Two DLC packs have been announced for Panzer Corps. “Grand Campaign ’39″ and “Grand Campaign ’40″ add many new scenarios to the Panzer Corps campaign, plus a variety of unique new missions that involve new types of objectives. According to the official press release, “Grand Campaign ’39 and Grand Campaign ‘40 also include the new ability to carry your core army through different campaigns. So you can now bring an army from the humble beginning of light tanks and raw recruits to a formidable behemoth of Tigers and veteran shock troops!” Check out the new content at the official website.

Worrying news for Trekkie gamers. Browser-MMO publisher Gameforge has laid-off 100 of its 450 employees in a restructuring of the company. “Through a more efficient organizational structure, we can optimize our use of resources and great potential for further growth increase,” CEO Alexander Roesner said in a press statement. “This will strengthen our long term position in the dynamic market for online games.” Such developments certainly raise questions over whether Gameforge will be capable of launching upcoming MMO Star Trek: Infinite Space without support. Gameforge took over Frogster last year, but since then several of Frogsters top brass have left the company and MMOs Hellbreed and Mythos have been axed. Will Star Trek go the same way? Sounds logical, Captain.

Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hryb, Microsoft’s director of programming, has confirmed that the new Alan Wake follow-up game, being developed by Remedy, will be a “fully standalone experience released on Xbox Live”. Nelson’s latest revelation coincides with Oskari Hakkinen, head of franchise development at Remedy, saying there was more Alan Wake coming soon. The game will be making its debut on December 10.

Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Certain Affinity
Genre: Hack and slash
ESRB rating: Teen
Release date: Available now

Certain Affinity has made their name through map creation for a variety of other games. Crimson Alliance sees their bid to take to the gaming stage proper. It is a hack and slash dungeon crawler in the same vein as Bastion and Torchlight, in that it offers player input in terms of item and weapon choices. However, if you prefer a game where you have to decide whether to wear your “Tights of Valhalla” or your “Ankle Socks of Death,” then you should move along quickly using your “Stockings of Swiftness.” Micro management isn’t part of the game’s ethos – simplicity is. For example, you only get three characters to choose from. The game offers both single player campaign action and a four player co-op mode (available both locally and online). So is Crimson Alliance worth a trip through the dungeon?

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After a week long delay, Silverlode Interactive announced the official launch of the beta for the real-time strategy game Warspire. The beta will allow players to explore two of the game’s six factions: Light and Undead. Silverlode stated that the open beta focuses on PvP with 1v1 and 2v2 matches, plus a tutorial.

“Warspire is the most advanced RTS running on the Unity 3D engine to date. Unlike other browser-based games, Warspire features a full 3D environment and real-time control. Buildings and units are built and deployed in real time and controlled with a fully-featured graphical user interface comparable to those seen in the most popular contemporary RTS games,” boasts the Silverlode Interactive press release. “Those who contribute to the Beta phase will receive two free heroes in their starting army, as well as five dollars in free credits.” Visit the official Warspire website for more information.

Activision’s next planned Spider-Man game, entitled The Amazing Spider-Man, is going to incorporate an open world. The game was announced this weekend at New York Comic Con by Activision’s Doug Hede. He acknowledged the less than stellar reaction to Edge of Time, and is confident that because the film on which the game is based has been in development for so long, it should get a less sticky response.

Fed up with having to spend hours of grinding to build up your RPG character before you dare go online? It seems your prayers have been answered. EA and developer BioWare have formed a partnership to bring you Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes. Mythic Studio’s general manager Eugene Evans described the game as being somewhat similar to the MMO, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, except this release is a pick-up-and-play title.

“You can go and have a similar experience in Warhammer Online [Age of Reckoning]. But it means that you have to go and start with a base character, level that character up, and then get into the scenario. With Wrath of Heroes, you get to choose a hero type, and they come pre-loaded with a set of abilities, and you don’t have to level it up. It’s immediate. You’re in, and you’re playing.”

Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes features ‘arena’ combat between three teams of six players. Evans says the team plans to keep the game in closed beta for “a while longer”, before moving to an open beta. In terms of playing costs, Evans said the game will probably charge for downloadable characters based on “particularly iconic Warhammer character class or type of hero.”

Sega Saturn classic Guardian Heroes is now available on Xbox Live in North America and Europe. Fans of the beloved RPG hack ‘n’ slash can look forward to a visual facelift with some lovely remastered graphics and several new game modes. Online and local co-op will also be available, and the game can be yours for 800 Microsoft Points.

EA has just launched a gameplay walkthrough of a level from its upcoming Syndicate reboot. The 11 minute clip, narrated by Syndicate executive producer Jeff Gamon, features gameplay footage from an early level called Executive Search. Playing as Miles Kilo, an agent from the Eurocorp Syndicate, you and your mentor raid a rival Syndicate called Aspari to retrieve stolen chip technology from a scientist’s head.

Ubisoft’s series of My Coach games has thus far offered gamers lessons on a wide variety of things, including Spanish and dog communication. Now the publisher has announced that it is going to teach gamers self-defense. Ubisoft’s My Coach Self Defense is due out exclusively for Microsoft’s Kinect on November 8 in North America (November 11 in Europe) under the name Self-Defense Training Camp. It aims to teach players how to react safely to “troublesome” situations and protect themselves from “various forms of physical assault.” Ubisoft says it will achieve this through a series of fitness and martial arts workouts, which are focused on four core areas: technique, stamina, composure, and reflexes. Ubisoft says these techniques will be taught to players by a real-life in-game coach. Personally, I might skip this one and wait for Ubisoft’s X-man Training Camp.

Epic Games and ChAIR have officially announced Infinity Blade 2, the sequel to the popular hack-and-slash game available on iOS devices. The second game is scheduled to launch on December 1, 2011. The Unreal Engine 3-powered game will come with dozens of new locations set across an expansive 3D environment. According to the game’s official website, Infinity Blade 2 aims to challenge players to journey further into the world of the Deathless tyrants and their legion of Titans, building skills and upgrading characters in new ways.

Given the toughness of some of the enemies in Dark Souls, you may not have had time to appreciate the artwork that went into their creation. The PlayStation Blog has brought together the concept artwork of several different monster designs, and accompanying them is commentary from Dark Souls’ director Hidetaka Miyazaki. Hop on over if you want a sneak peek of what you’ll be up against!

The Insider section of the newest Xbox World hints that Remedy, the people behind the Alan Wake franchise, may be working on the latest installment for the Xbox 720. The section states: “We hear a number of Microsoft-friendly developers are hard at work on prepping next-gen games as we speak. Could this be the reason why Remedy are so quiet about Alan Wake 2? (Yes.)” According to Xbox World, Remedy is not the only team to dabble in the future console. “Rare, Lionhead and Turn 10 all have teams in place too.” It’s also rumored that THQ is planning Saints Row 4 for the 720.

Activision has just released a trailer for Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure. It’s a game that allows players to transport real-world toys into virtual worlds of adventure through the so-called “Portal of Power.” These “toys with brains” come to life inside the game, and keep their achievements and stats across any platform. Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure will be available on October 16 for PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS and mobile devices.

The creator of Minecraft has revealed in a recent tweet that the game is getting dragons! Markus “Notch” Persson mentions that while they’re far from finished, they are in development. Players got wind of a new development in the game and bombarded the Minecraft creator with tweets asking for more information. He obliged and confirmed the impending arrival of the winged beasts.