LADYDRAGON.COM - EA Makes Interactive Games More Immersive With Multichannel Sound From DTS; EA's NHL 2002 and SSX Tricky For The PlayStation 2 Console Offers Theater Quality Sound

Thursday September 06, 2001

EA Makes Interactive Games More Immersive With Multichannel Sound From DTS; EA's NHL 2002 and SSX Tricky For The PlayStation 2 Console Offers Theater Quality Sound

Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS), the world's leading interactive entertainment software company, today announced the first interactive games to completely integrate DTS Interactive(TM) audio technology into a next generation console game. NHL(R) 2002 and SSX Tricky for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system will incorporate SurroundSoundScape(TM) audio technology to bring movie theater audio quality to the home video game experience. Other EA titles for the PlayStation 2 console with SurroundSoundScape and DTS Interactive will be announced later this year.

DTS, a popular audio technology used in theaters and on DVDs is now available for interactive games. EA has developed the technology to integrate DTS Interactive into PlayStation 2 video games for the first time. Previously, the complexities behind synchronizing game sound effects with multiple speakers prohibited the use of theater quality sound in interactive games. EA's innovative audio team used their experience with advanced in-game audio technology to integrate its SurroundSoundScape into DTS Interactive to generate the first interactive game with DTS multi-channel surround sound.

"We are proud to have successfully developed the technology that will allow us to bring the leading technology in audio systems to our innovative and successful games," said Murray Allen, EA's Vice President Post Production. "The increased sound experience brings the audio feature of the game up to the graphic quality level that is now established, the two together provide a fully immersive feel to the game."
Jon Kirchner, President and COO of DTS adds "DTS is pleased to work with an industry leader like EA to help drive the next generation of home video games with the dynamics and realism that only surround sound can bring."

Through the enhanced audio of DTS Interactive, NHL 2002 for the PlayStation 2 console, will allow a player to hear which direction approaching defensemen are coming in on him and respond appropriately. In SSX Tricky, surround sound integration allows a person playing SSX Tricky on the PlayStation 2 console to hear snowboarders approaching from behind, the left and the right.

NHL 2002 will be available this fall for the PlayStation 2 console, the Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft and the PC. SSX Tricky will be available this fall for the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube(TM).

       About DTS

    DTS is an international digital technology company specializing in multi-channel audio. DTS is featured on more than 20,000 motion picture screens worldwide, in over 10 million homes on a variety of products from all major consumer electronics manufacturers for home theater, car audio, and computers -- on films and music on DVD, 5.1 Music Discs, and DVD Audio and on video games. DTS Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary dedicated to the production and distribution of the highest quality 5.1 surround content in all formats. International offices for the company are located in the United Kingdom and Japan. For further information, visit www.dtsonline.com.

    Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, EA GAMES, EA SPORTS BIG and SurroundSoundScape are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA.COM is a service mark of EA.com Inc. NHL is a registered trademark of the National Hockey League. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Nintendo GameCube is a trademark of Nintendo. Xbox is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation and used under license from Microsoft. DTS is a registered trademark of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. of Agoura Hills, California. Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.