News from the Net www.sierra.com -------------- EXCLUSIVE GROUND CONTROL II: OPERATION EXODUS SINGLE PLAYER DEMO NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD THROUGH GAMESPOT DLX AND AT SELECT RETAIL OUTLETS Gamers with a hunger for battle can now quench their appetite with the single player demo for Ground Control II: Operation Exodus. Available exclusively today, and running through May 26, 2004, GameSpot DLX is hosting the online premiere of the Ground Control II single-player demo. The online demo includes several tutorials and a campaign mission introducing the gameplay and the Northern Star Alliance. On May 27, 2004, the demo will be made available for download from the Ground Control II website at http://www.groundcontrol2.com. An expanded version of the demo is also currently available at Amazon, Electronics Boutique, Fry's, GameStop and Musicland through the pre-order campaign, and includes an additional mission taking gamers deep into enemy territory. Ground Control II: Operation Exodus is the next installment in the Ground Control franchise. In a departure from traditional RTS games, Ground Control II: Operation Exodus focuses on tactical combat with minimal time spent on resource management. Instead of harvesting resources and building bases, the game keeps the action hot and heavy by immediately rewarding players for accomplishing objectives. Additionally, the unique multiplayer drop-in mode allows players to instantly join an ongoing game at any time, for any length of time. Ground Control II: Operation Exodus chronicles the ongoing conflict between the Northern Star Alliance and the Terran Empire. Having lost the war in space, the NSA retreats to their home world and forces the Terran Empire to engage in a savage war of attrition on the ground. As a Captain in the field, players can command a task force consisting of infantry, tanks, artillery and aircraft alone in the single player campaign or with other players via LAN or Internet. Ground Control II: Operation Exodus for the PC has been rated "T" for teen by the ESRB carries a suggested retail price of $49.99. www.legacyinteractive.com ------------------------- 'ER' CAST MEMBERS STAR IN FIRST PC GAME BASED ON THE HIT TV SHOW Noah Wyle, Sherry Stringfield and Mekhi Phifer Lend Their Likeness and Voice Talents to New Computer Game Hollywood, Calif. - (May 05, 2004) -- Legacy Interactive, known for its expertise in developing entertaining TV branded games, announced today that ER cast members Noah Wyle (Dr. John Carter), Sherry Stringfield (Dr. Susan Lewis) and Mekhi Phifer (Dr. Gregory Pratt) will star in the first interactive game based on the Warner Bros. Television series. Shipping this fall for PC/CD- ROM, the ER game is licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Inc. and will be published by Legacy Interactive and distributed by Vivendi Universal Games. "The ER game combines the best of the popular strategy/role- playing genre with the top-rated television franchise 'ER'," said Ariella Lehrer, CEO of Legacy Interactive. "Players of the game will get to interact with their favorite stars in dramatic and engaging storylines reminiscent of the TV show." In the ER computer game, the player joins the cast of the TV show as a newly hired intern and handles a steady flow of patients with health issues ranging from minor cuts and bruises to serious injuries sustained from accidents and violence. Through it all, the player will have to navigate goals, dodge sticky politics, deal with gut-wrenching ethical dilemmas, and engage in steamy romances. With perseverance, the player will gain prestige among peers and supervisors and ascend the ranks of Chicago's County General Hospital. Currently in its 10th season on NBC, ER remains one of the top- rated dramas on television, attracting 20 million viewers per week. The show has received 108 Emmy nominations, more than any other drama series in history, and has won 21 Emmy Awards. ER has also been honored with a prestigious Peabody Award, garnered 11 People's Choice Awards as well as a multitude of other accolades since the show first debuted. PLAYERS TREAT REAL-LIFE ZOO ANIMALS IN LEGACY INTERACTIVE'S ZOO VET Available for PC and Macintosh in July 2004 Hollywood, Calif. - (April 21, 2004) -- Legacy Interactive, a premier developer of Real Life Games, announced today its new Zoo Vet game arriving for PC and Macintosh computers in July 2004. Zoo Vet allows the player to examine, diagnose and treat multiple, realistic 3D animals in a fun and entertaining setting. Players assume the role of a veterinarian at a world-class zoo. With help from zookeepers and vet technicians, players care for 24 different animals, including lions, chimpanzees, flamingos, pandas, komodo dragons and kangaroos. Players receive points based on how well they examine the animal, which tests they order, and what treatments they choose. More than 40 realistic medical tools are available for use, including some that allow the player to actually perform surgery on their patients. As the game progresses, players are rewarded with job promotions, awards, and new game features. Zoo Vet offers three different levels of play, allowing animal lovers, future vets and professionals alike to successfully treat the animals and enjoy all the features of the game. "Legacy Interactive is thrilled to introduce Zoo Vet into the homes of animal-loving people everywhere," said Ariella Lehrer, Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Interactive. "The game's an adventure the entire family can enjoy, children as well as adults." Zoo Vet includes 30 different animal scenarios, each one created by practicing veterinarians. Problems range from basic and preventative health care to life-threatening emergencies due to illness or injury. Examples of situations players may encounter include an elephant with a foot infection, a pregnant penguin, an otter with a nasty spitting problem, a zebra with excessive energy and a gorilla with an operable injured finger. Customizable features include veterinary offices with changeable skins, fascinating animal facts, trivia, mini games, information on careers with animals, downloads and more. Players will enjoy the experience of helping their favorite zoo animals, as well as learn what it is like to be a zoo veterinarian. www.activision.com ------------------ Activision Showcases 10 New Games At 2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo Santa Monica, CA - May 7, 2004 - Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) will showcase 10 key titles at the 2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo, taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from May 12 - 14. The company's lineup is comprised of high-profile entertainment properties and titles created by some of the industry's premiere development talent. The slate includes games based on such highly anticipated movies as "Spider-Man 2," "DreamWorks' Shark Tale" and "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," as well as id Software's gripping 3D action game DOOM 3; The Creative Assembly's award-winning RTS game Rome: Total War, Peter Molyneux's innovative new simulation, The Movies and Call of Duty: Finest Hour, an original console game in the award- winning Call of Duty series. Activision Debuts High-Profile Entertainment Titles: Spider-Man 2 - Based upon the biggest movie event of the summer from Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios, and including other world famous Marvel comic book characters, players experience what it's like to be the world's most celebrated Super Hero, Spider-Man. Players can swing, sling, dive, jump and scale the heights of Manhattan to protect the innocent, in a living city with Super Villains, common criminals, vehicles, trains and helicopters. Spider-Man 2 has been rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. DreamWorks' Shark Tale - Players experience the fun and adventure of the DreamWorks movie by assuming the role of Oscar, a fast-talking little fish working his way up the food chain, who becomes an unlikely hero as he searches for an easy path to fame and fortune. DreamWorks' Shark Tale has not yet been rated by the ESRB. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events -- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is based on the book series and upcoming Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies film starring Jim Carrey, Jude Law and Meryl Streep. It is the only game that lets players experience first-hand the misadventures of the savvy and resilient Baudelaire orphans. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events has not yet been rated by the ESRB. X-Men Legends -- The first 3D action-RPG based on the popular Marvel characters, the X-Men, X-Men Legends challenges players to master the attributes of their favorite X- Men by creating, customizing and controlling teams of four mutants in real time. Assuming the role of more than a dozen popular Super Heroes, each with individual mutant powers and fighting skills, including Wolverine, Gambit and Storm, players lead teams of mutants as they battle the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and other Marvel villains on a quest to stop the extinction of mankind and determine the fate of the world. X- Men Legends has not yet been rated by the ESRB. Activision Redefines Innovation by Partnering with Premier Development Talent DOOM 3 - id Software's terrifying battle with the forces of Hell is invading the Xbox. A massive demonic invasion has overwhelmed the UAC's Mars research facility leaving only chaos and horror in its wake. As one of only a few survivors, you struggle with shock and fear as you fight your way to Hell and back in an epic clash against pure evil. DOOM 3 has not yet been rated by the ESRB. The Movies - Developed by Lionhead Studios' Peter Molyneux, a pioneer in the "life simulation" genre, The Movies lets gamers become Hollywood players, by creating unique movies and releasing them from the studios they build, starring the actors they discover and develop. The Movies has not yet been rated by the ESRB. Rome: Total War -- The latest edition in the Creative Assembly's award-winning Total War series, Rome: Total War redefines the RTS genre by enabling gamers to take command of massive armies that wage war in epic, cinematic battles in the brutal world of the Roman Empire. Rome: Total War has not yet been rated by the ESRB. Call of Duty: United Offensive -- Expanding on the award- winning, epic and cinematic first-person action of Call of Duty, Call of Duty: United Offensive delivers more of WWII's most legendary conflicts by offering over 10 new levels in an all-new single player campaign, as well as nine new multiplayer maps. Call of Duty: United Offensive has not yet been rated by the ESRB. Call of Duty: Finest Hour - The newest installment in the award- winning Call of Duty series, Call of Duty: Finest Hour takes console gamers to the frontlines of combat to experience the cinematic intensity, chaos of battle and epic moments of WWII across new campaigns from Northern Africa to the Eastern Front. Call of Duty: Finest Hour has not yet been rated by the ESRB. Vampire: The Masquerade-Bloodlines -- Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines takes the power of Valve's Source Technology, the driving force fueling Half-Life 2, and delivers a new type of RPG that blends the deep storyline, character development and interaction, exploration, and multiple solutions to quests of a traditional RPG, with the graphical beauty, fast action and first-person immersion of an FPS. Vampire: The Masquerade-Bloodlines has not yet been rated by the ESRB. True Crime: Streets of LA Santa Monica, CA - May 12, 2004 - Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today True Crime: Streets of L.A. for the PC has shipped to retail stores nationwide. The PC version takes the driving, fighting and shooting action of the best-selling console game to a new level with sleek PC graphics, new weapons, unlockable characters, and an online multiplayer feature. Building on a slammin' soundtrack featuring original hip- hop music from Snoop Dogg, Westside Connection, and many others, the PC game adds an additional 32 tracks from rock artists such as Alice In Chains, Queensryche, and 2004 Grammy Award Nominees Spineshank and Stone Sour. True Crime: Streets of L.A. for the PC is rated "M" ("Mature" - Blood and Gore, Mature Sexual Themes, Strong Language and Violence) by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $49.99. The single player portion of True Crime: Streets of L.A. for the PC thrusts players into the role of rogue Elite Operations Division operative Nick Kang, a no-holds-barred badass, whose brutal reputation and lethal skills have landed him the nasty task of taking down the Chinese Triad and Russian Mafia that have turned Los Angeles into a war zone. Featuring a powerful 3D engine, the game allows the player to engage in a single player crime drama throughout 240 square miles of Los Angeles streets or challenge opponents in online multiplayer action modes. Gamers take part in explosive gun battles with double fisted firepower, devastating martial arts brawls, and high-speed shootouts. The game's unique branching missions include locating hostile witnesses, infiltrating criminal-infested locations, taking out evasive informants and busting the heavily armed and deadly bad guys. Players can visit popular L.A. landmarks, as well as earn rewards in over 30 different training locations. Unlockables includes upgraded weapons, upgraded cars, more fighting moves and special driving abilities. Also in True Crime: Streets of L.A. players can unlock a special character - Snoop Dogg, the "Dogg Father" of hip-hop. When players unlock his character in "Dogg Patrol" mode, they can play as Snoop and roll through the streets in a custom convertible, complete with hydraulics, while looking for random crimes to solve and criminals to take down. The PC game takes the driving, fighting and shooting action online with new weapons and eight unlockable characters exclusive to the PC. Up to four players can join up through either GameSpy or a Local Area Network (LAN) and play any of five different multiplayer games. Using characters from the single player portion of True Crime, multiplayer gameplay varies from the "Fast and Furious" style of "Street Racing" mode, to patrolling the city and bagging the most criminals in "The Beat." Other games include hand-to-hand combat in "Dojo Master," slaughtering opponents with new weapons such as a rocket launcher or crossbow in "Battle Master," and Los Angeles wouldn't be complete without a high speed car chase. In "Police Chase," gamers can play either the police or criminal in a desperate race across Los Angeles. True Crime: Streets of L.A. PC features the all-star voice cast of top Hollywood talent from the console version including Christopher Walken, Gary Oldman, Michael Madsen, Russell Wong, Michelle Rodriguez, Ron Perlman, CCH Pounder, James Hong, Mako and Keone Young. Shrek 2 Santa Monica, CA - April 28, 2004 - Consumers can experience the humor, magic and fun of DreamWorks' highly anticipated "Shrek 2" feature film with the release of the Shrek 2 video game from Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI). Gamers can now immerse themselves in the epic adventure by playing as the film's main characters Shrek, Donkey, Princess Fiona and Puss- in-Boots, as well as original characters created for the game. Players journey through 11 action-packed levels that include film locales and locations exclusive to the game. Shrek 2 is currently available on the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and Nintendo GameCube for a suggested retail price of $49.99. The Game Boy Advance and PC versions are available for a suggested retail price of $29.99. The game has been rated "E" ("Everyone" - comic mischief, violence - content suitable for persons ages 6 and older) by the ESRB. "The Shrek 2 video game offers fans an expanded version of Shrek's world where they can relive favorite movie moments and embark upon a host of all new adventures," said Kathy Vrabeck, president, Activision Publishing. "The game delivers more of the green ogre's twisted fairy tale adventure which is sure to appeal to fans of all ages." Shrek 2 lets players control a team of four characters, mastering each one's unique skills and switching between them to complete wild and challenging adventures while dodging and defeating enemies. Numerous puzzles challenge fans to work their way out of difficult situations and mini-games provide them with additional adventures to master. In the console versions of Shrek 2, players can also experience "Hero Time," special adventures that highlight certain characters alone, focusing on that character's special skills and moves. Additionally, the console games feature a multiplayer component that allows up to four players to join and leave the game without interrupting gameplay. Working in conjunction with the DreamWorks animation team, Shrek 2 was developed for the console platforms by Luxoflux, for the Game Boy Advance by Vicarious Visions and for the PC by KnowWonder, an Amaze Entertainment studio. The Game Boy Advance and PC games offer a single player only experience. http://www.mystrevelation.com/teaser/uk/ ---------------------------------------- Myst IV: Revelation Every family has its secret. This one has two. Within the visually awe-inspiring world of Myst, a gripping family drama will slowly unfold. A little girl disappears, her two brothers are suspected, and it is clear that their story is far from over. Players will escape into the adventure as they attempt to solve the mystery and discover the fate of the two villainous brothers, Sirrus and Achenar. Understanding their motives is the key to the investigation which will lead to a true "revelation." Due 31st October 2004 http://www.mutablerealms.com/ ----------------------------- Wish Debuts at E3 - Defines New Game Category Ultra Massive Online Gaming Huntsville, Alabama - March 17, 2003 - Mutable Realms, Inc. today revealed that it has been working on a new category of games that provide unprecedented opportunities for people to meet online in a shared fantasy experience. The game, which has been under development for over a year, is titled "Wish", and is one of the most ambitious projects that the gaming industry has ever seen. Wish will be presented to the public at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo (www.e3expo.com) from May 14 to 16. Unlike other Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) that confine the player to a server with only several hundred other players, Wish raises the bar by defining Ultra Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (UMMORPG). Wish employs a server cluster architecture that scales to tens of thousands of players in a shared and seamless 3D fantasy world. The game is based on the Internet Communication Engine (Ice), developed by ZeroC, Inc. in close collaboration with Mutable Realms. Ice provides extreme scalability and speed, and was developed by experts in the domain of very-large-scale systems. Wish also uses NDL's GamebryoT 3D graphics toolkit and engine and IDV's SpeedTreeRT for a rich and detailed medieval fantasy world with breathtaking visual effects. "Providing the infrastructure for Ultra Massive Online Gaming was an enormous challenge," said Michi Henning, ZeroC's Chief Scientist. "The demands with respect to scalability, speed, and reliability are only surpassed by large-scale telecommunications projects. We are proud to have mastered this challenge. Many middleware technologies claim to be suitable for such large- scale projects, but Ice can actually prove it." "The Mutable Realms' team has been working hard the past year to bring a new type of online game to the industry," said John Austin, president and CEO of NDL. "With our new technology we wanted to provide them with the flexibility to expand their production pipeline while saving them money and time so they can focus more on the game play experience." "The Wish player is in for a truly new experience, not only in the size of their online world, but in the quality of the outdoor environment they find there," said Chris King, president of IDV. "SpeedTreeRT technology will help build the first gaming environment with truly realistic trees - trees that blow in the wind and look full and real from any direction, but that use a remarkably small amount of CPU and GPU resources." Jamie Moffet, Senior Vice President of Mutable Realms said: "Our world class team of programmers and artists, ranging from 3D experts to an Emmy-award winning sound engineer, has created an unprecedented online gaming experience, with the help of our partners." The first public beta test for Wish will be conducted by the end of 2003. The final release will be available in Winter 2004. - o -