The "Myst Online: Uru Live" website has been updated with word that the open source version of the game has been launched. However, the account registration server is overloaded and it apparently won't be back up until tomorrow.

"Everything takes longer than expected these days. Cyan Worlds’ plans are to move MO:UL to open source, and we finally have some good news. We’ve taken a first step and started a MO:UL server, so the Ages of Uru are available again. We’ve opened all the Ages, and added most of the goodies in MO:UL. We’re referring to it as MO:ULagain – feel free to explore and enjoy.

And the cost is pretty good. Free!

If you’re so inclined, we’ve provided a way for you to donate via PayPal to help offset our costs, and show your support. Five or ten bucks would go a long way toward helping pay the server and people bills. (No promises, but we’re trying to figure out a way to show our appreciation to supporters by giving you a little something extra in MO:ULagain.) But don’t feel obligated – we’re just glad to have the cavern open once again."

A registration and donation page is up but again, the registration link on that page is currently down.

LucasArts and Traveler's Tales have announced "LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars," the next installment in the action adventure series.

"Developed by the same team at Traveller’s Tales that created the critically acclaimed LEGO® Star Wars and LEGO® Indiana Jones™ series, the game will ship on the Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Xbox 360®videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows in the Autumn of 2010.

“LucasArts continues to set the bar for next-generation family entertainment,” said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. “The LEGO® Star Wars franchise is a massive hit with fans, bringing in sales of over 20 million units worldwide. We’re thrilled to extend this experience to LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, delivering the humour and fun players expect from this award winning franchise.”

“LucasArts is an amazing partner, and working with them on the next iteration of the LEGO® Star Wars series continues to be a great experience,” said Tom Stone, director at TT Games. “The team at TT is working hard at making this simply the best LEGO® game ever with all new gameplay and features never before seen in a LEGO® game.”

LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will include all the characters from both seasons of the hugely popular animated television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as some fan-favourite characters from the beloved theatrical Star Wars Saga. The game will feature brand new battle modes, giving players unique, head-to-head combat and an upgraded level builder, allowing the creation of customized bases and in-game battlefields. Play either as a Jedi or Separatist with all-new character abilities, such as Squad command, Lightsaber slicing, Lightsaber jumps, long distance Jedi attacks and Grapple Tie-Ups, all within a new, easy-to-navigate hub.

For more information on LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars please visit http://www.lucasarts.com/games/legostarwarsiii/."

A new trailer for "Metro 2033" has been released, giving viewers a look at the upcoming post-apocalyptic FPS from 4A Games.

"Set in the shattered subway of a post apocalyptic Moscow, Metro 2033 is a story of intensive underground survival where the fate of mankind rests in your hands.

In 2013 the world was devastated by an apocalyptic event, annihilating almost all mankind and turning the earth's surface into a poisonous wasteland. A handful of survivors took refuge in the depths of the Moscow underground, and human civilization entered a new Dark Age.

The year is 2033. An entire generation has been born and raised underground, and their besieged Metro Station-Cities struggle for survival, with each other, and the mutant horrors that await outside."

Bethesda Softworks today announced that "Fallout: New Vegas," the upcoming next installment in the Fallout series in development at Obsidian Entertainment, will be released in Autumn of this year. In addition, a new trailer has been released.

"Fallout: New Vegas, the follow-up to Fallout® 3 – the 2008 Game of the Year – brings this beloved franchise to a location only Fallout could do justice: Vegas. Fallout: New Vegas takes all the action, humor, and post-apocalyptic grime and grit of this legendary series, and raises the stakes.

For more information on the game, please visit the official Fallout site: fallout.bethsoft.com. Fallout: New Vegas will be featured in magazine cover stories around the world in the month of February. Check the official site for updated details."

To celebrate the third anniversary of the release of "War Rock," GamesFirst announced the release of a new gameplay mode titled "War Rock: Siege War."

“Our players have been patiently waiting for War Rock’s Siege War expansion,” says GamersFirst’s War Rock Producer, Jon-Enee ‘Neume’ Merriex. “We are thrilled to be able to offer this new game mode just in time for our 3rd Anniversary. Along with our live in-game events and our new Clan system, Siege War is sure to push War Rock into a new era of game play!”

New Items

• Brand new 10-day items in the marketplace.
• New Top Gun items that customize your Fighter Jets!

Promotions

• Dollar Daze Event – Special featured items offered for just a dollar!
• Upgraded version of the Gold Premium, with special add-ons.

In-game Events

• X-Fire Live Broadcast (February 4th at 1pm PST): The GamersFirst team gives a walk-through of Siege War mode with our Player Moderators!+

For more information visit WarRock.com.

Battlefront.com and Russian developer Snowball today announced "Combat Mission: Afghanistan," an upcoming stand-alone game based on the Russian-Afghan wars.

"Combat Mission Afghanistan is the first collaboration between Battlefront and a third party studio to create a completely new game in the Combat Mission series. CM Afghanistan is a standalone game and not an expansion, and does not require any of the other games to play!

CM Afghanistan covers two periods of the Russian-Afghan wars – the initial phase 1980-1982, and the later years of highest activity 1985-1987 – in two campaigns and ten standalone missions. CM Afghanistan is not just a mission pack: based on the latest CM engine in development, the game includes not only all new artwork, terrain, new units, new weapons, and new nations, but also introduces some completely new game features, such as exit objective zones and more!

Players are able to take command of Soviet or DRA (Democratic Republic of Afghanistan) Army units as well as mujahedeen guerilla forces. CM Afghanistan is currently in development and is expected to be ready for release in Q2 this year, 2010. It will be available in retail throughout Eastern Europe directly from Snowball, and in an english version worldwide only from www.battlefront.com/afghanistan!"

An "Aliens vs. Predator" multiplayer demo has been released on Steam, giving players a chance to try out the upcoming new version of the game by Rebellion.

"The multiplayer demo will allow gamers the chance to play as all three species – the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien – and pitch their skills against each other in Deathmatch mode on Refinery, one of the game's multiplayer maps."

Game info:

"Aliens vs Predator is an entirely new title for PC and high-definition consoles from acclaimed British developer Rebellion, the team behind the 1999 original PC gaming classic.

Bringing the legendary war between two of science-fiction's most popular characters to FPS fans, AvP delivers three outstanding single player campaigns and provides untold hours of unique 3-way multiplayer gaming.

Experience distinctly new and thrilling first person gameplay as you survive, hunt and prey in the deadly jungles and swamps surrounding the damned colony of Freya's Prospect."

Shrapnel games today announced "Star Legacy," an upcoming 4X (eXploration, eXpansion, eXploitation, and eXtermination) sci-fi game in development at Star Legacy Development Group.

"Star Legacy is being designed from the ground up around one simple question: what would the ultimate sci-fi 4X game include?

Star Legacy is a player's game, one that is meant to be both a letter of love to fans of the genre and to bring new players into the fold. To achieve the goal of ultimate playability SLDG is focusing on several important facets in their design. First of all, Star Legacy will be an open-ended turn-based game that will allow players to immerse themselves in an epic space opera of their own making. Players will begin by creating civilizations reaching out from their homeworlds to explore the great bejeweled darkness of the universe. As in all good 4X titles there will be a full range of choices that the player will be involved in. Design starships worthy of the best sci-fi story, research new technologies, colonize new worlds, and when all else fails go to war. Everything in the game is player driven. Besides a single player experience the game will also feature multiplayer, althou gh its exact form is still being worked out.

Star Legacy is more than just a great space opera on your computer, it's about giving you the controls to then tell your own tale. Graphics will be 2D, allowing anyone to modify the visuals without the need of specialized software or knowledge, just an active imagination and the willingness to put your ideas into reality. In fact, not only will players be able to easily mod the graphics in Star Legacy they will be able to mod everything since most files are XML based and can be altered with a simple text editor. With this players will have extreme freedom to shape the game as they see fit.

Kenneth Musante of SLDG is really looking forward to bringing a game to sci-fi fans that will allow everyone from mod novices to hardcore code monkeys to create their ultimate 4X experience. "With Star Legacy we're trying to create an addictive open-ended 4X game that anyone can customize. By default the game will have between 12 and 15 alien races that you can ally with or fight against, plus the technology to explore a uniquely generated universe with your friends, or just blow them up. Make war on your enemies, fend off pirates-heck, you can even be the pirates. Make your own races, starships, technology, you name it. We're giving you a universe. Now go play!"

Which you will be able to. Just not yet. As development continues on Star Legacy expect more news and details of its ever expanding list of features, so stay tuned for further information from Shrapnel Games and Star Legacy Development Group. In the meantime, while awaiting this thrilling new addition to your 4X library, be sure to check out the fantasy 4X game Dominions 3: The Awakening, also published by Shrapnel Games. Winner of multiple awards and featuring more content than should be allowed by law, Dominions 3: The Awakening will scratch your 4X itch. And yes, it's also a mod maker's dream."

Visit www.shrapnelgames.com for more information.

2K Games today announced that over 2,500 Gamestop and Best buy locations will release the anticipated "BioShock 2" at midnight on Feb. 9th. In addition, a new launch trailer has been released.

"Additionally, those who pre-ordered the game through GameStop will receive two bonus characters* – Blanche the Actress and Zigo the Fisherman – to use in the game's multiplayer mode. The road to the launch of BioShock 2 kicks off tonight, with the debut of a 3 minute 15 second trailer during the first commercial break of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

"One of the most exciting aspects of the original BioShock was how our fans responded with adoration for the game, from creating homemade Big Daddy suits to their own BioShock-inspired art and videos," said Christoph Hartmann, president, 2K. "We felt it was only fitting to reach out to those passionate fans with nationwide Return to Rapture midnight openings where they can pick up their copy of BioShock 2 as early as possible."

Debuting during the first commercial block of NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon exclusively in North America, the launch trailer is a realization of the elements that BioShock 2 fans have been clamoring for. Breathtaking action set against the backdrop of a decaying underwater Utopia provides players with the slice of Rapture that awaits them next week, all presented in a style that is distinctively representative of the BioShock universe.

BioShock 2 will provide players with the perfect blend of explosive first-person shooter combat, compelling storytelling and intense multiplayer to form one of 2010's most highly anticipated titles. Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the halls of Rapture once again echo with sins of the past. Along the Atlantic coastline, a monster has been snatching little girls and bringing them back to the undersea city of Rapture. Players step into the boots of the most iconic denizen of Rapture, the Big Daddy, as they travel through the decrepit and beautiful fallen city, chasing an unseen foe in search of answers and their own survival.

BioShock 2 was developed by 2K Marin in collaboration with 2K Australia, Digital Extremes and 2K China. The game will be available worldwide on February 9, 2010, and is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

For more information, please visit www.bioshock2game.com, www.cultofrapture.com and www.somethinginthesea.com."

Atari and Cryptic Studios have announced that "Star Trek Online" has been shipped to North American retailers and the game will be shipping to stores worldwide throughout the week.

"Taking place in the year 2409, Star Trek Online boasts extraordinary features and lets fans both new and old experience unparalleled adventures.  Players have the opportunity to become a high ranking Starfleet officer and participate in missions that take them into the depths of space, across exotic planets and even inside other starships. Star Trek Online offers total customization, from a player's avatar to the ship he captains.

"After much anticipation, we are pleased to present Star Trek Online to fans and gamers nationwide," said Jeff Lapin, CEO of Atari, SA. "Throughout the last four decades, Star Trek has been a mainstay in pop culture, influencing legions of 'trekkers' through television, film, and more.  We expect Star Trek Online to give fans and gamers an unprecedented Star Trek experience." 

Additionally, legendary actor Leonard Nimoy and Hollywood's latest Spock, Zachary Quinto, have both lent their voices to the game.  Nimoy voices the introduction for Star Trek Online and other key scenes in-game. Quinto plays the part of an Emergency Medial Hologram and voices the tutorial for this first-of-a-kind massively multiplayer online role-playing game, teaching fans how to explore the Star Trek Online universe, improve their characters, attain higher ranks, succeed in space combat and excel on away missions.

Star Trek Online is a licensed product from CBS Consumer Products.  For more information, please visit: www.startrekonline.com and www.atari.com."

Viva Media and bitComposer today announced that "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat" has been shipped to North American retail stores.

"CEO Carlo Voelker commented, “The ‘Call of Pripyat’ is the third installment in the highly acclaimed S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series. With its dedicated and loyal fanbase, we anticipate a strong launch.”

Players will live the life of undercover agent Major Degtyarev, an experienced stalker, as he eats, drinks, and sleeps in the Zone. Call of Pripyat is non-linear game play at its best, as the player seeks allies and makes enemies in the treacherous and fragile balance between rival factions, bandits, and mercenaries.

Where most first person shooters rely on relentless action to engage their players, Call of Pripyat goes in an entirely different direction, allowing for long moments of silence amidst a desolate landscape and an ever changing vista. The environment is dynamic: day and night alternate and are filled with thunderstorms and sunshine, and the game's artificial intelligence interacts with itself beyond the peripheral of the player. The game truly takes on a life of its own."

Game Details:

• Photorealistic graphics depicting the Zone, a contaminated area neighboring the Chernobyl disaster site.
• New story, a number of unique characters.
• Over 70 custom missions and extended side quests
• New monsters: Chimera and Burer.
• New A-Life system, created using the players’ best-liked elements of the first two games in series.
• Sleep function added into the game.
• New player’s interface.
• Possibility to continue the game after completion in freeplay mode.
• The game is developed on X-Ray engine v.1.6
• Supports DirectX 11.0
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R.:Call of Pripyat Collector’s Edition includes an area map, tech-tree poster, and stickers!

The list of new PC game releases, DVD and Blu-Ray releases, and movies opening the week of February 1st, 2010.

PC Games:

• Mystery 5 in 1 Collection
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat 
• Star Trek Online
  
• The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff

Movies Opening This Week:

• Dear John
• From Paris with Love
• Frozen (limited)

DVD and Blu-Ray Releases:

• Adam
• Amadeus – Director's Cut [Blu-Ray]
• Amelia [Blu-Ray]
• An American in Paris [Blu-Ray]
• As It Is in Heaven
• Beverly Hills 90210: Season Nine
• Casablanca [Blu-Ray]
• Doc Martin, Series 3
• Doctor Who: The Complete Specials
• Doctor Who: The End of Time, Parts 1 and 2
• Doctor Who: Waters of Mars
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas [Blu-Ray]
• Gangs of New York – Remastered Ed. [Blu-Ray]
• Gigi [Blu-Ray]
• Head Case: Season 2
• Love Happens [Blu-Ray]
• More Than a Game
• Murder, She Wrote: The complete Eleventh Season
• Mystic River [Blu-Ray]
• New York, I Love You [Blu-Ray]
• No Boundaries
• Ong Bak 2: The Beginning [Blu-Ray]
• Pan's Labyrinth [Blu-Ray]
• Planet Hulk [Blu-Ray]
• She-Wolf of London: Complete Series
• The Evelyn Waugh Collection
• The Godfather – Coppola Restoration [Blu-Ray]
• The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Sixth Season
• The Music Man [Blu-Ray]
• The Wale Warrior: Pirate for the Sea
• The Wolf Man
• TMC Greatest Classic Films Collection: Marx Brothers
• TMC Greatest Classic Films Collection: Sci-Fi Adventures
• TMC Greatest Classics Films Collection: Romance
• Walk the Line [Blu-Ray]
• Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me
• Whatever She Wants
• Zombieland [Blu-Ray]

Wargaming.net today announced "Order of War: Challenge," a stand-alone for the RTS WWII game.

"This multiplayer add-on is currently in development for Windows PC and will be exclusively available on Steam®. Those players, who own the original version of ORDER OF WAR™, will get ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE automatically for FREE.

ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE is a multiplayer stand-alone add-on for ORDER OF WAR™, packing even more intense World War II real-time strategy action. With 6 extended modes, 12 unique maps, and hundreds of units under player control ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE gives players a battlefield experience of epic scale. With a focus on fast-action gameplay, and featuring exclusive bonus content, ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE is the ultimate way to experience online RTS gaming. With a new advanced gameplay system and including fog of war, ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE redefines combat mechanics and gives players a tense battlefield experience with plenty of room for wide-ranging tactics.

Viktor Kislyi, executive officer of Wargaming.net says, "In ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE we're offering players a myriad of rich content including more strategic options in multiplayer mode. Dynamic battlefield action and tense multiplayer experience are the main criteria we used to develop ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE. That is why we greatly enhanced the multiplayer options – to guarantee RTS fans realistic PvP warfare in ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE".

The ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE add-on is distributed exclusively via Steam®.

For more information on ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE, please visit the official webpage at http://challenge.wargaming.net."

Nexon announced that tomorrow's content update will include an updated user interface.

To help gamers enjoy a more streamlined experience, Nexon America has refreshed the user interface to accommodate the growing inventory and options. This new UI is designed to support the hundreds of weapons, gear, mercenaries and additional items offered in Combat Arms.

Three primary points of emphasis in this update is its new, modern look, an improved Shop experience and enhancements to the weapon modification page.

The new look offers a more modern and industrial look to the various loading, shop, modification and prep pages in Combat Arms. Players will notice the new look and several additions made to increase usability in the shop, including the following:

• Search Function: Now it will be easier than ever to find your favorite weapon and quickly re-outfit between matches.
• New item categorization: Find and filter items in a snap. Want to just see Shotguns? No problem.
• Multiple sorting options: Players will now have the option to sort by Name, Type, Price, or Rank.
• Easier navigation: The new top of the page tab navigation makes it easier than ever to get where you want to go.
• All items in one place: Now all weapons and items are present in one integrated shop. No need to switch back and forth between the GP Shop and the Black Market in order to see the entire arsenal of weapons available in Combat Arms.
• Chat window added in the shop: Now, players can stay connected to the conversation while outfitting for the next match.
• More items displayed per page and easier scrolling: There’s no more clicking through pages and pages of items. Scroll through our hundreds of items with ease.
• Players will also have an easier time modifying weapons with these several additions:
  
  • A listing of weapons in the player’s inventory: This makes it much easier to see at a glance all the weapons and the types of modifications offered for each individual weapon.
  • Chat window added: Don’t miss out on lobby conversations while personalizing your weapons.
  • At-a-glance listings: This makes things easier for you to check both your modifications inventory and the modification shop.
  • More items displayed per page with easy scrolling: No more clicking through pages and pages of items to find what you need.

Combat Arms is always available to play for free and download at http://combatarms.nexon.net

EA released a new trailer for "The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff Trailer" expansion, giving viewers a look at the upcoming add-on. Note, from what I'm able to gather this expansion is titled "The Sims 3 Design & High-Tech Stuff" in the UK.

"Transform your Sims’ homes into sleek, edgy lofts with The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff. With a host of new items for the most lived-in rooms in your Sims’ homes, including slick gadgets for your high-tech home office, a next-gen gaming system for the killer game room, modern furniture for the most contemporary living room, and more, your Sims can now give their homes an ultra-modern makeover! After you modernize their homes, turn your attention to their wardrobes and give them an overhaul with sophisticated, cutting-edge fashions. Whether it’s your Sims themselves or their homes that needs a new look, The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff lets you catapult your Sims into a more modern, loft-inspired lifestyle!"

Rockstar Games today announced that "Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City" will be released on March 30th.

"Each episode takes place in the same detailed and immersive world that made Grand Theft Auto IV one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time. Games for Windows – LIVE players can enjoy 32-player multiplayer matches and an advanced video editor, and all fans will experience new songs on the updated soundtrack as featured across Liberty City's 13 diverse radio stations, alongside in-game television and Liberty City's own internet.

"It's been a long time coming, but we are proud to finally deliver Episodes From Liberty City for the PC and PlayStation 3," said Sam Houser. "We appreciate the patience of our PlayStation 3 and PC fans worldwide, and we look forward to putting the games in your hands this March."

The Lost and Damned is a dark trip through Liberty City's seedy underbelly as outlaw biker, Johnny Klebitz, fights to keep his gang together as a rift in the gang's leadership threatens to tear the brotherhood apart. In The Ballad of Gay Tony, players explore Liberty City's high-end nightlife as Luis Lopez, struggling to balance the temptations of money and vice against loyalties to family and friends. Both episodes feature a slew of new vehicles and weapons, and each episode adds new activities including cage fighting, gang wars and BASE jumping.

For more information visit www.rockstargames.com/episodesfromlibertycity."

Valve today released data on the growth of Steam in 2009.

"During the last calendar year the platform surpassed 25 million active accounts, up 25% from the prior year. Of the 25 million accounts, over 10 million of those have profiles in the Steam Community.

In addition to the millions of new accounts created during the year, the peak number of concurrent users eclipsed the 2.5 million mark during the month of December, pushing Steam's average monthly player minutes to more than 13 billion.

Meanwhile, Steam now offers over 1,000 games from over 100 developers and publishers around the world. Unit sales for 2009 increased by more than 205%, marking the fifth straight year the platform has realized over 100% year-over-year growth in unit sales.

2009 also delivered a wave of titles supported by Steamworks, in tangible and electronic versions, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Dawn of War II, and Empire: Total War. Empire also used Steamworks for the delivery and management of its paid downloadable content releases.

"Steam turned five years old in March 2009," said Gabe Newell, president of Valve. "With the introduction of each new platform feature released over the years — such as the Steam Community, Steam Cloud, and Steamworks — we've seen corresponding growth in account numbers, concurrent player numbers and developer support for the platform. As such, we plan to continue to expand and grow the platform to better serve the developers supporting the open platform and millions of gamers logging in each day."

For more information, please visit www.steampowered.com"

Good Old Games announced a distribution agreement with Activision, bringing several games from the old catalog to the digital distribution site.

"With a wealth of PC-gaming gems tucked away in the Activision vaults, the deal gives all types of gamer – from the long-time devotee to the laptop-carrying “newbie” – an unforgettable glimpse into the rich history of the PC gaming.

“Signing the agreement with Activision is the biggest thing that’s happened at GOG.com since the actual announcement of the service. This is a huge step forward for our site and for digital distribution as a whole, as Activision is one of the biggest publishers in the world with a long history in the games industry,” said Adam Oldakowski, Managing Director at GOG.com. “We're even happier to bring Activision games back to gamers, as GOG.com is the only place right now, where you can grab the announced titles. We've also managed to work on those titles to provide full compatibility with modern operating systems."

The games on offer will be unveiled gradually in the coming weeks so as to encourage maximum enjoyment of the classic gameplay. The first two titles should be instantly recognizable to any fan of games in the adventure and role-playing genres.

Available now, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magic Obscura (Role-Playing Game, 2001) is the masterpiece from too-quickly-shuttered Troika Games. Heralded by The Electric Playground as “the most diverse and open-ended RPG to date,” Arcanum was conceived by many of the same minds responsible for the Fallout series and places players in a refreshingly unique setting, as ogres and other fantastical creatures come to grips with life in the midst of an industrial revolution.

The second title now available, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers (Point-and-Click Adventure, 1993), envisioned by legendary game designer, Jane Jensen, stands as a shining example of adventure gaming at its best. As writer and bookstore owner, Gabriel Knight, players set off to investigate a series of murders, in hopes of using the research to write a new novel. Sins of the Fathers is the first part of Gabriel’s adventures, considered by many as the best Sierra adventure-game series."

SouthPeak Games today announced that "Blood Bowl" has been shipped to North American retailers.

"With the big game right around the corner, there's no better time to brush up on your football tactics and skills. With the unlikely forefather of American football and inspiration from the fantasy universe of Warhammer, Blood Bowl is an ultraviolent team sport. Assemble a team of Orcs, Lizardmen, Goblins and many other fantasy creatures and enter the bloodiest arena ever!

For every great play, there's an equally great fumble, missed interception or player casualty. Blood Bowl brings the best of the original tabletop experience to your fingertips with incredible detail and vicious visuals. Players are tasked with managing their team's players, inducements (bribing refs/apothecaries for healing/cheerleaders/etc.), handling the tactics on the field as well as keeping players in top physical form throughout the season. With full season modes and online matches, Blood Bowl offers players the chance to satiate their pigskin bloodlust.

“I've watched a lot of football games in my day, both live and on television,” said Aubrey Norris, Manager of Human-Orc Relations at SouthPeak. “I can safely say that Blood Bowl is the only one where I've seen a Goblin on a pogo-stick jump over the defensive line and bounce his way to a touchdown. I mean, really – where else are you going to see that?”

Blood Bowl’s retail Windows PC and Xbox 360 versions are available now at an MSRP of $39.99 and $49.99 USD, respectively. The PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system version is expected to hit the field in Spring of 2010. For more information, please visit www.southpeakgames.com."

Paradox Interactive and Kerberos Productions have officially announced "Sword of the Stars II," sequel to the 2006 real-time strategy game.

"In Sword of the Stars 2, gamers will be reaquianted with the original six races from Swords of the Stars I and its expansions as well as reveal the dark secret of the original series, the Suul’ka – an ancient race that is responsible for tampering with the Liir, Zuul, and other races in the SotS universe!

Not limited to another entire new race and their unique drive technology, SotS2 will be a major step forward in the SotS approach to 4X gameplay, taking the easy-to-learn-hard-to-master philosophy set out in SotS1 and following that path to a new standard in space strategy games.

”We've always felt there are many parallells between Paradox Interactive and Kerberos. We share a passion for game development, a dedication to a strong community and have earned a great deal of recognizition and creditibility in the strategy gaming community for our work. Sword of the Stars 2 is in its early conception but is already showing potential of becoming Kerberos great masterpiece and we are very excited to play a part in bringing it to gamers worldwide, said Fredrik Wester, CEO Paradox Interactive.

“Sword of the Stars 2 represents not only an evolution of the SotS gameplay and story, but also a union between a developer and a publisher who understand gameplay and strategy above all else. To us, Paradox is more than just another publisher, they are fellow gamers who love strategy and action as much as we do. When it comes to the game itself, Sword of the Stars 2 will be far more than just a sequel where the graphics have been tuned up and a new unit or two thrown in. Instead players can look forward to a whole new game that is based on the central SotS experience, but willing and able to grow beyond it to offer even more in terms of strategy, tactics and gameplay.” Martin Cirulis, CEO Kerberos Productions.

Sword of the Stars 2 is in early production and is scheduled for release in 2011.

To find out more about Sword of the Stars II, please follow us on http://www.paradoxplaza.com/games/sword-of-the-stars-2"