Sprint and Midway Announce Plans to Develop and Distribute Wireless Versions
of Popular Games
LOS ANGELES, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- E3 Expo --
Sprint (NYSE: FON, PCS), which operates the largest all-digital, all-PCS
nationwide wireless network and is the fastest growing wireless carrier, and
Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading software industry publisher and
developer, today announced that Midway plans to take some of its most popular
games mobile as it develops wireless games for Sprint's Third-Generation (3G)
PCS Phones. These 3G games will include versions of popular titles
Defender(R), Kick Champion(R) and Mahki(R) that will be developed using the
Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME(TM)).
(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO)
For Sprint customers, 3G1X services are planned to launch nationwide this
summer. After the launch, Sprint expects faster wireless data speeds and
enhancements for existing applications and services when using a 3G enabled
device. It also establishes a platform for later releases of new and more
robust applications as data speeds increase including enhanced games, video
and audio clips, enhanced messaging, email with attachments, high-speed
Internet browsing and digital imaging. Specifically for games, 3G enables
Sprint to move the game experience from the text-based games of today to
graphic, full-color brand name games on 3G-enabled PCS Phones using the Java 2
platform, Micro Edition (J2ME(TM)).
"With the enhanced speeds and graphics of 3G technology, popular arcade
games like Defender will be just as fun and enjoyable in the wireless
environment as they are now. And with the mobility of a PCS Phone, Sprint's
wireless customers nationwide will be able to play their favorite Midway games
anytime and virtually anywhere on Sprint's wireless 3G network," said Chip
Novick, vice president of consumer marketing for Sprint's PCS division.
"Sprint's relationship with Midway clearly continues our commitment to provide
the greatest selection of mobile entertainment options to our customers."
"Midway is excited to launch some of its best-known games titles on
Sprint's wireless 3G network," said Sangita Verma, director, worldwide
syndication, Midway. "We fully embrace the growth of the wireless gaming
category and firmly believe that Sprint's wireless 3G platform is a wonderful
conduit for gamers on the go to enjoy our popular and historic game titles."
Sprint was the first wireless carrier to launch wireless games in October
2000 and currently offers more than 60 games on the Sprint PCS Wireless Web.
Sprint offers the largest selection of both single-player and multi-player
games in a variety of categories -- such as action, adventure, casino,
classics, puzzles and sports -- that challenge and entertain all levels of
players. With the launch of Sprint's 3G wireless network this summer, Sprint
plans to continue to provide the biggest and best selection of games to its
customers on dynamic, full color screens.
The evolution of gaming has gone through many stages, from board games
such as checkers to arcade games. After evolving from the arcade to the PC,
gaming became portable and has now evolved to the ultimate in portability: the
wireless phone.
Research firm DataMonitor says that one in six U.S. cell phone subscribers
(21.6 million people) played games on mobile phones in 2001, and it forecasts
that 93 million people will be playing wireless games in 2006.
For more information, please visit http://www.sprint.com/mr and http://www.midway.com.
About Sprint
Sprint is a global communications company serving more than 26 million
business and residential customers in over 70 countries. With approximately
80,000 employees worldwide and more than $26 billion in annual revenues,
Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state of
the art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide
all-digital, fiber-optic network. Sprint's award-winning Tier 1 Internet
backbone is being extended to key global markets to provide customers with a
broad portfolio of scalable IP products. Sprint's high-capacity, high-speed
network gives customers fast, dependable, nonstop access to the vast majority
of the world's Internet content. Sprint also operates the largest 100-percent
digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States, already serving
the majority of the nation's metropolitan areas, including more than
4,000 cities and communities.
About Midway
Midway Games Inc. is a leading developer, publisher and marketer of
interactive entertainment software. Midway videogames are available for play
on all major videogame platforms including the PlayStation(R)2 computer
entertainment system, the Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo
GameCube(TM) and Game Boy(R) Advance.
For more information about Midway Games, visit http://www.midway.com.
DEFENDER, KICK CHAMPION and MAHKI are trademarks of Midway Amusement
Games, LLC.
Java, J2ME and all Java-based marks are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc., in the United States and other
countries.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This news release includes certain estimates, projections and other
forward-looking statements. Future performance cannot be ensured. Actual
results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
The words "estimate," "project," "intend," "expect," "believe" and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You should
not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of
the date of this news release. Sprint and Midway Games are not obligated to
publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events
after the date of this news release or unforeseen events.
Sprint provides a detailed discussion of risk factors in periodic SEC
filings.
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future
business conditions and the outlook for Midway Games Inc. (the "Company")
based on currently available information that involve risks and uncertainties.
The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in
the forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties,
including, without limitation, the financial strength of the amusement games
industry, dependence on new product introductions and the ability to maintain
the scheduling of such introductions, technological changes, dependence on
major platform manufacturers and other risks more fully described under "Item
1. Business - Risk Factors" in the Company's current Transition Report on Form
10-K and the other filings made by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Sprint PCS
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Related links:
http://www.sprint.com
http://www.midway.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840
CONTACT:
Nancy Sherrer, +1-913-762-7032,
+1-913-706-9051, or Nsherr02@mail.sprintpcs.com, or Bit Vo,
+1-913-762-7033, +1-816-729-7891, Bvo01@mail.sprintpcs.com, both
of Sprint PCS; or Marci Ditter of Midway, +1-408-434-3700, or
mditter@midway.com
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