While we've seen a trickle of releases throughout the first eight weeks of the year in Australia, this week marks the first big week for 2009, with several high-profile games set to ship.

　　Street Fighter IV is easily one of the most anticipated games of this year and will be available throughout Australia from Thursday on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Not just reinvigorating the franchise with stylised graphics, SFIV introduces new characters to the roster and a new counterattack system, amongst other additions. Sadly there's still no word on when the PC version will be available.

　　The first exclusive "episode" of downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV--The Lost and Damned--hits the virtual shelves of Xbox Live Marketplace very soon. Shifting away from Niko, The Lost and Damned focuses on a biker called Johnny Klebitz, who is a member of the Lost biker gang, which you run into throughout GTAIV. Unlike previous DLC packs, The Lost and Damned adds in more than just the standard weapons; it boasts new missions set in an alternate storyline, as well as new modes for online play. Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned comes out tomorrow.

　　Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II is the follow-up to 2004's real-time strategy game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Departing from the resource management side of things, Dawn of War II's focus is primarily on combat. The campaign puts you in charge of the Space Marines, who are caught up in an interspecies conflict that is about to turn nasty, while the Orks team up with other foes to wipe out key planets to The Imperium. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II is due out on the 19th.

　　Feb 16, 2009

　　Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (360)

　　Feb 19, 2009

　　Street Fighter IV (360, PS3)

　　The House of the Dead: Overkill (Wii)

　　Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II (PC)

　　Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (DS)

　　Petz: My Baby Panda (DS)

　　Petz: My Kitten Family (DS)

　　Petz: My Monkey Family (DS)