A bit of bad news has arrived regarding the entity that's now known as Activision Blizzard. The company sent out a press wire announcing that only five of Vivendi's games are expected to be published, leaving the future of the company's other titles in question. Further details are available in the full article.

*Update* Ghostbusters is still in development.
*Update 2* Brutal Legend has also left limbo.

Massive Development and Swordfish Studios' project of porting the PC real-time strategy game World in Conflict to both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is looking really promising. It seems that the developers have figured out how to put in some Direct X 10 effects into the console versions of the game. To find out more, head on over to the full article.

Ever wonder what it would have been like if America was faced with a full-fledged Soviet invasion? Check out Sierra and Massive Entertainment's World in Conflict (Games for Windows, Xbox 360) and you'll wonder no more.

The game is built around a Cold War scenario by author Larry Bond. Soviet forces are marching into Europe, but when NATO responds, they're faced with a full-fledged invasion of America. Now it's up to players to halt the Soviet forces and retake America's cities and suburbs.

Today we've got a new bunch of screenshots from the game, which is slated to hit PCs in September and Xbox 360s later this fall. Check 'em out below. Click on the Full Article link below to see all the new screenshots.

More screenshots behind the Full Article link!

If you've been lucky to join in on the beta test of Sierra and Massive Entertainment's World in Conflict (PC, Xbox 360), then you probably wouldn't be here in QJ to read this bit of news: the closed beta period has ended on July 31, and you'd all have probably picked up this news after the developers dropped a development update on the final day.

But those who haven't been fortunate enough to partake in the fun won't need to fret. Massive Entertainment, creators of the exceptional Ground Control, have announced that a demo of World in Conflict will follow shortly after the closing of the Beta phase. Although no date and no target platforms have been stated as of press time, downloads for the PC are more than a certainty at this point.

Xbox 360 gamers will have to follow up with Swordfish Studios to inquire about the Xbox 360 version of the demo, where the developers are busy creating a more intuitive real-time strategy interface for Xbox 360 controls. Expect the demo within the weeks to follow, before the game's PC debut on September 18 for North America, September 21 for Europe, and Fall 2007 for the Xbox 360 versions.

GamesIndustry.biz reports while CiRCLE Studio's closure has yet to be made official, a number of studios in the region - including Free Radical Design, Swordfish Studios, Rebellion and Eurocom -  have already begun talks with some of the studio's former staff.

CiRCLE Studios, which was founded by industry veterans Jeremy Heath-Smith and Adrian Smith, was reported to have gone into liquidation Tuesday.

David Doak, director of Free Radical Design, based in Nottingham, confirmed this, saying that CirCLE's closure "means that we are now talking to some ex-CiRCLE employees." Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley also revealed that they are currently talking to "some selected individuals who have sent in CVs direct to our Rebellion Derby [offices]."

According to GamesIndustry.biz, sources close to CiRCLE revealed that Birmingham developer Swordfish Studios is another interested party, demoing a new title at the studio the very afternoon that employees had been informed of their redundancy. Swordfish announced a new studio devoted solely to next-gen games late last year.

Recruitment firms are also said to be hovering over the studio, as is Pirates of the Caribbean developer Eurocom, a company situated in the same city as CiRCLE.