Montreal, Quebec. September 25th, 2001 - Strategy First and Daydream Software are bringing players of all genres a unique gaming experience with a futuristic twist.

"Strategy First is delving into the mainstream market with this title," says Steve Wall, V.P. Business Development for Strategy First. "Clusterball is a fast and invigorating game that we are confident many players of all genres will enjoy."

"This deal is one essential part in our co-ordinated world wide launch of the PC game Clusterball", says Anders Gothefors, Senior Marketing and Sales Manager for Daydream Software AB. "This gives players from all over the world the opportunity to play this unique game."

Clusterball, an online fantasy sports game, combines elements of high speed air-racing with true
dogfighting and tactical challenges. In a Clusterball
match, a player's aim is to collect colored balls from magnetic tracks spread out in venues and tow them through a scoring ring using a fast and versatile aircraft. To interfere with opposing pilots, players can pick up various kinds of tactical equipment - like the Superboost, Ball Snatcher or Tractor Beam.

With amazing 3D graphics and positional sound effects together with authentic physics, a perfect setting is created. Intense matches take place in astonishing landscapes inspired by famous locations around the world.

"We came up with Throne of Darkness because we wanted to make a game based on all the Japanese historical dramas and animation we grew up with, something we haven't seen in the market before," said Ben Haas, CEO and art director at Click Entertainment. "I believe now we've succeeded in creating this vision, and we're releasing a game that will pave new ground in its genre."

"Where Throne sets itself apart from other action, role-playing games is through its Japanese single-player storyline, gameplay innovations, and unique multiplayer experience," said Craig Davison, marketing director at Sierra. "This title has received support from its fans and the press from all over the world and we believe Click has set the stage to make a significant mark in the RPG category."

[Thor] If so what was your first impressions?

[Simon] Simply awesome. Forget Doom 3 and Quake 4, this will be the new benchmark for first-person shooters.

"Akihabara, September 14th, 2001. As the shutters roll up, street-long queues shuffle forward, patiently waiting for the chance to spend their hard-earned yen on Nintendo's latest console. The majority will purchase Luigi’s Mansion with their console, then spend the rest of the day huddled unceremoniously next to a television in their tiny living rooms, getting to grips with Nintendo's GameCube."

Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix is the ultra-realistic sequel to the groundbreaking hit. Based on the popular military enthusiast magazine, Soldier of Fortune II promises to offers one of the most realistic FPS experiences ever. Read Gamitopia's preview for more.

Scheduled for release in early October, Patrician II is one of the most recent award-winning real-time trading simulations to come from Germany. By combining elements from strategy, adventure and simulation game play, Patrician II will attract a whole new category of player.

About Patrician II

Set in the 1300's, Patrician II reproduces maritime trade in Northern Europe at the time of the Hanseatic League. Players take on the role of a citizen in a medieval town where the goal is to rise from a simple trader to prestigious businessman. To achieve this goal, players must gain recognition and prestige among the community and try to make a profit by producing and trading goods and completing missions.

Since the primary goal of most scenarios is to be elected mayor, players may choose to buy town improvements, or build new businesses. However,
Patrician II offers players several options for winning - some using less scrupulous means. Players can bribe certain influential people, or hire pirates to comb the seas and raid ships for competitors. Either way, their task is to handle supply and demand in certain cities. A variety of goods must be carefully purchased and sent for trade in far off ports in search of the highest buyer. Over 20 commodities can be bought and sold, ranging from rudimentary items such as salt to more luxurious items such as wine and pottery.

"Today Electronic Arts officially announced its upcoming god game expansion, Black and White: Creature Isle. The expansion adds a number of features to the popular god game Black and White, including a new land filled with mystical creatures, new artificial intelligence, and a female creature.[...]"

Follow this link to read the full post.

"With this in mind, it's no wonder that Red Faction wasn't content with being just another shooter. A poster-boy for the company, the game was both expected and in fact heralded as being the next technological and indeed contextual revolution in the genre. And why not? With an engine that allows for the arbitrary modification and destruction of the environment, realistic physics applied to particles, flowing water, wind, AI promised to be more lethal than that of Half-Life, an involved storyline, and the credentials of people who worked on both Freespace and the first two Descents, the game was sure to cash in and break the bank. So, did it deliver? Yes, and no."

The full review can be read here.

"SimsVille, best described as a cross between The Sims and Sim City, has met an untimely end as it wasn't meeting Maxis' standards. [...] As a Maxis employee told us today,

"We have very high standards for our games, and SimsVille was meeting it in some places, but not in others."

Also, it seems that members of the SimsVille team have moved onto other projects, and some are actually helping with the development of The Sims Online.

Microsoft Confirms Holiday Season Shipments of 1 Million to 1.5 Million Xbox Units

REDMOND, Wash. - Sept. 21, 2001 - Microsoft Corp. today announced it has begun manufacturing the Microsoft® Xbox™ in Guadalajara, Mexico, and provided new details about the 2001 launch.

Xbox will launch in North America on Nov. 15, 2001. The company also reconfirmed it will ship 1 million to 1.5 million Xbox consoles to North American retailers this holiday season, with replenishment of more than 100,000 Xbox units each week.

"Put a great big 'X' on Nov. 15," said Robbie Bach, chief Xbox officer at Microsoft. "Xbox is the one worth waiting for. It's the only video game system being manufactured in North America. This is significant because it assures retailers that we can keep filling the retail channel with new Xbox units week after week."

"Enthusiasm for Xbox is really taking off," said Wayne Yodzio, vice president of Toys "R" Us. "Microsoft is delivering what it takes to make this a great holiday season for us - namely a great lineup of Xbox games, a rapid replenishment plan that will keep our shelves filled with Xbox systems every week, and quantities for the holiday season that will translate the excitement about Xbox into strong sales."

"Having the right infrastructure in place will allow Microsoft to build gamer excitement with available product on the shelves, from launch, through the holidays and beyond," said Peter Moore, president and COO of Sega of America. "Microsoft has recognized that the road to success is more of a marathon than a sprint."

Xbox Games
Microsoft confirmed that it will launch with 15 to 20 games and finish the holiday season with more than 30 game titles on shelf. Xbox has tremendous support from the games development community, including leading developers such as Sega, Electronic Arts, THQ, Tecmo, Infogrames, Activision, Konami, Eidos, Lucas Arts and Midway. Microsoft will also have leading titles, including "Halo™", "Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee™," "NFL Fever 2002" and several others, from its own game studios.

"The degree of success of a console is based on customer acceptance and a lineup of great games, not on a launch date or initial numbers," said Jeffrey Griffiths, CEO of Electronics Boutique. "Thus far, customer enthusiasm has been exceptional, and we've been very impressed with the assortment of games. We're confident in the long-term success of the product and pleased to be working with Microsoft in this venture."

Throne of Darkness is Click Entertainment’s colorful action RPG in which a small band of samurai must fight its way out of its besieged castle, find the demon Zanshin and destroy him before his darkness becomes complete. With its North America release slated for next week, our new Throne of Darkness Preview offers a thorough, hands-on look at what you can expect.

"Denmark is famous throughout the world for two things - the Danish Pastry and LEGO. Sadly nobody has yet found a way to combine computers with the ultimate in sugar-glazed confectionery, but the gaudy little plastic building blocks have spawned a string of games over the years. The latest entry is LEGO Racers 2 which, as the title suggests, features LEGO guys tearing around a series of fanciful tracks in a range of bizarre looking vehicles."

Links Championship Edition is the most complete Links golf experience ever offered in one box. It features:

Links 2001, including the 1.21 update
Links Expansion Pack, Volume 1
Arnold Palmer Course Designer
Links 2001 Course Converter
Four new golf courses: Pennsylvania's Oakmont Country Club, Australia's Royal Melbourne, The Frankfurter Golf Club of Germany, and The Judge Course at Capitol Hill from the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama
Microsoft also announced a second Links Expansion Pack is scheduled to ship in November, in time for the 2001 Holiday season. It will feature all-new courses, new players, and more utilities for Links 2001 and Links Championship Edition. More details coming soon.

The most significant upgrade to the Links series in over a decade, Links 2001 features a rendering engine that delivers unprecedented ball physics and graphics; as well as the Arnold Palmer Course Designer, which allows PC golfers to re-create their home courses with the same tools used by the Links 2001 team. A new dynamic camera feature allows players to view each shot from different perspectives. Links 2001 offers gamers new tour players including Sergio Garcia, Annika Sorenstam, Mike Weir, and more, as well as new golfer animations and personalities, customizable club distances that allow for an even more accurate re-creation of a player's actual game, and faster and easier online play. Additionally, the long-awaited Arnold Palmer Course Designer (APCD) makes its debut in Links 2001. The APCD provides users with the power and versatility to accurately recreate courses in a powerful, real-time 3D system. Players can tweak every inch of fairway with the APCD, and create tunnels and arches with full control over each point on the course. Over 300 fan courses created with the APCD are available free of charge online. (Visit www.linkscountryclub.com for a list of sites under the "Downloads" section.)

ARVADA, COLORADO – SEPTEMBER XX, 2001 – Fighting Legends™, a massively multiplayer online role-playing/strategy game developed and published by Maximum Charisma Studios (www.mcszone.com ), has become the first game in the electronic entertainment industry to meet the strict criteria to be ICCS™, (International Content Certification Standard™) Certified under the internationally recognized iWatchDog™ Program.

The iWatchDog™ Program and its parent organization ICCS™, have jointly certified thousands of web sites, products, and services which meet the standards for online safety, product quality, and consumer privacy.

“For years our organization has be promoting online safety by informing consumers what products we think are the very best, most interesting, and most innovative,” according to James Fisher, Executive Director of the United Federation of ChildSafe™ Web Sites, (UFCWS™). “We recently expanded our product certification program to include video and online games, and Fighting Legends is the first gaming software to meet our demanding standards.”

Steve Escalante, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Maximum Charisma, commented, “We are honored and gratified that the globally recognized iWatchDog™ Program has selected Fighting Legends as the first game to be certified by their organization. This validates Fighting Legends as high quality, innovative entertainment experience for gamers of all ages.”

Fighting Legends: The Game

Fighting Legends is an animated, gender-neutral game in which players of all ages and skill levels lead a squad of warriors through the vast, magical world of Exisle where life is a constant struggle for survival. Aided by sword and spell, players confront the planet’s bizarre creatures and the most dangerous foes of all – thousands of other players each bent on securing his or her name in the halls of legend.

One of the primary activities in Fighting Legends is battle. Battle effectiveness relies on two central elements: planning and execution. Careful planning is reflected by the inclusion of diverse and experienced units in a squad, while the execution is purely defined by how well players maneuver their forces on the battlefield. The controls in Exisle are very action-oriented similar to FPS (Fast Playing Sports) style games. While preparation is crucially important, it is likewise necessary for players to maintain tight battle control.

Free Beta Discs at Major Retailers Nationwide Through October 5th

Maximum Charisma has started distributing 55,000 Beta 3 copies of their new title at leading retailers nationwide. The Beta 3 copies are pre-release samples of the game which is set to launch in November. Gamers can get free Beta 3 copies now through October 5, 2001 at Best Buy, CompUSA, Fry’s Electronics, Electronics Boutique, Electronics Boutique Canada, Future Shop (Canada), Gamestop, Chips and Bits (e-tailer), Compucenter, CompuSmart, and Media Play.

* The original game featuring 15 missions over sixty levels
* An all-new mission featuring four new levels of heart-pumping action, deadly intrigue, danger at every turn, and Cate in the heart of an active volcano
* New exclusive textures, and a new enemy model to outwit
* Map editor and source code included to allow players to create and share their own mission levels
* Bonus music CD - Original "In-the-Lounge" music CD featuring groovy 60s music
* Bonus Strategy Guide - Prima's official primer to the shadowy world of Agent Cate Archer

Changes/Additions:
------------------
- Multicast spectator added.
- Voice communication added.
- Added server chat to logging.
- Redesigned multiplayer scoreboard.
- CapsLock key is now bindable.
- Switching to Spectator is now logged.
- Changed minimum value for "mp_chattime" to 1 second
- Changed minimum value for "mp_buytime" to 0.25 (15 seconds)
- Radio commands can be heard by nearby enemies.

Bug Fixes :
-----------
- Bunny hopping removed.
- Fixed client-side shots not matching the server-side counterparts.
- Fixed banned.cfg problem with more than 1024 entries.
- Fixed screenshots overwriting each other.
- Buffer overflow exploit fixed.
- "condump", "cmdlist", and "cvarlist" only write out to the game directory.
- Fixed Spectator mode bug.
- Fixed hitbox issues.
- Fixed nightvision bug.
- Fixed "slot10" not working correctly.

And here's the links..

And some mirrors..

Steel Beasts, the award-winning tank simulation was awarded "Best PC Simulation of 2000" by PC Gamer Magazine, Computer Games Magazine, SimHQ.com, GamePen and Wargamer. It has also received multiple Editor's Choice awards, and is in use at the US Military academy (West Point) to help train future armor officers.

Stratics: It has been a while since this has been addressed and with the updates to the game can you update us on how will speed (mouse dexterity) affect the flow of the adventure and the use of secondary skills since only the DM will have the ability to pause the game? There is a fine line between the ability of a player to use a character to his/her potential and a DM making sure the flow of the adventure does not bore the participants.

Trent Oster: NWN currently plays at a moderate pace. I have yet to experience any panic-clicking. Secondary skills (or any game action, really) can be placed into the quickbar for rapid access but I actually find that I use the radial menu quite a bit. Some people prefer to fire off actions using the number pad, for that matter. We've provided a lot of methods for doing this so that everyone can find the method that suits them best.

Detonator XP features the new Detonator XPress Link technology designed to unleash the power of the highly anticipated Windows® XP operating system and provide performance enhancements for Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows Me environments.

Detonator XP also includes:

Performance increases of up to 50% in Microsoft DirectX and SGI OpenGL applications.

A complete OpenGL® 1.3 ICD with NVIDIA extensions- allowing developers to create content that fully exposes the hardware features of NVIDIA's GPUs.

Custom DirectX® pipelines specifically designed to fully accelerate Windows XP and all other operating systems.

Full support for Windows XP OS

Fastest Windows XP 2D and 3D Performance

NVIDIA XPress Link
Full hardware acceleration for Windows XP's new
graphical user interface

NVIDIA's Patented Unified Driver Architecture - all productssupported in single driver binary Detonator XP supports the entire TNT2™, GeForce™, GeForce2™, Quadro™, Quadro2, Quadro DCC and GeForce3™ families of GPUs and is based on NVIDIA’s patented Unified Driver Architecture (UDA). Through UDA, NVIDIA’s software drivers are compatible with past, present and future NVIDIA GPUs, and are top-to-bottom compatible with all currently manufactured versions of NVIDIA’s GPUs.

"TeichDragon: So the idea of remaking U4 is a little bit longer on your mind? Why did you start now, and why Ultima IV?

Jaakko: Well, the NetHack project took a lot of my time the previous year. Now that it's rather complete, I am once again able to think about Ultima IV. The reason why I'm interested in Ultima IV is twofold: firstly, it is one of the most exciting games in the series - in a sense a turning point for Ultima games. It introduces Britannia, the virtues, avatarhood, and other features that became important for Ultima. So it is a story well worth revisiting. On the other hand, the original engine did not yet have the many improvements the later games introduced, so it stands to benefit much from a remake. Of course, were I make to make the decision today (and not a year ago), I'd also be influenced by what other remake projects exist."

"The goal of the game (at least in terms of player vs. player) is to battle the other realms in a bid to take control over all the realms. Whether or not this is really a possibility remains to be seen (I have not seen any PvP action take place in the game, but suspect it will be activated soon). The way the game works is simple. You choose a realm, a race, and a class. When you select a realm everyone in that realm is part of a "global guild" (called a realmmate). You can't steal, kill, or loot the kill of a realmmate (you can loot a kill if you're part of a party). So you're part of this giant family that is deadlocked in an eternal struggle with the other realms. Mythic plans to make it so that players can go on raids in other realms with their realmmates on a large and epic scale."

"To deal with PKs, we must make an effort to understand them. The first thing we have to realize is that there are many kinds of PK. Some are in it for the thrill of defeating an opponent who is more unpredictable and intelligent than any AI opponent. Some just like ruining someone else's day without having to worry about real-life repurcussions. A few are somewhat honorable in their outlook, who do not prey on the weak. But in all cases, a PK's goal is to kill another Player Character.

For the DM of a Neverwinter Nights game, there are really only two kinds of PK he needs to concern himself with: the wolf pack PK, and the lone wolf PK."

For starters Gamespot.com have done up a very detailed, seven page preview of World of Warcraft, this previews covers combat, characters, concepts, graphics and release details. Heres something to wet your appetite:

"This visual effect is achieved well in the game, as even the smallest characters seem like they can hold their own against all but the largest of creatures in Azeroth. The player animations also relay a sense of self-confidence in all the characters in the game, as each human, orc, and tauren walks with a bold swagger that suggests a sense of pride. Adding even further to this effect is technology that will change the physical appearance of your character--that is, swap actual polygons for the character model, rather than just the skins--whenever you change clothes or armor. So while the average human male in World of Warcraft might already look pretty tough even in street clothes, he'll be much more daunting with a complete set of footman's armor. Blizzard is intending that, much like no two Diablo II player characters look completely alike, no two World of Warcraft players will look exactly the same either."

"Like I mentioned earlier, while the game is set in the Warcraft universe, don't expect an RTS. World of Warcraft will be very similar to other MMORPGs in that you will collect items and develop your character over time by gaining experience through direct combat or through questing. Where it will differ slightly is that World of Warcraft is going to be much more action-oriented than the MMORPGs that we're used to playing on the PC, and it looks very similar to Phantasy Star Online in terms of gameplay in my opinion."

"According to the Anime News Service, a Final Fantasy TV series was announced at the August 17th Avex' anime rave festival. Reportedly Studio GONZO and Miyao Yoshikazu, of Blue Sub and Macross 7 Fame, will be working on the series. While no details have been reported thus far, influence from previous games is likly. In the past, the Final Fantasy OVA was based on 5, while the recent CG movie due out in Japan this September had influences from 7 & 8.

There has been no word on a US TV spot, however a DVD release at the very least seems likly. Don't expect a US version before mid-2002 at the very earliest, although no official date is known at this time."

"I understand that your character's choices will influence different factions within the game world's population causing their relations towards you to change. How much can your choices change the course of the game, can you i.e. make an enemy of someone who could have been a friend?

With every serious decision that you make, you change your reputation as it is perceived by other characters. To most of the ingame questions there's no "correct" answer, and to progress forward you need to make choices that please some and enrage the others - the game is a balanced world where you can't have as friends in one party a sought-after vermin chief and a loyal third-generation Guardian, even though each of them is a strong character that you would like to have around. A good example is a small garrison with three young recruits whom you will need to unite in a single battle group to venture on a small march across the area - neither of them will be happy to serve under another, but still you must decide - as you progress with the story, you imprint your own image on the relationships and, ultimately, on the party that surrounds you."

The following quote is taken from a recent interview conducted by Gamespot.com:

"GameSpot spoke with Sir-Tech Canada's Ian Currie today about reports of the company closing and what that would mean to its upcoming role-playing game, Wizardry 8. According to Currie, Sir-Tech Canada continues to exist as a company to support the upcoming game, which will be released this fall by an unannounced publisher.
Wizardry 8 is the latest installment in the venerable Wizardry role-playing game series, which first appeared in the mid-'80s. In the game, players guide a small party of characters through a 3D fantasy world in an effort to retrieve a powerful artifact from the clutches of The Dark Savant, an evil character who has also appeared in previous Wizardry games."

To visit the new World of Warcraft website, head over to http://www.blizzard.com/WoW/. This website is crammed full of new media, including a gameplay cinematic, trailer movie and 5 in game screenshots.

Official press release:.

"LONDON, England - September 2, 2001 - During a press conference today at the European Computer Trade Show, Blizzard Entertainment® unveiled World of Warcraft™, a massively multiplayer, online role-playing game set in the rich fiction of Blizzard's Warcraft universe. Featuring bold 3D graphics and deep, immersive gameplay, World of Warcraft will allow thousands of players to adventure together in this epic world and will provide them with a new, in-depth perspective on familiar lands, former battlefields, and heroes from the legendary universe. In addition, World of Warcraft will introduce new, uncharted territories and foes never before seen by followers of the series.

World of Warcraft takes place four years following the aftermath of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos™, where a great tension has settled over the ravaged world of Azeroth. As the various races begin to rebuild their shattered kingdoms, new threats, both ancient and terrifying, have arisen to plague the world once again. Players must explore the lands of Azeroth, forge fellowships with other players, and build their strength in order to prevail.

"World of Warcraft is our largest undertaking to date," stated Mike Morhaime, Blizzard Entertainment president and co-founder. "We are extremely focused on increasing the scope of the Warcraft universe, giving gamers an incredibly dynamic online gaming experience complete with endless possibilities."

An action-packed combat system delivers fast, furious combat against multiple opponents, while minimizing delays between battles to keep players on the move. A rich, evolving story and questing system will keep players engrossed as the world is regularly updated with new content.

Fully customizable character classes, innovative races, and thousands of weapons allow for a truly diverse gameplay experience that will appeal to both hard-core and novice gamers alike. A simple, intuitive user interface will allow players of various skill levels to easily join the adventure. World of Warcraft also features support for advanced graphics hardware, giving the player superlative graphical enhancements, as well as a sophisticated, massively multiplayer network architecture capable of supporting thousands of players in a world simultaneously.

Since its debut in 1994, the number-one selling Warcraft series has won industry acclaim and has shattered sales records worldwide with nearly 5 million copies sold*. In 1996, Blizzard followed the well-received Warcraft: Orcs and Humans™ with the critically acclaimed Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness™, which won multiple Game of the Year awards and is still considered by many critics to be one of the best games ever made. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos™; will continue the legendary saga in 2002.

Best known for blockbuster hits including the Warcraft® series, StarCraft® and Diablo™ series, Blizzard Entertainment® (www.blizzard.com), (a division of Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing) is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating many of the industry's most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard's track record includes four consecutive number-one selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company's free Internet gaming service Battle.net® reigns as the largest in the world with millions of active users.

This allowed for some truly remarkable cooperation between the players. We were all able to talk with each other and give each other updates on player positions and weapon activity. It's great not being cut off from your teammates and it really made my game stronger. At one point another player and I were negotiating a stairway that we knew was being covered by an enemy. Before, we'd have been forced to rely on intuition to coordinate our efforts. Last night my partner and I were totally able to coordinate the timing of our assault so that we weren't getting in each other's way and brought the maximum pressure on the poor bastard at the bottom of the stairs. He didn't stand a chance.

So far, the sentence reads:

In every saga, there lies a journey of wonder and imagination...As the veil of darkness gives way to a new dawn...Ancient worlds and timeless dangers are rediscovered..."

And that's it so far. Most are assuming the statement/sentence will be completed tomorrow with a final image and the name of the new project. Now, onto the hype. A lot of people are claiming they received a early copy of Blizzard's latest Blizzard Insider newsletter. They are all saying this image was in the newsletter, a splash image for a game called "World of Warcraft":

Now, judging by the authentic looking Warcraft logo, and the fact that there's a TM on the logo.....that points to maybe this is not a hoax done by Blizzard. Also, after adding in the fact that Blizzard registered www.worldofwarcraft.com, .org, and .net, and also that Blizzard has shut down posting on their War Room Forums, and they had been deleting posts about the new project being "World of Warcraft," it is making everyone in the Blizzard community think this game will be World of Warcraft.

Now, if Blizzard went through all the trouble to make up this hoax, that will be extremely funny. Many people are also noting that GFraizer, the forum mod and website admin for Blizzard's network websites, mentioned this a few days ago in a post:

"How many times do I have to tell you people, the unannounced project is NOT Starcraft 2, and it is NOT Warcraft or Diablo related."

Well, if the project turns out to be World of Warcraft, our good friend GFraizer lied through his teeth, and that's not cool. We will just have to wait it out until early Sunday morning for the announcement from London.

For those of you interested, if you click the sun in all the splash images from Blizzard's mainpage, they take you to a larger image of the same picture. Since the first two aren't viewable unless you click the sun on the picture that is on the mainpage right now, here are the links to all three of the big splash images (on Splash Image #3, look in the bottom right corner of the image, and see if you see something interesting):

• Splash Image #1
  
• Splash Image #2
  
• Splash Image #3

Montreal, Quebec. August 31st, 2001 - Strategy First is pleased to announce today that Rails Across America, the exciting new rail strategy game from Flying Lab Software, has gone gold.

"This promising new title has been very well received in the community since
its announcement earlier this year, " says Adam Phillips, Product Manager for Strategy First. " Anyone who likes a combination of strategy and sim-like game play will get a kick out of Rails. I'm already addicted!"

Rails Across America immerses players into an exciting era of cutthroat competition where the challenge of running a railroad empire will determine a player's fate as one of the most influential Rail Barons of the 1830's to the near future.

With a network of hundreds of tracks and thousands of trains crossing the entire continent, players are required to focus on strategic decisions, such as where to expand, where to compete, and when to engage in a well-timed price war. Rather than simply operating individual trains, players must build and monitor the rail network, moving cargo from one destination to another. Similar to the "Sim" model, the level of direct control is limited, but the subtleties that arise are immense, which makes it possible to control large numbers of trains.

Rails Across America allows players to focus on higher-level decisions rather than simply driving the trains. While many games use money as their sole victory condition, Rails also allows players to compete for 'prestige', which is earned by good railroad management and specific goals for different eras. Multifaceted victory points will mean players will be less likely to find economic loopholes by which to dominate the game.

As expectancies rise, Swedish developer Termite Games is happy to finally meet the gamers demands and show something in-game. "The fun thing about our NWO-engine is, that it actually starts working better at higher amounts of graphical detail”"", says Termite CEO Jim Malmros. "This demo shows you what the NWO-engine can do: supply up to date non-existing high frame-rate eyecandy, which you can be sure we will mix with fast paced action and actionmovie-like realism in the final game. To be honest we can't wait to see it released - just a few more months!"

NEW WORLD ORDER features single-player, co-op and team-based multiplayer, tons of real-life weapons, some new and refreshing game modes in multiplayer and a feel to the game that is unique - so close to reality it shatters the last boundaries of disbelief when playing.

Project 3 COO Erik Schreuder adds: "There seems to be no limit to what this engine can provide - a real state of the art design. We absolutely understand that shooter-fans around the globe want to play this baby ASAP and we promise to come up with a playable demo quite soon."

For more technical information on the amazing NWO-engine that powers NEW WORLD ORDER go to http://www.p3int.com/Products%20NWO.htm

Roger Wilco, available as a free download from www.rogerwilco.com, is a "virtual walkie-talkie" that allows people to talk to each other, strategizing or hurling challenges, while playing multiplayer games online. GameSpy has re-tooled Roger Wilco using its own GameSpy.Net technology, a robust set of tools and backend services that power some of the gaming industry's most immersive multiplayer experiences.

Roger Wilco has already been installed by more than two million people, and the new version offers several new features, including an integrated server browser, auto-patching and new Roger Wilco Base Station support. All of the new features make use of GameSpy.Net technology, and give users easy and unprecedented access to the vast community of Roger Wilco users.

GameSpy intends to combine many of Roger Wilco's best features with future versions of GameSpy Arcade, the company's next-generation online gaming environment, to further improve Arcade's voice communication and community features. GameSpy is also actively working on the next version of Roger Wilco with even more and better features.

BELLEVUE, WA., (August 31, 2001) - Sierra today announced an agreement with UK-based Argonaut Software Ltd. to develop upcoming console games for Sierra. This relationship will allow Sierra to publish entirely new products based on their award-winning SWAT(tm) series, using Argonaut's action shooter game, internally known as Kleaners.

"Taking advantage of Argonaut's new engine and their team's design expertise, we'll be able to create unique console experiences for gamers," said Rod Fung, executive producer at Sierra. "Combining the tactical elements found in Sierra's SWAT titles, with all out squad based shooter excitement, this partnership will allow us to create a new kind of console game with the immediate action console gamers have come to expect."