Combat Flight Simulator, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Top List of New
PC Games
REDMOND, Wash., May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq: MSFT)
Games Group will unveil two of its most-anticipated PC game titles,
Microsoft(R) Combat Flight Simulator and Age of Empires(R) II: The Age of
Kings, at this year's Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3), in Atlanta,
May 28-30 (Booth 4420, West Hall, Georgia Congress Center). The two titles
lead Microsoft's 11-game lineup at the show and demonstrate the company's
commitment to building and extending its popular PC-game brands. Microsoft
also announced that it plans to ship an Age of Empires Expansion Pack in time
for the 1998 holiday season. The Expansion Pack focuses on the ancient Roman
Empire and delivers new civilizations, unique units and additional campaigns,
including the rise of Rome.
Combat Flight Simulator, set for release this fall, builds on the 15-year
legacy of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the best-selling simulation game to
date. Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, which is scheduled to ship in
spring 1999, is a sequel to Age of Empires, the best-selling PC-game strategy
title during last year's holiday season. Other Microsoft games that will be
showcased at E3 include Urban Assault(TM), Monster Truck Madness(R) 2 racing
simulation, Motocross Madness(TM), Revenge of Arcade(TM) and Pinball Arcade,
"Inertia," Close Combat(TM) 3 and the recently released Microsoft Baseball 3D
and Microsoft Golf 1998 Edition.
"We're building on the success of our most popular titles and creating
innovative new games," said Ed Fries, general manager of the games group at
Microsoft. "Microsoft is offering exciting products for the gamer in
everybody. From the dogfighting adrenaline rush in Combat Flight Simulator, to
the strategic challenge in Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, to the
nostalgic appeal of Microsoft Pinball Arcade, Microsoft brings gaming to life
on the PC."
Flagship Titles Lead the Way
Combat Flight Simulator is a World War II air-combat simulation game built
on the realism of the Flight Simulator engine. Combat Flight Simulator
combines exciting air combat with the most realistically modeled aircraft
found in PC games today -- including authentic flight models and accurately
detailed cockpits -- and the ability to import and export scenery and aircraft
from Flight Simulator.
The Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings game spans a thousand years, from
the Dark Ages to the late medieval period, in which players control human
destiny from the fall of Rome through the Middle Ages. Starting with minimal
resources, players must build nations into great civilizations. Players can
win in several ways, including conquering enemy civilizations, accumulating
wealth by extensive trading and diplomacy, building and defending wonders of
the world, or protecting a king or queen. Age of Empires II: The Age of
Kings, developed by Ensemble Studios, was designed using the expertise of
Bruce Shelley, co-designer of Age of Empires and the hit strategy game
Civilization.
Innovation in Action
Urban Assault, another Microsoft game featured at the trade show, combines
diverse-action game play and real-time strategy elements against a foreboding
post-apocalyptic backdrop. Urban Assault is a thinking gamer's action game, in
which players are simultaneously the generals and the front-line soldiers.
Gamers simultaneously command and deploy their entire army from an overhead
transparent map while controlling, from the cockpit, 15 types of combat
vehicles -- from airplanes, helicopters and satellites to jeeps and tanks.
The Madness Continues
Fans of Monster Truck Madness have more to look forward to with the
release of Monster Truck Madness 2 and Motocross Madness. Monster Truck
Madness 2 combines outrageous on-road and off-road action, unrestrained
racing, and real monster trucks for a heart-pounding romp across rugged,
challenging terrain. Monster Truck Madness 2 adds new tracks and trucks that
show damage, including four new models based on famous WCW and nWo wrestling
characters, as well as stunning graphics and sound, variable weather
conditions, night driving, and multiplayer-only king-of-the-hill style games.
Motocross Madness captures the daredevil spirit of world-class motorbike
racing. Gamers control the bike's throttle, brake, steering and gears, as well
as the rider's center of gravity, which provides superior control and
realistic overall game play. In addition, players can control 16 midair stunts
and jumps. Motocross Madness, which requires a 3-D graphics acceleration card,
uses photographically sampled textures to supply highly detailed graphics of
riders, bikes, terrain and sky. Both Madness products take advantage of
today's hottest technologies, including support for force-feedback and
multiplayer gaming via the Internet Gaming Zone.
Family Entertainment for Everyone
Revenge of Arcade and Pinball Arcade extend one of the most popular family
entertainment PC product lines. Revenge of Arcade combines five classic arcade
games -- Ms. Pac-Man, Xevious, Rally-X, Mappy and Motos -- into one collection
that offers a nostalgic return to 1980s arcade-game smash hits. Pinball Arcade
combines seven licensed pinball table games from the 20th century.
Microsoft Sports Games Drive Home Excitement
Committed to expanding its sports offerings, Microsoft recently released
two new titles that capture the authentic game experience with all the sights
and sounds of the environment. Microsoft Golf 1998 Edition, the fourth golf
offering from Microsoft, is an easy-to-use PC golf game featuring four of
North America's most challenging courses, fluid and realistic game graphics,
beautifully rendered courses, and accurate physics that re-create the feel of
a real round of golf. Microsoft Baseball 3D takes full advantage of 3-D
acceleration and provides true baseball gaming purists with the sophisticated
action, sights and sounds of Major League Baseball -- everything from the
proper flight of a curve ball to an off-the-wall double is re-created in full
3-D splendor.
And the Game's Not Over Yet
Microsoft will also preview at E3 two upcoming PC games titles: Close
Combat 3 and "Inertia," which are scheduled for release in 1999. Close Combat
3, the latest game in the award-winning Close Combat series, puts players in
command of the Eastern Front -- the largest land war in modern history,
spanning from the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union to the 1945 fall of
Berlin. Inertia is a fast-paced vehicular shooter that lets gamers
custom-design a combat vehicle.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software for
personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services
for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it
easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of
personal computing every day.
For online product information: Microsoft Games Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/games/
NOTE: Inertia is a working title.
Microsoft, Age of Empires, Urban Assault, Monster Truck Madness, Motocross
Madness, Revenge of Arcade and Close Combat are either registered trademarks
or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective
owners.
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
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press only, Genevieve Ostergard,
425-452-5400, or gostergard@shandwick.com, or Adam Kahn,
425-452-5400, or akahn@shandwick.com, both of Shandwick both for
Microsoft Corp.
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