The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has commented on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rise of 0.1% in inflation as being largely down to increased sales in video games.

The news comes as a shock to most of the hardcore community, who associate the summer with a barren release schedule as publishers ready themselves for the Christmas push.

However it seems this summer we've been spending more on games, Secret Level can only assume most of the sales are accounted for by the blatantly unfinished Driv3r.

Roll on Christmas…

Second Expansion Pack for Project Gotham 2
Xbox Live! users have another pack to download onto their black box, in the shape of the new Long Beach Booster Pack. Priced at £2.99 the pack contains new circuits and cars for racing around California.

The success of these packs leads Secret Level to believe their use will be commonplace pretty soon. Expect Halo 2 multiplayer levels to come out on Live! at a similar price.

New Games Magazine

High street giants Game are moving into the journalism business (it's their funeral). The new magazine will contain news, features and a letters page but no reviews (presumably because every game - no matter how bad - would have to be "fab", though I suppose that's never bothered some magazines *cough* Driv3r *cough*).

Don't be expecting unbiased journalism though, the magazine promises 'advertorials' (now there's a good word) from Vodaphone, Hybrid Labs and GameStars Live and a handy 'Pre-Order Page' where you can tick off the releases you want to order and give them to a friendly Game employee.

Secret Level assumes Games TM and Edge aren't exactly quaking in their boots.

Bushby