1.   Games companies have begun giving their players the ability to connect to computer networks, while Sega has started selling versions of its games for computers.

2.   SOFTWARE XBOX DEVELOPERS PLAN GAMES VENTURE Two software programmers who left Microsoft after spearheading the introduction of its Xbox video game console have reunited in a start-up games company.

3.   The American owners of Cindy and Barbie fought over J.W. Spear, a British games company that owns the rights to Scrabble outside North America.

4.   Now a games arcade company has become the victim of brittle confidence and jangled nerves in Hong Kong.

5.   With cards being shown more often these days for fouls or dissent, a computer games company reportedly is trying to take advantage of the advertising opportunity.

6.   French computer games company Ubi Soft is reportedly stalking British rival Eidos, maker of best-selling game Lara Croft, with a view to a possible takeover.