A couple of weeks ago, we highlighted a new update for id Software's Rage [Free] and Rage HD [Free] that added several welcome new features, like a melee move, a virtual analog stick, and HDMI TV-Out support. We also mentioned that id was running a campaign on their Facebook page that if they received 100,000 "Likes" then both versions of the Rage game would go free for a week.

Today, they finally hit that mark, which is amazing to me considering that I can count the number of people that like me on one hand. As promised, both Rage and Rage HD have dropped to free for the next week. If you haven't yet picked up the game, then now is your chance to grab it gratis. Assuming you have the nearly 800 mb of free space that the HD version takes up, of course. Also, be sure to check out our original review of Rage if you need some help deciding if this free download is worth the bandwidth.

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It's Wednesday again, which aside from meaning that we're one day closer to Friday, it also means there's a whole heap of new iOS games appearing on the App Store tonight.

This works the same as it does every week, but since I love repeating myself I'll explain it again anyway: The App Store is a global market with many different regions which all have different local times. Developers are able to set future release dates for their games, and thanks to the modern marvel that is time zones, these releases slowly trickle out as it becomes that date in each region. Due to their proximity to the International Date Line, this means New Zealand comes first followed by Asian markets, then Europe, then North America at 11:00 PM Eastern time.

Here's what we have to look forward to:

Antiques Roadshow: Discovering America's Hidden Treasures, $4.99 � Forum Thread � Namco has apparently figured out that my parents own an iPad 2 and decided to craft the exact game they would be interested in. Apparently you hunt for antiques, then get them appraised via some kind of hidden object mechanic. There's even antique-centric mini-games.

Conan � Tower of the Elephant, $1.99 � Forum Thread � This quest-centric hack and slash follows the original tale by Robert E. Howard, The Tower of the Elephant. The gesture-based attacks seem like they could have potential, and hey, who doesn't love Conan?

Deo (Strapped to a Meteor), 99� � Forum Thread � This game has some great visual flare to it, although I'm not entirely sure how the gameplay works. It seems like it focuses around hopping across each level, spreading life across all 96 of 'em.

Drawin' Growin', 99� � Forum Thread � The latest game to come out of Taito seems sort of insane on the heels of Groove Coaster, but hey, maybe it's just the right kind of insane to catch on. You draw lines to grow plants, which seems simple enough.

Emissary of War, Free � Forum Thread � We've had our eye on Emissary of War since it appear on our radar a while back, and we've even had its creator on our podcast. Needless to say, we're excited to finally see it released.

iBlast Moki 2, 99� / HD � Forum Thread � We loved the original iBlast Moki and it only stands to reason that the sequel will be just as good if not better. I'd definitely pick this up if you like physics-based puzzlers.

Rally-X Rumble, 99� � Forum Thread � Namco's classic racing game is back, but this time with online multiplayer. If you didn't already think that the App Store was a retro gamer's paradise, here's even more evidence.

Rogue Sky, 99� / HD � Forum Thread � A precision balloon flying game, complete with weaponry that enables balloon to balloon combat. I'm digging the evil looking hot air balloons too, I'd be freaked out if I saw that coming.

Silly Owls, 99� � Forum Thread � This physics puzzler features three different gameplay modes, utilizing each of the different owls. There's even talk of a banana skateboard which sounds oddly intriguing.

Solitaire by Backflip, Free / HD � Forum Thread � If you don't have a game of solitaire yet on your iOS device, this might be one to try. It's free with, um, unlockable prizes… Which seems like an interesting angle for a solitaire game.

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Management over at Atari continues to change as it re-positions itself as a mobile and casual games publisher. In the latest move, Atari has added a new senior vice president of digital publishing, Owais Farooqui, and has pegged Maria Pacheco as its vice president of mobile. Farooqui was previously with a tournament games company, King.com. Pacheco, on the other hand, last served Vivendi Games Mobile, which apparently existed at one point. The company apparently also has a new CFO: Robert Mattes, a former CFO of a market research company called Authentic Response.

In a press release announcing these moves, its stressed that these three will be behind a new mobile, social and online initiative that uses the company's old-school properties for gain in the social and mobile space. I guess we'll see the first fruits of this change a little later this fall with the release of Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter for Facebook, but the company has already been dabbling on the mega-popular platform with�Asteroids Online and Fairies vs. Darklings.

Atari attempted to make the switch to digital distribution a couple of years ago, and I don't think many would say that it's been working out too well for the publisher. It'll be interesting to see if the casual, mobile, and social universes are kinder to the once-boxed retail competitor, especially with this new cast.

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Windows Phone 7 has a serious amount of catching up to do both in market share and with apps if it wants to seriously compete with the iPhone and the App Store, but we've always seen the handheld as a promising contender. Part of that reason has to do with its Games Hub, which is essentially a mobile take on Xbox Live. It's packed with promise, and Microsoft has continued to take the steps in the right direction. Today's news is a good example of that: the next release of Windows Phone 7, Mango, will allow in-app purchases and add-on content. This is huge, as we all know free-to-play is a meaningful mobile model.

There's more, of course. In the Fall-bound update, Microsoft will introduce badges that you can put on your avatar after earning certain achievements. Also, it's bulking up its network support, cleaning up the UI in a significant way by introducing sensible views and blades, and it's integrating a lot of Xbox Live "Extras" into the actual Hub. If you really want to dive into the nitty-gritty, this blog post and this earlier blog post on the Windows Phone Blog both break it all down pretty well, canned as it is.

In addition to the former stuff, Microsoft has also announced a bunch of new games slated to hit the platform within the next few months. Most of them are unknown to us, but if you have a 360 or a Kinect, these two brands might ring a bell: Toy Soldiers and Kinectimals. Yeah, mobile versions of these titles are coming. Can you hear me shrugging? I'm shrugging.

It strikes me as weird that we're still in a wait and watch stance on Windows Phone 7 a year or so out of release, but the platform still doesn't feel as robust as Microsoft wants it to be. Updates like this, though, are definitely a sign of solid progress.

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