These went gold:

• Yakuza (PS2)
  
• Sword of the Stars

• FlatOut 2 (PS2, PC)
  
• Universal Combat SE

Lots of patches:

• Age of Empires III v1.08 on Ensemble Studios
  
• Birth of America v1.09 on AGEOD Forums
  
• Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter v1.21 on the Official Website
  
• Minions of Mirth v1.02 on Prairie Games
  
• Neverwinter Nights v1.68 beta 2 on the Official Website
  
• Quake 4 v1.3 on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, Filecloud, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, VGPRO and Worthplaying
  
• Starcraft v1.14 on Blizzard
  
• STACKED v1.2 on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gamer’s Hell and Worthplaying
  
• Universal Combat: A World Apart v1.00.16 on 3000AD

Yes, Armageddon is close by: children prefer playing outside with their friends rather than spend time on video games, according to a survey. The shocking results come from more than 540 kids aged 7-14 who were asked about their play preferences.

According to the damning survey, 86% of the children chose to play outside, with 72% wishing they had got the chance more often! Hell has officially frozen over.

The guys over at Bizarre Creations are hosting a Photo competition that will let Project Gotham Racing 3 compete for great prizes including a limited edition PGR3 faceplate, a Bizarre Creations t-shirt and a professionally framed print of the winning photo signed by the team.

All one has to do is go into the game’s new Photo Mode and take pics within the game. There are four categories - Best Car, Best City, Speed and Style - all focusing on the major points of the game. The last date for entry is August 31.

As with all games getting released these days, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon will be getting a Premium Edition consisting of various extra features. Though it’s going to be released on PS2, Xbox and Wii, the PS2 version of the game will get the Premium treatment, offering an “arcade perfect” port of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, 60 minutes of video content including a “History of Fatalities” movie and a piece of animation cell cover art signed by Ed Boon, the co-creator of Mortal Kombat.

This Premium Edition will be available in four metallic cover variants, three of which feature two characters each - Sindel/Shao Kahn, Jonny Cage/Goro and Kano/Sonya - and one will simply be a metallic version of the standard box art.

Kotaku recently had the chance to visit the SNK Playmore HQ in Japan, getting to play with Falcoon, the creator of King of Fighters Maximum Impact, and chat with the Marketing Manager of the company. It’s an interesting read, but the most attention-grabbing part comes when the author asks about SNK’s stance on PS3.

“My first impression is that it’s expensive. The PlayStation 2 is good enough. It’s small and cheap. For us, for manufacturers, we have to invest in a new system, and the PlayStation 3 is a risk. There won’t be enough consoles at launch. Few consoles mean few software sales. We need to wait three or four years. Maybe 2009-2010 is a good time to release a game for the PS3.”

Basically, the company doesn’t intend on supporting the PS3 in the near future, though it has expressed interest in developing for Nintendo’s Wii. SNK currently plans on launching Metal Slug Anthology as a launch title for the Wii.

Into hockey? Really love indie rock? 2K Sports has announced that independent rock music pioneer Sub Pop Records, among other record labels, will provide music tracks from its catalog for NHL 2K7.

The soundtrack will feature eighteen songs, including the following from the label:

• Arlo
  
• Runaround
  
• Band of Horses- Wicked Gil
  
• Hot Hot Heat- Talk to me, Dance with Me
  
• Kinski- Hot Stenographer
  
• Love as Laughter- Temptation Island
  
• Mudhoney- Empty Shells
  
• Nebula- Giant
  
• The Postal Service- Brand New Colony
  
• Seaweed- Losing Skin
  
• Sleater-Kinney
  
• Rollercoaster
  
• The Constantines- Working Full-time
  
• The Thermals- I Hold the Sound

Quickly name an anime series that has over a hundred episodes, tons of games and is still insanely popular? NARUTO!

Namco Bandai has announced the latest game title to the vehemently popular anime series - Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles, exclusive to the PS2 and scheduled for release this Winter.

“NARUTO: Uzumaki Chronicles” introduces a lush, never-before-seen 3D world that will test the players’ Ninjutsu skills as Naruto, the feisty orphan who wants to become the most respected and admired ninja of all time. A brand new story drives the missions as players experience the trials and tribulations of a ninja-in-training - fierce competition from fellow students and constant challenges from their teachers. Players can collect status-boosting chips and plates to customize all aspects of Naruto’s abilities and face-off against multiple enemies using either close combat moves or long-range weapons like shurikens and explosive cards. With familiar characters like Kakashi, Sasuke and Neji that can swoop in for assistance, “NARUTO: Uzumaki Chronicles” offers mini-games and lethal attacks straight from the popular anime series to satiate any aspiring ninja.

Sure to be good news to Xbox 360 and Castlevania fans: Konami will be releasing Symphony of the Nights (the PlayStation version) on Xbox Live Arcade, according to this report from 1Up which cites the September issue of EGM.

The company will also be releasing Frogger, Contra, Track & Field and Time Pilot, among others, on the broadband network. These titles are tentatively slated for release during Q1 2007.

It’s been some time since the last backlash against Rockstar’s Bully, which gained even more enemies than everybody’s favorite scapegoat Grand Theft Auto. Anyways, it’s still on for release, though, thanks to Spong who “just came off the phone with the guys at Rockstar UK” who confirmed that the game will be released in time for this Christmas.

According to the report, the game is now a PS2-exclusive, with the Xbox version dropped thanks to Microsoft phasing out the console that started it all for them. Additional details are “promised” to be released “very soon.”

Looking for a certain blue-colored bullet-proof dude who has disembodied personalities of his comrades for company? Now, not only can you play him in Eidos’ Rogue Trooper, but also hold him!

First 4 Figures has worked with 2000AD to faithfully recreate the Rogue Trooper. Each figure is cast in high quality polystone, hand finished, hand painted and finished with a printed base that includes the hand-numbered edition.

It stands at 9 inches tall and retains for $80. Only 500 pieces will be available worldwide.

From DreamCatcher Games comes word that it will publish a new version of Ship Simulator in North America which includes the famous New York harbor.

Putting players in the helm of some of the most varied and detailed ships to be found at sea, Ship Simulator will begin steering into stores later this month.

Further information on the game after the jump.
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Konami has announced that Michiru Yamane, the publisher’s music composer whose work includes many Castlevania titles, will give a live performance in a Symphony Concert to be held during the opening ceremony in the Gewandhaus venue at the Leipzig Games Convention.

The acclaimed composer will be performing “Wood Carving Partita” from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on a Cembalo - a Harpsichord-style instrument. There will also be a tribute to Castlevania through a specially-composed medley based on three tracks from the series: “A Toccata Into Blood-Soaked Darkness” from Curse of Darkness, and “Vampire Killer” and “Wicked Child” from the original NES Castlevania.

Michiru Yamane will be available for a signing session after the concert.

In a short note, JoWood sent word that it will be present at the Games Convention in Leipzig, showing off Gothic 3 and The Guild 2. The showcase will be accompanied by a live on stage medieval swordfight display. In addition, the publisher will also be showing off many new games from its 2006-2007 lineups.

ArenaNet and NCSoft Europe together announced a prerelease bonus pack for Guild Wars: Nightfall, the upcoming expansion to the free-to-play MMORPG.

Scheduled to hit stores September 15, the bonus pack will feature a “Play Now” key for a 10-hour/14-day trial of Guild wars Prophecies and Guild Wars Factions; a Nightfall bonus key, providing one additional character slot, as well as two exclusive items for the new professions - a Fiery Sunspear of Shelter for the Paragon and an Icy Soulbreaker of Enchanting for the Dervish; mini strategy guide, concept art, wallpapers, music and more.

No price point was set for the pack.