Electronic Arts today announced that The Sims Bustin' Out is in development for the PS2, the Xbox, and the GameCube. The Sims is making a big return to consoles with The Sims Bustin' Out. For the first time, Sims console players will have the ability to get their Sims out of the house and into all-new locations to play, work, and meet a cast of outrageous new characters. The Sims Bustin' Out PS2 version will be unveiled to industry insiders on May 13th at the Electronic Entertainment Exposition in Los Angeles. The game is scheduled to be released simultaneously on all current-generation console platforms in early 2004. Read more for details and the first screen ...

The blockbuster fighting game of 2002 makes its way to the GameCube as Atari today announced that Dragon Ball Z: Budokai will be available for Nintendo players nationwide this October. Created by DIMPS, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai has shipped more than 1.3 million units in North America since its December 2002 release on the PS2.

Sony Online Entertainment announced today that it is developing EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers, the second edition of the groundbreaking massively multiplayer online role-playing game, EverQuest Online Adventures. EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers expands the rich, vibrant fantasy world of Norrath with uncharted territories to explore, new items and spells to acquire, fierce creatures to battle, and a new playable race, the Ogres. Frontiers also offers innovative features such as an in-game tutorial, controller instructions and in-game customer service to make online gaming simple and easy for the new user. Developed exclusively for the PS2, EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers is scheduled to ship to retail stores this fall.

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that Microsoft Train Simulator 2 will make its debut at the E3 expo next week. "With five new, highly detailed routes, Microsoft Train Simulator 2 provides the opportunity to command a 200-ton modern diesel locomotive or operate a steam-breathing behemoth from the past. The game also adds dynamic weather in a living-breathing world complete with people, vehicles and animals roaming the countryside". Microsoft Train Simulator 2 will be in stores this Fall. Just what we need .. more trains :)

ePie Games has announced their upcoming Vietnam War game, Vietnam War: Ho Chi Minh Trail (thanks VE3D). It is the year 1970. The flames of war in Vietnam burn on years after French troops are dealt a crushing defeat. American troops, sent into harsh terrain and dense jungle, find themselves embroiled in guerrilla warfare with a cunning enemy that uses the jungle to its advantage. The Ho Chi Minh Trail, a Vietcong transport route snaking through thousands of miles of dense foliage, somehow endures the American saturation bombing campaign, and men and armaments continue to reach southern forces down this vital supply line......

In production at Firefly Studios, the creators behind the million selling Stronghold series, Space Colony promises a gaming experience that's out of this world. Through a series of unique and pioneering missions players will be given the opportunity to combine all the intricacies of running a Space Colony with the most disfunctional crew ever assembled, whilst fighting off aliens and attempting to make a profit. Read more for details and the first screens ...

Microïds is proud to announce today the development of Memorick, The Apprentice Knight, an innovative 3D action adventure platformer based on the Arthurian legends and exclusive to the Xbox. The game is being created at the developer/publisher's Montreal-based studios and is scheduled for a Christmas 2003 release date. Read more for details and first screens ...

Already revealed yesterday, but today the official announcement rolled in. Activision, Inc. will plunge players into the dark and gritty vampire underworld of modern Los Angeles with the announcement of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines for the PC. Seamlessly combining role playing with intense first-person action combat, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines allows players to become a dangerous creature of the night as they assume the role of a recently embraced fledgling vampire in the service of the city's dark prince. Vampire: The Masquerade- Bloodlines is being developed by Troika Games, whose founding members' credits include the award-winning Fallout, and is based on White Wolf's renowned pen-and-paper Vampire: The Masquerade RPG series. Built using Valve's Source Technology - the same game technology used to power Half-Life 2, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines has not yet received an age rating and is expected to ship in 2004.

Not really a major secret since it was already mentioned in their E3 lineup but Strategy First Inc. announced today that they have signed War Times for the North American market. Developed by Spain’s Legend Studios, War Times is a Real-Time Strategy game that lets players follow the tumultuous era of the Second World War through the actions of Germany, Great Britain, the USA or the USSR; each nation is totally different and uses unique strategies in their attack and defense and all the campaigns are based on real historical events, bringing an unparalleled realism to the fight.

Mythic Entertainment, developer and publisher of the worldwide success Dark Age of Camelot, will immerse fans in a new expansion, Dark Age of Camelot: Trials of Atlantis, later this year. Designed around a series of exhilarating trials available to players of all realms, the expansion will challenge high-level players to survive this all-new underwater domain. Rendered with a visually stunning new graphic engine, Trials of Atlantis will continue to keep Dark Age of Camelot at cutting edge of graphics in the MMORPG world.

Electronic Arts today announced that The Sims 2, the next generation of the #1 PC game of all time, is in development at the company's Walnut Creek-based Maxis studio. For the first time, players control their Sims over an entire lifetime. Every choice that is made has a relevant and dramatic effect on the life of a Sim. More life-like Sims, all-new gameplay, and the ground-breaking addition of genetics, with the DNA of Sims passed down through generations gives players a more vivid, realistic, and in-depth Sims experience. All of this takes place in a new amazingly life-like 3-D world. The Sims 2 will be unveiled to industry insiders on May 13th at the Electronic Entertainment Exposition in Los Angeles and is scheduled to ship in early 2004.

Big waves collide with kick-ass rock on the soundtrack of Activision, Inc.’s upcoming Wakeboarding Unleashed featuring Shaun Murray video game. Eighteen guitar fuelled tracks will be featured when the game is released this summer for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. Read more for the full list of artists!

Following its rich tradition of intelligently crafted gameplay and wry humor, LucasArts announces Armed & Dangerous, a blast-happy action game about a smack-talking group of gun-toting rebels, a ridiculously impossible quest, and weapons that cause really, really big explosions. The game is being developed in conjunction with Planet Moon Studios and is expected to release winter 2003 for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and PC.

Gathering and critically acclaimed software developer Triumph Studios, today announced that Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic for PC is currently in production. Due for release in September 2003, Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic is set to become the new benchmark for fantasy titles. Dutch developers Triumph Studios have a proven track record in this genre. Read more for details and first screens ...

Electronic Arts and LEGO Interactive today announced that BIONICLE, a fast-paced action adventure platform title based on one of the LEGO Company's most successful play materials of recent years, is under development. The game is slated to ship in fall 2003 for the PlayStation2, PC-CD, Xbox and GameCube.

Update: Screens added for PC/Xbox and PS2!

Bringing the dark and sinister Lobo comic book universe to the video game world, Kemco U.S.A. announced today its plans for a third-person adventure-shooter based on the popular franchise from DC Comics. Slated for the PlayStation2 and the Xbox , Lobo pushes entertainment to the edge in this outrageous combat game. Read more for details ...

Continuing to broaden the Nintendo GameCube library, Konami and Nintendo today announced Konami will publish a new Metal Gear adventure exclusive for Nintendo GameCube. Metal Gear Solid The Twin Snakes combines the thrilling story of the original Metal Gear Solid game with the jaw-dropping graphics and unparalleled gameplay found in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. The game is scheduled to ship later this year in North America and Europe, followed by the Japanese launch in early 2004.

Just noticed on VE3D that GameStop has updated their site today with a new game page. The addition is Unreal Tournament 2004 and the game is listed as being released 18th November 2003. Can we expect announcement of this game at E3? It was stated before the release of Unreal Tournament 2003 that there would be a yearly update a la Fifa, so this could very well be!

Enter the adrenaline-filled world of high performance street racers in the latest game from the award-winning Need for Speed franchise, Need for Speed Underground from Electronic Arts. The new EA GAMES title is under development by the award winning Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 2 team. The game features a breakthrough sensation of speed, developed by an OSCAR nominated special effects expert, and a spectacular graphic presentation showcasing an exciting lineup of licensed cars and aftermarket performance parts (mods) from top manufacturers.

UPDATE : The US press announcement mentions there is a PC version in the works as well.

Majesco today announced Advent Rising, the first in a trilogy of games for the Xbox and PC. Featuring an unprecedented collaboration between interactive entertainment and science fiction writing, famed novelist, Orson Scott Card, embellishes on the gripping storyline behind Advent Rising, and will author a novel based on the game. Both are scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2004.

Electronic Arts today announced that players can grab their broomsticks and prepare for aerial competition high above the Quidditch pitch. For the first time ever, Harry Potter fans will be able to fully experience the magical power, speed, and competition of Quidditch, the favourite sport of witches and wizards, in the Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup game. Read more for details ...

Ethereal Evolution, Inc. is proud to announce it's upcoming title, Universe Unlimited (UU). UU will be a Massively Multiplayer online role-playing game that takes aspects from many genres such as flight sim, first person shooter, and strategy. UU is a sci-fi resfresher from the long dominated online world of Medieval adventure. You will immerse yourself in a constantly expanding and player expendable game universe that is not randomly generated but based on a trade secret process. You will be able to colonize planets, control portions of the universe, help fellow players, or even join the UED military. UU is expected last quarter 2003.

Auravision LLC, a pioneer computer peripheral developer, today announces it has signed Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel, the three-time World Champion Gamer from the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL), to endorse his own line of Gaming products and other lifestyle merchandise. Fatal1ty (spelled with his signature number one as the letter i) will be present in Auravision's E3 booth in Kentia Hall #6656.

Criminals of Gotham City Beware! Ubi Soft Entertainment today announced Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu for the PlayStation2, Xbox, the Nintendo GameCube and GameBoy Advance. Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu makes history as the first video game to debut a brand new Batman character, the villain Sin Tzu. Ubi Soft, DC Comics and Warner Bros. have partnered to showcase the talents of renowned comic book artist, Jim Lee, as the creator and character designer for Sin Tzu. Jim Lee is America's best-selling comic book artist of all time and is currently the artist on the monthly DC comic book BATMAN, which is the nation's #1 comic book. Read more for details and the first screens!

Discover the open mountain in the newest version of the smash-hit SSX snowboarding franchise. Shipping this fall under the EA SPORTS BIG brand, SSX 3 from Electronic Arts is under development for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, the Nintendo GameCube, and the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. SSX 3 allows gamers to go anywhere gravity will take them. Players will discover a colossal mountain where they can immerse themselves in a free-roaming snow paradise. The ultimate all-mountain experience, SSX 3 features all-new events and courses, awe-inspiring tricks, and a cast of cool, customizable characters. Discover the open terrain, explore its hidden crevices, and conquer its peaks. Read more for details & the first screens ..