Strategy First and PAN Vision announced today that they have signed a distribution agreement in which PAN Vision acquires the rights to distribute Disciples II and Trainz throughout the Scandinavian territories.

F1 2002 will be the first Formula One game to feature the new 2002 season when it launches. Officially licensed by Formula One Administration Limited, it features real drivers, teams, cars and tracks from the 2002 FIA Formula One World Championship and it will be available at the start of the brand new season allowing the true Formula One aficionado the opportunity to play along as the real life drama unfolds.

Frictionless Insight has posted an extensive interview with Richard Garriott, creator of the Ultima Series, a.k.a. Lord British. They discussed Mr. Garriott's beginnings, the evolution of the Ultima series; the concept of virtue; and its impact on villainy in online worlds. Richard "Lord British" Garriott talked about his alter-ego, his role in the game Lineage, and Lineage's expansion into North America. Finally, he revealed a bit about his life outside of gaming and his love for real-life adventure and exploration. Full interview HERE!

SCi, one of Europe’s leading publishers of computer games, today announces the signing of a licence agreement with Gabby Logan (nee Yorath) to present FourFourTwo, SCi’s latest football manager PC computer game, alongside Terry Venables.

SCi Entertainment Group Plc (SEG), is delighted to announce that its Number One hit The Italian Job has reached Sony Platinum status. The Italian Job was released on Sony Playstation One on 5th October 2001. It immediately secured the number 1 chart position in the UK and has remained high in the charts ever since. Confirmation of Platinum status means that The Italian Job has exceeded sales of 200,000 units. A Platinum version of The Italian Job will be launched in September 2002.

Capcom Eurosoft today confirmed that it will be publishing its first PlayStation 2 titles on Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s Platinum range this coming June. The first two titles are Onimusha: Warlords and Resident Evil Code: Veronica X both of which topped the charts when released last year.

Purge is an online-only computer game. It is a hybrid Role-Playing-Game / First-Person-Shooter set in the near future accounting a war between the diametrically opposed forces of science-fiction (the Order) and fantasy (the Chosen). Technology versus magic. Science versus religion. Purge is being developed by Freeform Interactive LLC and utilizes the LithTech Talon system. Freeform Interactive will be conducting extremely intensive closed beta tests, currently scheduled for mid-April. Sign-up for the Purge Closed Beta Test now!

Capcom Eurosoft today confirmed it plans to publish Capcom vs SNK Pro for the PlayStation. The game is scheduled to be released this July throughout all PAL territories.

BAM! Entertainment today announced that it has obtained the rights to publish id Software’s Wolfenstein 3D for the Game Boy Advance. Originally developed and released for the PC in 1992, Wolfenstein 3D has become one of the most critically acclaimed and widely recognized gaming franchises ever, including a 1995 induction into Computer Gaming World’s Gaming Hall of Fame. Wolfenstein 3D for the Game Boy Advance is a joint development effort between id Software and Dallas-based studio Stalker Entertainment.

On Infogrames official Unreal 2 message board there is a follow up on the news about impending name changes for Unreal II and Unreal Tournament II. Click read more below to check out what Tim Sweeney from Infogrames had to say..

Get in and hold on! You are about to go off-road with the latest, greatest 4x4s the world has to offer. Every power-sliding, mud-slinging beast in Off-Road Wide Open handles just like the real thing. Off- Road Wide Open uses the latest and greatest technology to accurately simulate real-world driving and handling characteristics. Each vehicle has exactly the same suspension, steering control and performance as the real thing! The locations are actual places, with scenery realistic enough for a postcard. Drive through mud, snow, ice, sand, gravel, grass and rocks. Deserts, forests and mountains are just some of the terrains you will race across in the no-holds-barred, four-wheeling mayhem that is Off-Road Wide Open. The Xbox leprechaun's have gone totally nuts today ... i'm off for some cold beer!

The setting is Tokyo, in the year 2024. Freedom is a valuable commodity and freedom of expression even more so. JSRF – Jet Set Radio Future uses the power of the Xbox to create living, breathing cities that are filled with opportunities. Featuring unique anime-style graphics, new tricks and incredible stunts, JSRF – Jet Set Radio Future brings the hippest game ever into a futuristic world. Choose a character, strap on your rocket powered skates and immerse yourself in the vast environments. The story unfolds depending upon which areas of the game you explore. Along the way, you’ll compete with rival gangs, be chased by the cops and perhaps discover something unthinkable. The multi-player aspects will let you work together to reach seemingly unattainable places, create new attacks and perform astounding stunts. Wherever your adventure takes you, it’s all about extreme skating, extreme action and of course extreme style.

Only a short time after the launch of the next-generation console, SWING! will release the prestige title of the action genre for Xbox in the 2nd quarter of 2002: Enclave. This makes SWING! one of the first German publishers to provide a game for Microsoft's game console. Awarded IGN "Best Action Game" at the E3 2001 fair, Enclave promises to become a successful third-person shooter. A mixture of shooter, adventure and RPG elements, this fantasy game guarantees intensive gameplay and great variety. Especially the graphics demonstrates the full capacity of the Xbox. Next to the online RPG Shadowbane appearing in late May for PC and Macintosh, Enclave will be SWING!'s second reference title in the 2002 line up.

This new version of Mortal Kombat is scheduled to ship for Nintendo GameCube™ and other next-generation game systems in Fall 2002. Mortal Kombat delivers all-new punishing action fans of the franchise crave - intense hand-to-hand combat and special-weapon combat, secret hidden moves and combinations with deadly body blows. A few days ago we announced the launch of the official website , check it out if you havent yet .. or just check our new screens..

A frenzied, fast paced, explosive 3D-action platform game will be unleashed on the gaming market. Developed by Blitz and released by Infogrames, Taz Wanted is Taz as he's never been seen before - he's as cool, energetic, rebellious and impulsive as ever but this time he's a fugitive on the run. With a huge marketing and PR campaign to support the title, Taz Wanted, available on PS2, Xbox and PC, is set to be one of the must have games of 2002. I have no idea what the frenzy about this ugly goon is all about .. but hey, you didnt ask me so just ignore my retarded comments

Legend's plans for Unreal 2's MPX multiplayer were a brilliant idea, but before the team had even begun working on the multiplayer code and maps, that part of the game had already grown into what could have been an 18-month project for the entire team on its own. We'd love to have seen Unreal 2's multiplayer vision carried through to completion, but it turned out to be unrealistic to try to develop such a huge single-player game with such a huge multiplayer component. That's why the decision was made, and it was by mutual agreement and discussion between Legend, Epic, and Infogrames. Nobody was forced. And it wasn't about boosting UT2 at U2's expense. Unreal 2's MPX would have complemented rather than competed with Unreal Tournament 2's more traditional UT-style game types. On top of all this mumbo jumbo on Monday Infogrames will announce that it will be changing the name of Epic Games' and Legend Ent.'s forthcoming first-person shooter from Unreal II to Unreal Episode II. Likewise, Unreal Tournament 2 from Epic and Digital Extremes will carry the new Unreal Tournament 2003 moniker. The changes are probably meant to curb confusion over the differences between these two games, as well as to further differentiate them from future products like Unreal Championship for the Xbox.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein v1.3 is now available for download! This update addresses a number of single and muliplayer bugs and exploits, as well as includes a number of additions (refer to the readme file included with your download for a full list). The Linux Wolf 1.3 update is ready as well.. Go grab 'em and frag 'em!

One of the most promising XBOX titles must be Sega's "Gun Valkyrie". Originally planned for end 2001 it is now scheduled for April 2002. The wait is almost over so Sega send us some more screens. Check out those beauties!!

Those leprechaun's over at Infogrames send us some screens .. some new and a few we seen around already ... either way they threatened to torture us horribly if we didnt post them .. afraid as we are .. check them out .. ;)

Infogrames announces the launch of Transworld Snowboarding on XBox in October 2002. TransWorld Media is a major cultural force in the action sports industry, with 15 consumer and trade magazines, six web sites and TransWorld alternative sports events. “Infogrames’ line of TransWorld games - TransWorld Snowboarding and TransWorld Surf - offers the most compelling gameplay combined with stunning technology and a high level of realism through the real pros, tricks, riding spots, equipment and gear.” said Franck Heissat, Marketing Director, Core Games Infogrames Europe. The leprechaun's brought us some screens...