Codemasters is pimping the second promotional mini-game for Rings Online expansion, Mines of Moria.
It's free to play, but registered participants can challenge friends and unlock videos, images and in-game items that will aid them when Mines of Moria is released.

The game, dubbed Swig and Toss, is an axe-throwing competition with beer. It's your job to get fairly leathered and toss axes into a target whilst under the influence of alcohol.

Source: computerandvideogames.com
View: http://www.unlocktheminesofmoria.com/

Kong is a freeware top-down shooter game featuring monkeys with a thirst for blood in a full 3D environment. The rules are simple, pick up as many health/armor packs and weapons as you can before blowing your enemies into smithereens. The game currently features three game modes including deathmatch, team deathmatch and capture the flag with plans to introduce a number of new game modes. Computer controlled bots are provided as target practise but the real fun comes from playing in multiplayer over a local area network or the internet.

Source: Official website
Download: Kong version 1.1.0
Screenshots: >> Click here <<

Formula One is to have its first official computer game in more than two years next season following the capture of a new official licencing deal with British gaming company Codemasters, autosport.com can reveal.

With Sony having published the most recent official F1 game last summer, based on the 2006 season and available only on PlayStation consoles, Codemasters' deal will see F1 return to a multiformat platform for the first time in many years.

The game is set to be available on all major home consoles, as well as handheld and PC gaming formats.

View: Full article @ autosport.com

Universal and Gore Verbinski will be bringing BioShock to the big screen.

Variety is reporting that Universal and Gore Verbinski have worked out a deal with 2K to bring the company's smash-hit BioShock to the big screen.

Verbinski is best known as the director of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, and was behind the famous commercial featuring a trio of frogs croaking the Budweiser brand name. He is set to direct and produce, while "Aviator" writer John Logan is reportedly in talks to pen the screenplay.

View: Full article @ GameSpy

Microsoft Corp. reportedly plans to release a new version its Xbox 360 video game system code-named Jasper in August and has already assigned IBM and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to make chips for the new game console. However, there are other important rumours: TSMC got orders to produce the chip for code-named Valhalla Xbox 360 design, which is rumoured to combine microprocessor and graphics chip in a single piece of silicon.

The code-named Jasper design of the Xbox 360 game console will use ATI Xenos graphics and memory controller hub (GMCH) made using 65nm process at TSMC as well as IBM Xenon central processing unit (CPU) produced at IBM’s 65nm nodes. The new system design is projected to consume less electricity, use less complex cooling systems and also produce less noise.

View: Full Article @ X-Bit Labs

Id Software's confirmed what we've known since last August -- that Doom 4's in the offing. Today's emailed news-bomb courtesy Karina Tang confirms Doom 4 finally has a dedicated team, and hey, they're hiring! (I think you have to drag race Carmack for the benefits package.)

"DOOM is part of the id Software DNA and demands the greatest talent and brightest minds in the industry to bring the next installment of our flagship franchise to Earth," said Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software. "It’s critical for id Software to have the best creative minds in-house to develop games that meet the standards synonymous with our titles."

While nothing's announced yet, expect versions for the PC, Xbox 360, PS3, and probably the Mac.

View: Full Article @ PC World

BioWare technical producer Derek French has said that the PC versions of both Mass Effect and Spore will make use of copy protection that will require online validation every ten days in order for the games to continue working.

"After the first activation, SecuROM requires that [Mass Effect PC] re-check with the server within ten days (in case the CD Key has become public/warez'd and gets banned)," said French in a post on the BioWare forums.

If customers do not come online after ten days, the game will cease to function.

"After 10 days a re-check is required before the game can run," added French. "..An internet connection is not required to install, just to activate the first time, and every 10 days after."

The check is run when users activate the game's executable file, with the first re-check coming within "5 days remaining in the 10 day window."

According to French, Maxis' Spore will also make use of the same scheme: "[Electronic Arts] is ready for us and getting ready for Spore, which will use the same system."

French also noted that the online requirement will be clearly labeled on the games' packaging.

View: Shacknews

Looks like id Software is ready to go and has announced Doom4, and apparently has started production. They are now hiring. Not much more is known yet about Doom 4, however.

Joystiq

Ubisoft has released a new Far Cry 2 movie which gives an overview of the game's features. There's some gameplay as well as some words from the developers themselves. Check out the interesting and action packed movie by clicking here.

Additionally, there are a few screenshots from the action posted on the above link.

News Source: MSXBOX World

Those hoping to get hold of Killzone 2 this Christmas will have to hold out a bit longer, after Sony revealed that the game won’t be making it out until February next year. The news came at Sony’s PlayStation Day event, where Sony Computer Entertainment Europe boss David Reeves announced that the sequel would be released in February next year.

The game had previously been pencilled in for a late 2008 release.

Understandably, this will be a bit of a disappointment for PS3 fans. Quite asides from the fact that the original had proven popular on the PS2, the stunning footage of the game that’s been show so far has already generated a ludicrous amount of hype on its own.

That said, if Guerrilla Games feels it needs a bit more time to ensure the gameplay is of the same standard as the visuals, then it’s probably for the best. And besides, the delay is relatively small – a mere couple of months – anyway.

Link: Neowin Forum Discussion, vids + screenshots
News Source: PS3 Gamer

Despite breaking records for sales in its first week, Grand Theft Auto IV publisher Take-Two has announced that it is suing the Chicago Transit Authority over its decision to pull Grand Theft Auto IV advertising last month.

As reported by Fox News back in April, the CTA pulled the ads following a violent shooting in the city. However, Take-Two is taking action as it believes the firm has breached a $300,000 advertising agreement in doing so.

Take-Two is suing for damages of $300,000 and is reportedly seeking a court order to force the CTA to re-run the ads.

News Source: Jolt

Nearly 1 million copies sold in first week...

Grand Theft Auto IV seizes the top spot in the ChartTrack/ELSPA All Formats chart, outselling former No.1 Wii Fit by over 9 to 1.

Sales for the latest GTA accounted for 61.2 per cent of the value of the software sold in the week ending May 3, which single-handedly tops the total software market figure for every week since the first week of 2008.

The game sold an estimated 631,000 units on its first day of release and came close to breaking the 1 million unit milestone over the following five days, with overall sales of 926,000 copies, amounting to £39.9 million. It has even sold more units than almost every title in 2007, excluding FIFA 08, Brain Training and Call Of Duty 4.

View: Full Article @ InStock

Despite reports that a Blu-ray Xbox 360 is in the works from an ASUS subsidiary, Microsoft has once again moved to deny the rumors.

Microsoft had no comment when the reports hit last week, but now an official has sent an email to the popular gaming website GamePro denying the reports.

“As we have stated, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-ray drive for Xbox 360. Games are what drive consumers to purchase game consoles, and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available.”

It seems that more and more reports will hit the Internet that a Blu-ray Xbox 360 is coming and Microsoft will continue to deny them. Will a Blu-ray Xbox 360 be coming anytime soon, or will Microsoft stick by its guns and stay with HD digital downloads?

After months of rumors and denials, the XBOX 360 with a Blu-ray disc drive is due to be manufactured soon and shipped in Q3 of 2008. Pegatron Technology, an OEM subsidiary of Asustek Computer, is reported to have received the winning order from Microsoft for a Blu-ray equipped XBOX 360.

Earlier reports cited Lite-On as the company with the privilege of building the new console for Microsoft. Lite-On is also currently one of the suppliers of the internal DVD drive fro the XBOX 360.

One of the strong points for Sony’s Playstation 3 has been the integrated Blu-ray player. The PS3 had the ability to draw both gamers and audio/video enthusiast, and this was proving to be a major advantage over its XBOX rival. It is estimated that 85% of Blu-ray players in use are PS3s. Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer had admitted that Microsoft had been working on support for Blu-ray under Windows during this year’s Mix08 conference. Rumors began to swirl and many began to expect Microsoft to announce a Blu-ray peripheral for the XBOX 360.

View: Full Article @ Toms Hardware

Stardock is pleased to announce the general availability of the second (and final) expansion pack to Galactic Civilizations II. The new expansion pack, Twilight of the Arnor, adds hundreds of new features, gives each civilization a unique technology tree, a unique set of planetary improvements, star base modules, ship parts, and more.

Moreover, with Twilight of the Arnor, Stardock went back and revamped the graphics for the game to bring them up to the state of the art. A new sound track has also been added along with updates to the computer AI. It also reintroduces the Terror Star, the ultimate weapon last seen in the original Galactic Civilizations as well as a new victory condition called Ascension. Online tournaments have also been added to allow people to compete at playing the same map and scenario and submit their scores to the GalCiv metaverse.