Tuesday March 13, 2001

World's Top Game Artists Showcase Creative Talents At Microsoft Gamestock 2001

Microsoft Previews Slate of Xbox and PC Games and Announces Newest Developer Partner

The world's top video and computer game artists provided a sneak preview today of how they are turning dreams into games at Microsoft® Gamestock 2001. Using the unrivaled technological power of the Xbox™ video game system and utilizing their industry-leading expertise in PC games development, Microsoft's developers showcased the company's lineup of Xbox and PC games, due to be released later this year.

"At this year's Gamestock, the industry's top game artists reveal how they are taking video console and PC gaming to new creative heights and broadening the enthusiasm for gaming to even larger audiences around the world," said Ed Fries, vice president of games publishing at Microsoft. "The Microsoft-published games featured today build on a core of great gameplay by adding a strong story, great characters and by trying to reach our audience on an emotional level as well as an intellectual one."

Microsoft also announced that Liverpool, England based Bizarre Creations has joined the long list of world-class design studios agreeing to create exclusive games for the Xbox video game system. "We are delighted to welcome Bizarre to the Xbox family," Fries said. "They love to push the bounds of what's possible in video gaming, which makes them a perfect fit for Xbox." Bizarre is best known for its critically acclaimed racing titles such as Formula 1 and Formula 1 '97 Championship Edition.

At Gamestock, Microsoft showcased its premier lineup of Xbox games. In Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, leading games artist Lorne Lanning creates a completely unique action/adventure experience for gamers as they travel through vibrant worlds featuring the popular duo, "Abe" and "Munch." Sci-Fi fans will be enthralled with the creations of developer Jason Jones in Halo, where stunning visuals and intense action will provide a one-of-a-kind video game experience. Meanwhile, rising artists Jeff Petkau and Jon Mavor combine to showcase their visionary talents with stunning graphics on Azurik - Rise of Perathia, one of the deepest and most immersive 3-D action/adventure games for the Xbox.

PC gaming fans will be delighted with the works of such renowned game developers as Chris Taylor, Dungeon Siege; Alex Garden, Sigma: The Adventures of Rex Chance; and Mitch Gitelman, MechCommander2™. Taylor blows away anything previously experienced in a role-playing game by giving players unlimited resources in Dungeon Siege. In Sigma, Garden expands the real-time strategy genre by allowing players to create their own units consisting of entirely new species by blending the best parts of any two animals on the planet. And in MechCommander 2, Gitelman satisfies the desires of real-time strategy gamers while still appealing to the hundreds-of-thousands of worldwide'Mech fans with his latest installment. Sim fans will soar to new heights with Flight Simulator 2002, while others will be able to see the world without leaving their homes in Train Simulator.

On Xbox, sports fans will finally be able to experience their favorite sports as if they were actually in the game, instead of being an observer on the sidelines. In NFL Fever 2002, developer Pat Cook presents the most stunningly realistic players and settings ever seen on a video game system. And Carl Schnurr will delight expert and novice snowboarders alike with Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding, simply the most realistic snowboarding title ever created that allows players to perform the most radical tricks possible on real mountains.

About Microsoft Games and Microsoft
Microsoft's Games Division (http://www.microsoft.com/games/) is recognized as one of the world's leading games businesses in four key areas: PC and Xbox game development and publishing, Zone.com, SideWinder® game devices, and the Xbox video game console. Microsoft games developed and published for the PC and Xbox platforms target hardcore gamers and casual players. Zone.com (http://www.zone.com/) is the Internet's largest multiplayer gaming site, and SideWinder is the best-selling brand of game devices in the world. Xbox is Microsoft's future-generation video game machine scheduled to ship in fall 2001.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device.

About Xbox
Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/) is Microsoft's future-generation video game console that delivers new and unforeseen gameplay experiences. With more than three times the graphics performance of the newest generation of game consoles, Xbox unleashes game designers' creativity to produce games that are challenging, exhilarating, surprising, and fun.