EA have announced the name of the next game in the Need for Speed series as Need for Speed ProStreet.

“Need for Speed ProStreet accelerates street racing culture by providing the ultimate stage for the pursuit of street racing supremacy,†said Executive Producer, Larry LaPierre. “This is a game about building the ultimate performance-tuned battle machine, taking it to multi-disciplinary showdowns all over the world and pitting your skills and reputation against the very best street racers.â€

GOA has launched the official website for tehir upcoming MMORPG Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, along with a signup form for people interested in participating on the closed beta, prior to launch.

"We can't wait to embark on WAR's adventures with players from across Europe," commented Ghislaine Le Rhun, Senior Vice President of GOA. "Opening subscription applications for the closed beta test today is the first step on the road to uniting the whole of Europe in battle. Those fortunate enough to be selected also have the hugely important role of being able to shape the WAR world by offering essential feedback on their experiences to the development team at EA Mythic."

The Naruto series is a rather popular series of cartoons and games coming out of Japan, and now Tomy and D3Publisher have announced they will be officially releasing NARUTO: Path of the Ninja on the Nintendo DS in North America, marking the first time a NARUTI RPG has been officially released in the US.

"The NARUTO RPG games have proven to be very popular in Japan," said Mark Shinohara, executive vice president, TOMY Corporation. "The upcoming RPG title for North America will bring a completely new style of gameplay to NARUTO games, and the fans will love it!"

"We are really looking forward to bringing NARUTO: Path of the Ninja to North America," said Careen Yapp, vice president of licensing and business development, D3PA. "Some of the best elements from all the Japanese NARUTO RPG releases will be utilized to create an exclusive and unique game that no one has ever seen!"

Andy Lane, lately of CMP has announced plans to hold a games industry trade show in London in 2008. The event, to take place on June 5th and 6th next year, will be aimed at retail rather than trade, and will be focussed on the business of games, rather than acting purely as a showcase for the public.

"Since E3 changed its focus and became totally US-centric, we’ve watched the debate unfold as to what the industry wants," Tandem Events’ Andy Lane told MCV. "It’s clear there’s a desire for a UK event, but the traditional format of an exhibition hall isn’t what the industry needs.

"People want a sensible, controlled environment where they can see product, have meaningful meetings and do business. That’s exactly what GamePlan will offer."

EA have announced that a movie based on the incredibly popular The Sims will be produced.

Steve Asbell will oversee the project for Fox with EA’s Sims studio head Rod Humble. Brian Lynch, who wrote Scary Movie 3, will pen the script of the live action film, but the story is under wraps.

"The Sims has done an interactive version of an old story, which is what it's like to have infinite power and how do you deal with it," said Humble.

"Given that that's an old story, you can imagine how easily that would translate to traditional story telling."

Codemasters have announced they have secured the rights to develop a game based on the movie Dirty Dancing, reports MCV. The developer will ... wait, what?

VP and general manager of Codemasters Online Gaming David Solari commented: “Dirty Dancing is one of the most beloved movies of all time with millions of dedicated fans across the world.

“Dirty Dancing - The Video Game will make the perfect Christmas present for fans of the movie, and we are thrilled to be able to bring this much loved film to the video game world.â€

EVP of marketing at Lionsgate Anne Parducci added: "As casual gaming continues to explode in popularity, it is becoming more necessary than ever to provide compelling, multi-faceted titles that people can relate to in order to break away from the clutter.

“Dirty Dancing delivers compelling subject matter that has all the tools to become an instant hit online. The movie appeals to audiences of all ages and continues to win over new fans through increased exposure from the highly successful DVDs and multiple airings on cable. For two decades, girls and women have identified with Baby, and through this wonderful game from Codemasters, they will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in her world like never before."

JoWooD have released a playable demo of their upcoming add-on to the recently released The Guild 2.

The add-on "Pirates of the European Seas" expands the game "The Guild 2" by adding the huge area of the Hanseatic cities at the Baltic and parts of the North Sea.

Interaction with other players through trading, diplomacy and aggression is the key to success in the medieval society of The Guild 2. In a world of intrigue and conflict it‘s up you to ascend in society!

Illwinter Game Design and Shrapnel Games have released the classic game Conquest of Elysium II as a free download.

Conquest of Elysium II supports up to eight players, although unfortunately it does not support multplayer outside of hotseat play. It is also not moddable, although with the random world generation, the score of characters, various societies, and the Monster Manual worth of denizens, Conquest of Elysium II is a game that can be discovered fresh for years.

NCSoft has announced that Dungeon Runners, their first free to play MMORPG, has launched.

"Dungeon Runners is a lot of fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. But the game will take players into an action packed-adventure, where they blaze through a maze of dungeons, face fierce monsters and formidable opponents to become a hero," said Stephen Nichols, NCsoft's producer and lead programmer for Dungeon Runners. "Regardless if a player pays to be a member or plays for free, Dungeon Runners will deliver more than 200 hours of game play and a continually growing number of missions and quests. The game is also designed to appeal to gamers who have limited time to give to a game, but it will have the content to keep players adventuring for hours at a time."

Popcap Games, perhaps best know for their casual flash-based games, has announced the release of a mobile version of Chuzzle.

"Chuzzle is a great game for mobile devices, and we've spent a lot of time optimizing it for that platform," said Jason Kapalka, co-founder and chief creative officer at PopCap Games. "We've simplified the already straightforward game mechanics to take advantage of the input controls across hundreds of models of cell phones and other mobile devices, and the game plays faster and more intuitively than ever. That said, we've also retained the endless 'Zen' mode in the mobile version, because we know that Chuzzle is a great on-the-go source of relaxation for many players."

Guitar Hero II players are being offered the chance to perform their moves in front of a live audience at this year's Download Festival at Donnington Racecourse.

Guitar Hero performances will take place on the Third Stage every night from Thursday 7th June through until June 10th, between 10:00pm and midnight.

These two-hour sessions will over Guitar Hero players the opportunity to perform in front of up to 3,000 moshing fans, and genuinely experience what it's like to be a rock star.

K2 Network has announced that a VIP beta for their upcoming MMORPG Sword Of The New World: Granado Espada, running from June 4 to June 14, prior to the launch of the official open beta on June 15.

"We know that this game is highly anticipated and we are thrilled to finally allow some key gamers and press a chance to get their hands on the game," said Grantley Day, Vice President of Development at K2 Network. "I believe that this is a game that sets itself apart from other MMORPG's on the market and I am confident that once people get a taste of what Sword of the New World has to offer, they will be anxious to spread the word to everyone."