A post to the TribalWar Forums by Vivendi Universal's Adam "Menzo" Kahn has word on what's up for the multiplayer shooter sequel now that beta testing has begun, predicting a single-player demo next month, with the full game's release expected the month after:

Now that we've launched the multi-player beta, what's next for Tribes: Vengeance?

- We have a single-player demo that will be launching some time in September. I'm not going to get more specific than a month right now.
- The team is feverishly working to finish the game. There are a lot of people not getting much sleep in Canberra right now - I'm sure they can use all the support/thanks/kudos/bug reports/beer you can send their way
- We're currently planning to have the game at the World Cyber Games Championships from October 7-10 in San Francisco. It should be a cool event. We'll likely use the multiplayer beta in a tournament and give out some pretty cool prizes (high-end CPUs and videocards). Expect Tribes: Vengeance-related VIPs to be on hand to sign posters and other Tribes paraphanelia. Word on the street is that we'll be making a limited edition T-shirt to give away that should be pretty cool.
- Tribes: Vengeance will ship in early October worldwide

It's been a long road, but a great one. Shipping a game like this on time is a HUGE accomplishment, and one that shouldn't be overlooked.

A post to the HL2Fallout Forums purportedly from Valve's Gabe Newell raised a bit of a ruckus by predicting that a Half-Life 2 gold announcement would be coming Monday (thanks Borgie). A subsequent update on Shacknews, however, reveals that this post was faked, and not actually from Gabe. We are now prepared to land; Please return your stewardess to her original upright position.

The EverQuest II Dev Diary #6 on GameSpy is written by Bruce Fergeson, producer on the upcoming MMORPG sequel, who discusses his role in the project. Also, a new Dragon Empires Dev Diary is online, a debut entry from Nicola Bhalerao, programmer on Codemasters' MMORPG with a diary titled "Code to write code." The Kohan II: Kings of War Developer Diary #2 on GameSpy is online, as "In next installment in the series, TimeGate's Steve Hemmesch discusses accessibility, settlements, and political factions." Finally, The Saga of Ryzom Guidebook #7 on RPG Vault is online, offering: "The start of a four-volume style gallery highlighting the diverse characters and apparel in Nevrax' online world."

• DOOM: The Movie
  The DOOM Movie Q&A on GameDaily (thanks Mike Martinez) talks with id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead about the long-in-discussion, but (so far) unrealized DOOM movie project: "The script is close to final and we're very happy with it. Universal is in the process of casting and pre-production now. With every passing day I become more and more confident that we will see DOOM at movie theaters before the end of next year."
• Neverwinter Nights 2
  The Neverwinter Nights 2 Preview on Yahoo! Games Domain includes a Q&A with Obsidian's Feargus Urquhart: "There's this thing that I call the spirit of Neverwinter Nights. It's a great single-player product, it's a great multiplayer product, and it's a great toolset. Those are the things you have to keep. If you lose one of those, it throws the whole balance off. They all reinforce each other."
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
  The Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Q&A on Game Chronicles talks with Jay Wilson, lead designer on Relic's upcoming RTS: "The player takes control of a company of genetically modified super-humans known as Space Marines. Unlike most military operations Space Marines are not beholden to anyone but the head of their Chapter (the name for a Space Marine organization), and generally companies operate independently, fighting threats to humanity as they see fit. The player faces a planet overrun with an invading force: Orks, a brutally savage race that lives for war."
• EVE Online
  There's an EVE Online Q&A on Gamergod talking with CCP about their outer-space MMORPG: "We already have the first version of damaging environments available, for example mining Mercoxit results in explosions due to their volatile nature. These are damage clouds that we will apply to other environments, for example we are considering Ice fields to damage ships. Creating localized system-wide disturbances on other levels are also possible and it's being considered for the future."
• Shadowbane
  There's an in-house Q&A on the Shadowbane Website talking with Janus Anderson, the new Creative Director of Wolfpack, one of the most recent additions to the team behind this MMOG.
• Guild Wars
  Fansite Friday #12 is on Guild Wars Stratics where the folks at ArenaNet answer a few more questions about their upcoming MMOG.
• EuroRally Champion
  The EuroRally Champion Q&A on ninja grapefruit talks with Kevin Hassall, executive producer on Oxygen's upcoming rally racing game: "We wanted to create a lightning-fast rally game that is easy to pick up and play but also one that offers an ultra-realistic physics simulation with the maximum depth possible. One of the key goals we've delivered on is to offer all of the adrenaline and emotion of an arcade racer with the realism of a true sim."
• Retro Gaming
  Another word with Eric Chahi on Idle Thumbs talks with the programmer of oldies but goodies like Another World and Future Wars, who reveals the possibility of a GBA version of the former.

GameSpot confirms that plans to release an Evil Genius demo on Monday (story) are still on track, and that they will be debuting the 192 MB download on their DLX service.

• Call of Duty: United Offensive on ActionTrip, FiringSquad, Gamer's Depot, GameSpy, GameZone, and IGN.
• Conflict: Vietnam on GameInformer.
• Dragonshard on Yahoo! Games Domain.
• Rome: Total War on Computer And Video Games and Worthplaying.
• Shellshock Nam '67 on GameSpot.
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl on 1UP.
• TRIBES: Vengeance on The Adrenaline Vault.
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War on GameSpot.
• World of Warcraft on IGN.

• Dungeon Lords on the Official Website. Thanks Frans.
• Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone on Sorcerer's Place.
• Guild Wars on the Official Website. Thanks Frans.
• Half-Life: Source on Half-Life 2 Fallout. Thanks David Webber.
• Hearts of Iron 2 on the Paradox Entertainment Website. Thanks Frans.
• Neocron: Beyond the Dome of York on MGW.
• Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory on 3D Gamers.
• Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed on the Official Website. Thanks Frans.
• World of Warcraft on RPG Vault.

A new version 2.6 of QStat, the "command-line program that gathers real-time statistics from Internet game servers," is now available. The new version is accompanied by a cryptic update. calling it "Possibly...the first community developed" version of the project. Less uncertain is word on what's changed, which includes the addition of support for DOOM 3, Half-Life 2, GameSpy2 Query Protocol Support, and Steam Master Support. Thanks Jacek Fedoryñski.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Awards License to Publish "Constantine" Videogame To SCi Games. Thanks Frans.
• Atari announces that Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone, the D&D action/adventure is gold for the PS2, and is scheduled to ship to retailers on September 14, with the PC and Xbox versions expected in November.
• Add-on video for Game Boy Advance has limitations.
• Nintendo confirm new Cube peripheral.
• Metal Gear Special Package Revealed.
• Tetris tops UK mobile phone game charts.
• JAM working on 'revolutionary' next-gen title.
• New Dokapon game revealed.
• Medabots Infinity Announced.
• Sony announces Siren 2.
• Two Years of PS2 Online.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• Next Version of Windows for PC's to Ship in 2006 (registration required).
• Allchin: Don't call it 'Shorthorn'.
• Kids still shunning IT in worrying numbers.
• Cyberporn's Addictive Dangers.

• Army Men: Sarge's War on Gameplanet NZ.
• The Black Mirror on Realgamer.
• City of Heroes on GamesFirst.
• Crusader Kings on Adrenaline Vault.
• DOOM 3 on LoadedInc, GamesFirst, and NoMansLand Network.
• The Political Machine on PC Gameworld.

• ABIT AA8-DuraMAX Motherboard on Legit Reviews.
• ASUS Radeon X800XT AGP & PCI Express Video Card on Gamer's Depot.
• ASUS Radeon X800XT Platinum Edition on HardAvenue.
• CoolerMaster Aquagate Water Cooler on Ninjalane.
• Coolmax 3.5" X-Treme External HDD Enclosure (in video) on 3dGameMan.
• Corsair CMX512-4000PRO Memory on Hard Extreme.
• Ideazon ZBoard PC Gaming Keyboard on 3DXtreme.
• Kingston PC3200 Ultra Low Latency Memory on Bjorn3d.
• Logisys 3D Edge Fan Kit on PimpRig.
• MSI Mega 865 SFF PC on Designtechnica Reviews.
• Sandisk ImageMate CF Reader on nvmax.
• Thermaltake Tsunami Dream Case on FastLaneHW.
• VIA MII-12000 Motherboard on ASE Labs.

• Majesco names Carl Yankowski CEO. Thanks Mike Martinez...
• The weekly update to the Knights of Honor Website features a new story installment, updates to the Unit Showcase, and some new screenshots...
• Updates to the Wish Homepage include a new entry to the bestiary section as well as a new story and new art in their story section, more concept art and a new locations concept art section...
• Spot On: Singin' the localization blues. Thanks Mike Martinez...

TeamFortress Quake was first released this week way back in 1996. Eight years? Freaky deeky....

Play Time:	Help Fonzie Jump the Shark. Sherlock Holmes: Crime Scene Investigator.
Stories of the Day:	Industrious thieves steal entire 13-metre bridge. Toy In Candy Bag Appears To Depict 9-11 Attack. Thanks Mitch. Mummified Canadian unnoticed for 2 years. Thanks Goofball46.
Science!:	Sunflower oil boost to car future. Bananas could power Aussie homes. Biggest bets in the universe unveiled.
Auctions of the Day:	Four Roast Potatoes. Thanks Nick.
Follow-ups:	Water 'wake-up call' given by UN. Paper Pins Space Racer to Earth.
	Thanks Mike Martinez