Games are Debuted with Blue Ridge Communications, Buzztime's 10th Cable System
Deployment to Date, Increasing Buzztime's Cable iTV Reach to over 300,000
Digital Cable TV Subscribers.
New iTV Games are First in U.S. to Feature Buzztime's Live, Head-to-Head Game
Room Technology for Digital Cable TV Subscribers.
CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NTN Buzztime, Inc.
(Amex: NTN) announced today that the Buzztime Network cable iTV game service,
including the new multi-player Buzztime Texas Hold'em and Billiards games, is
now available and being played by Blue Ridge Communications, Inc.'s digital
cable subscribers in western Pennsylvania. Blue Ridge's more than 30,000
digital cable TV subscribers are the first to play along with Buzztime's new
multi-player Texas Hold'em and Billiards games which enable the subscribers to
compete in head-to-head competitions on their television using only their
cable TV remote control.
"We are pleased to be the first cable operator in the U.S. to offer head-
to-head iTV games -- especially those as popular as Texas Hold'em and
Billiards," said Mark Masenheimer, general manager of Blue Ridge
Communications. "Buzztime's new games are exciting to play, and give us a
unique advantage of two-way game play. We are delighted to break this new
ground with Buzztime who has built a reputation as the innovator in iTV
entertainment and promotion."
In 2005, approximately 90 million hands of multi-player Buzztime Texas
Hold'em were played on the company's out-of-home Buzztime Network in
subscribing restaurants and sports bars in North America, drawing a huge
following of poker players.
"The launch of multiplayer Texas Hold'em to digital cable TV is an
exciting addition to the game's current availability in restaurants and sports
bars," said Phil Gordon, World Poker Tour Champion, host of Bravo's Celebrity
Poker Showdown and world-renown poker analyst and commentator. "This debut
marks an exciting time for poker fans nationwide, who can now participate in
the first multi-site poker tournament of its kind from their couch. I'm
pleased to be associated with NTN Buzztime, both as a spokesperson and co-
developer of the game."
"Multi-player Texas Hold'em and Billiards are two of the most highly-
played games on the Internet today. After just the first few days of
deployment, thousands of Blue Ridge cable subscribers are already playing
these games while waiting for their favorite TV shows, without having to leave
their sofa and log on to their PC," said Tyrone Lam, president of Buzztime
Entertainment, a subsidiary of NTN Buzztime, Inc. "With this first-time
introduction to U.S. cable television, Buzztime has launched a triple-play in
iTV gaming: Massively multiplayer trivia game shows, addictive single-player
games and now head-to-head game rooms with virtual game tables -- all combined
with Buzztime's reputation for compelling player promotions. Blue Ridge has
shown their innovation in the cable industry by being the first to offer Texas
Hold'em and Billiards. While other iTV game companies are talking about
multiplayer iTV games, Blue Ridge subscribers are playing ours today."
Buzztime's Texas Hold'em seats up to ten cable subscribers at a virtual
poker table or two Billiards players at each pool table, both having an
unlimited number of simultaneous game-room competitions. The Buzztime Network
cable iTV game service available through Blue Ridge also includes the popular
Buzztime Trivia Channel and Buzztime's Single Player Games -- both with
Buzztime Player Leader Boards.
The Buzztime Trivia Channel presents six continuous categories of
multiplayer game show content where Blue Ridge digital subscribers compete in
real-time Buzztime Trivia competitions against other digital cable subscribers
in certain Comcast, Time-Warner and Susquehanna systems. The Buzztime Single
Player game offering rotates six popular games at time, such as Solitaire,
Checkers, Jungle Bop(TM) and Hexagone(TM), where players can post their high
scores for other players to beat.
Buzztime Texas Hold'em was created for advanced and beginner poker players
alike, and follows the same rules as the popular No-Limit Texas Hold'em.
Players are seated at a virtual table, which appears -- along with their
pocket cards, the community cards, and point totals -- on their television
screen at all times. Players use their digital cable remote control to play
along. Additionally, each player's turn is timed to maintain the game's pace.
Players receive two pocket cards and use five community cards to form the best
five-card poker hand. Blinds are set at 10 points and 20 points. Buzztime
Texas Hold'em gives each new player the virtual amount of 2000 points when
they join a table. Individual participation continues until a player's points
run out. The player may then enter into another table, again receiving a 2000
point credit, and start game play anew. Credits do not transfer from table to
table or game to game. Buzztime Texas Hold'em games on digital cable have no
set time limit; game play continues as long as players have credits and remain
at the table. Continuing Buzztime's tradition of player recognition onscreen,
point leaders and round winners are displayed after every hand. No prizing or
awards are offered for this product to comply with individual state gaming
regulations.
Buzztime Billiards follows standard 9-Ball pool rules and enables two
players in two different cable homes to compete in real-time using a virtual
billiards table. The players see a top-down view of a pool table and players
control the direction and force of their on-screen cue stick via the
directional keypad on their standard remote control. Buzztime's technology
allows the maximum flexibility for aiming the pool cue and creating a
realistic and mathematically accurate simulation of ball collisions. Buzztime
Billiards includes realistic sounds affects to enhance game play on the TV.
About Blue Ridge Communications
Blue Ridge Communications is the nation's 20th largest cable TV provider
and a wholly owned subsidiary of Pencor Services, Inc. Pencor is a leader in
the development and introduction of media and communications technology
throughout Northeast Pennsylvania. Pencor companies provide new media content
and advertising services via cable TV, newspapers and the Internet. For
additional information on Blue Ridge Communications go to http://www.brctv.com.
About NTN Buzztime, Inc.
Based in Carlsbad, CA, NTN Buzztime, Inc. has been a leader in interactive
television entertainment technology and content for over 20 years. The
company develops and distributes its Play Along TV(R) games through numerous
platforms including cable TV, satellite TV, mobile phones, electronic games as
well as its own NTN Buzztime Network which is available on TVs in over 4,000
restaurants and sports bars throughout North America. NTN Buzztime is also
the parent corporation of NTN Wireless Communications, Inc., and NTN Software
Solutions, Inc. that develop and market technology solutions to the
hospitality industry. For more information, please see http://www.buzztime.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements which reflect
management's current views of future events and operations including but not
limited to trends in subscriber preference and engagement and results of
marketing strategies. These statements are all based on current expectations
and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include
the risk of changing economic conditions, failure of product demand or market
acceptance of both existing and new products and services and the impact of
competitive products and pricing. Other important factors that may cause
actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements are
discussed in the "Risk Factors" section and other sections of NTN's Form 10-
K/A for the year ended December 31, 2004, which is on file with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in this
release are based on information available to us on the date hereof. These
statements speak only as of the date hereof, and NTN does not undertake to
publicly update or revise any of its forward-looking statements even if
experience or future changes show that the indicated results or events will
not be realized.
For further information, please contact:
Andy Wrobel
Chief Financial Officer
NTN Buzztime, Inc.
(888) 752-9686
Andy.Wrobel@ntnbuzztime.com
SOURCE NTN Buzztime, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.buzztime.com
http://www.brctv.com
CONTACT:
Andy Wrobel, Chief Financial Officer of NTN
Buzztime, Inc., +1- 888-752-9686, Andy.Wrobel@ntnbuzztime.com
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