game soundtrack and multiple marketing co-opportunities at ICP concerts and Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) events in addition to events at retail. Gamers will be able to unlock exclusive ICP content on the game disc as well as play as ICP's lead-singers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope in the game.

NDA Productions, a studio of Vivendi Universal Games, and Massive Entertainment, today announce the development of Ground Control 2 : Operation Exodus. The game is the next episode in the award-winning and highly acclaimed Ground Control RTS game series. Read more for details and some new screens ...

Empire Interactive announces a further agreement with Black Cactus on the exclusive rights for the original, multiple award winning, top 10 chart success Warrior Kings title. Empire will publish its sequel, Warrior Kings: Battles, a real time strategy title for the PC, in March 2003. Following on from this Empire and Black Cactus will release an updated and enhanced version of the original, called Warrior Kings: Gold Edition in June at mid price. Empire also has the rights to release the game as a double pack with Warrior Kings: Battles and on its budget label, Xplosiv later in the year.

Astral Tournament is a magic combat simulator with the best features of "Magic: The Gathering". Long ago the Great Tournament was declared in Astral and mages from the Universe has arrived to gain the astral power. And you play for one of these mages who with the help of magical and tactical skills wants to win the Tournament. You can cast numerous spells and summon fantasy creatures to win your opponents. Besides the tournament game there is a capability of playing single duel with computer or your friend. Version 1.16 contains new computer AI and highly improoved sounds, and also enables you to play over local network.

Activision marks a new era in the historical strategy genre with the announcement of Empires: Dawn of the Modern World from acclaimed designer Rick Goodman and Stainless Steel Studios. A real-time strategy game of epic scope and breadth, Empires: Dawn of the Modern World lets players command legendary civilizations as they battle to forge mighty empires during the days of longbows and charging knights to the awesome land, air and sea battles of WWII involving Tiger Tanks, Storm Troopers, Spitfires, and stealthy submarines.

THQ Inc. today unveiled Sphinx -an original interactive adventure game. Developed for the PS2 and Gamecube by game design veterans Eurocom, Sphinx takes the character-based, action-adventure genre to new heights with sophisticated gameplay mechanics, original character designs, amazing visuals and superior technology. Eurocom has created successful titles based on some of the strongest intellectual properties in the world of entertainment including Crash Bandicoot, James Bond, Hercules and Disney's Tarzan. Sphinx is an entirely original property inspired by the mythology of ancient Egypt and is Eurocom's most ambitious project to date. Sphinx is scheduled to ship in fall 2003.

Mirage Interactive has official announced that Mortyr II, a sequel to their World War II first-person shooter, is in production. A demo is expected soon and they have released a list of new "features" that we can expect to see in their new Mortyr II WIP version. Read more for details ...

Bethesda Softworks today announced The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon, the second expansion for its RPG-of-the-Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind for PC. Scheduled for release in May, Bloodmoon takes you to the frozen Island of Solstheim where the Empire is establishing a new mining colony - a venture being threatened by the prophecy of the Bloodmoon and rumors of werewolves. Read more for details ...

Everybody knew it. But today, Microïds wanted to make it official. Syberia II, the sequel of the 2002 Adventure Game of The year, is currently in development at the developer/publisher Montreal-based studios. Microïds is also excited to release today the first images, screenshots and artworks, of Syberia II. The game will be released in the Fall of 2003.

Beginning Friday morning, February 14th, individuals will have the opportunity to log on to the beta signup page right here, and register for their chance to be one of 10,000 players chosen to play-test Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. These players will be the first to experience the new Expansion to Warcraft® III: Reign of Chaos. Read more for details!

Intense character development meets tactical action game play, as Majesco today announced Black 9 for the personal computer and Xbox video game system from Microsoft. Scheduled for release in fall 2003, Black9 is being developed by Taldren, the studio behind the award-winning Starfleet Command series.

Electronic Arts today announced plans to release this May The Sims Superstar, a new expansion pack to the top-selling PC game of all time, The Sims. Players can now realize their fantasies of fame and fortune as they pursue the dream of being a Rock Star, Movie Star or a Supermodel and live the lifestyle of a celebrity. All new gameplay, new social interactions and a whole new in-game destination offer players an all access pass to the world of superstardom. In The Sims Superstar, The Sims are ready for their close up.

Eidos Interactive, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, announces Backyard Wrestling for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Backyard Wrestling is being developed by Paradox and will be released this summer. The game is based on the best-selling Backyard Wrestling video series that has become a worldwide phenomenon selling millions of copies of VHS tapes and DVDs in addition to successful pay per view events...

As the world prepares to celebrate the 100th anniversary of powered flight, Microsoft Corp. today announced that "Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight" is in development and cleared for takeoff this July. With "Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight," the next milestone in the award-winning "Flight Simulator" franchise, Microsoft celebrates 20 years of developing and perfecting computer flight simulation.

Vivendi and Interplay today announced the development of Hunter: The Reckoning Redeemer, developed by High Voltage Software exclusively for the Xbox. Based on the gothic world of White Wolf's pen and paper role-playing games, Hunter: The Reckoning is returning to Xbox fueled with more intense action than the original. An all-new character joins the original team of four to destroy hordes of new supernatural enemies in never before seen areas. Single or multi-player battles will be waged with the addition of new weapons, power ups, edges (spells) and Hunter-specific combat moves.

UPDATE: 11 screens are added!

Publisher Electronic Arts will release the single-player demo for Anno 1503 tomorrow. The sequel to the acclaimed Anno 1602 from German developer Sunflowers blends real-time strategy and empire building during the time of colonial expansion. Anno 1503 will be released under the title "The New World" in North America. CDV has announced that a demo for Nival Interactive's War War II RTS, Blitzkrieg, will be released next week. The upcoming Blitzkrieg demo consists of three Singleplayer Missions: one from the Germans, Allies and Russians. The first Mission is a German counterstrike against Russian forces. First you have to get rid of two Russian IS-II tanks. The easiest way is to outflank them, and hit them from behind, where the plates are quite weak. Use a sniper to destroy the local air defense, and clear the way for the heavy bombers which are taking care of the heavy artillery afterwards. After that, you're ready to utilize the giant mortar „Karl" to destroy an important bunker in the north of the map. And these were only 3 of many mission objectives in the first mission! You will spend some thrilling hours for sure.

LucasArts today announced it is releasing a new version of Star Wars: The Clone Wars for Xbox Live this spring. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is the first LucasArts console game available for play over the Internet and will offer expanded combat action specifically designed for Xbox Live. Read more for details, features and the first few screens ...

THQ Inc. today announced "Moto GP 2" for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and PC. Scheduled for release in summer 2003, "Moto GP 2" is the only game that lets gamers talk trash online at 160 miles per hour.

Sony Computer Entertainment UK (SCE UK) today announced Primal Art, an innovative peek into the world of contemporary art and the cultural appeal of video games, to be held at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)... But is it art? Well, yes according to the Institute of Contemporary Arts, who are holding an exhibition of pics from it.

NEC Interchannel, Ltd., a subsidiary of NEC Corporation, today announced its plans to enter the gaming industry as a third-party publisher for the PlayStation2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, and the Xbox. NEC comes back after an eight-year hiatus and plans to publish for all next-gen consoles. At the same token NEC Interchannel announces their first NGC game "Tube Slider". Read more for details...

Got Game Entertainment and Knut Mueller today announced a North American publishing agreement for "RHEM," an intricate pure-puzzle first person adventure game. Made for PC and Mac, RHEMthrusts the player into a strange land and on an adventure to uncover thesecrets of a mysterious letter. Read more for details and the first screens ...

THQ today announced that Rainbow Studios, THQ's leading action-racing game developer, is producing the next installment in its motocross franchise. The new installment will make its debut on the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and Xbox videogame system from Microsoft in early 2004, in conjunction with the 2004 THQ World Supercross GP season.

Tired of those boring old Quake 3 benchmarks? Here's one based on AquaNox 2's engine... JoWooD Productions AG today announced that a subsidiary of the publisher, Massive Development, will publish a successor to its 3D benchmark program AquaMark 2.3 during this financial quarter. AquaMark 3 will be a fully DirectX 9-capable cutting-edge benchmark based on Massive Development's krass engine which also powers AquaNox 2: Revelation.

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).