So here we are, now into March. Crackdown is out for Xbox 360, Sonic and the Secret Rings and SSX Blur are out for Wii and F1 Championship Edition is out for PS3, with Motorstorm hopefully following next week, barring any weird shipping mishaps. In Toronto, with the way things have been, we're not ruling that out. The current fuel shortage and today's freak blizzard have certainly been messing around with the way things run in this city. That doesn't mean that we're down for the count though. Here's today's News Pop!.

Sims 2 and EA Trax

Electronic Arts announced the official release of The Sims 2 Seasons today. The new expansion pack adds new elements for every season to the game. Sims now have the ability to enjoy different activities throughout the year, and can now experience real weather conditions like snowstorms, rainstorms and more. The new expansion will also affect Sims feelings, wants and fears as the weather changes. So now your Sims can feel the crushing depression of SAD on those bleak, grey winter days, the beauty of a spring shower, or jumping into a pile of leaves on a cool autumn day. Other new additions include enchanced graphic effects like new shadow effects, snow accumulation and other weather events. The Sims 2 Seasons is now available for PC for $29.99 USD/ $39.99 CAD and is rated T for Teen.

EA also made an announcement about its in-game music, EA Trax. Most people who have played EA games within the past few years should be familiar with EA Trax, as it has been the presentation system for the company's in-game music in some EA Sports games, the Burnout franchise and more, using licensed from bands like Sugarcult, Billy Talent, The Bravery and many more to improve the gameplay experience. So what kind of announcement could EA have to make about EA Trax other than a new soundtrack for an upcoming game? The answer is iTunes. EA is releasing its exclusive mixes, non-album cuts and previously unavailable tracks for purchase on iTunes, and will also be adding songs and ringtones from its other franchises, like The Sims, Harry Potter and SSX. To see what's available, you can check out www.ea.com/eatrax.

Vigor Gaming unleashes a Monsoon

PC gamers have a listen. Vigor Gaming announced a new CPU cooler today, bringing an addition to the Monsoon family. The Monsoon II Lite uses a thermoelectric cooler to cool CPUs to temperatures lower than room temperature. The cooler is controlled by a PCI card, which uses its software to automatically control the cooling and fan speed for optimal cooling and energy efficiency. Check it out at www.vigorgaming.com.