Backed By a Major Marketing Campaign, NARC Promises a Big Hit at Friend Prices
CHICAGO - March 21, 2005 -- Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading interactive entertainment publisher and developer, announced today that NARC® has shipped to retail outlets nationwide for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox® videogame system from Microsoft. A mission-based 3rd-person action game, NARC is set against a stylized, modern-day backdrop of the War on Drugs. NARC, the game that Maxim gave 4 out of 5 stars stating, “Play dirty and you may lose your badge, proving the long arm of the law isn’t above reaching into anybody’s trousers and squeezing hard,” pits players as two elite NARC squad members Marcus Hill, a DEA Agent with a squeaky clean image and Jack Forzenski, a cop on probation and fresh out of rehab.
“With the maturation of the video game market, the need for games that appeal to an older audience is quickly growing and the content of those games have to reflect this trend ,” said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. “Our goal with NARC is to give players the chance to play through an interactive crime saga where the player will face the temptations and choices of an undercover police officer without holding anything back.”
NARC’S Major Marketing Campaign includes:
- National television advertising campaign on multiple mainstream broadcast and cable networks including MTV2, E!, Fuse TV, WWE and G4TechTV
- Aggressive online campaign to top-tier enthusiast and mainstream consumer sites including Gamespot.com, IGN.com, UGO.com, and WWE amongst others
- Dedicated web presence at www.narcgame.com
- Extensive online sweepstakes campaigns on WWE and UGO, where winners attend a WWE event and win high end audio/visual package and crime DVDs, respectively.
- Print advertising campaign across multiple major video game and consumer publications
- National pre-sell programs at select game retailers, where gamers can pre-order a copy of NARC and receive a 2-Disc soundtrack featuring select songs from the game, for free.
About NARC
NARC is an in-depth, third person action/shooter video game set against a stylized modern-day backdrop of the War on Drugs. A gritty crime drama, gamers assume the role of dual characters, Marcus Hill and Jack Forzenski, members of an elite NARC squad whose mission is to rid the world of a powerful international drug cartel. Players must track and eliminate these cartels. In NARC, players possess an arsenal of weapons as well as skills in hand-to-hand fighting. Throughout the game, players will test their own character and judgment in this classic battle of Good vs. Evil where every action has a consequence.
About Midway
Headquartered in Chicago, IL with offices in San Diego, CA, Seattle, WA, Austin, TX, Los Angeles, CA, Munich, Germany and London, UK, Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY) is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for major video game systems. More information about Midway can be obtained at www.midway.com.
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Midway has provided the www.xbox.com, gamepot.com, ign.com ugo.com and WWE links solely as a convenience for you. The information on these sites has been prepared by third parties, and Midway does not monitor, endorse or accept responsibility for the content on non-Midway sites.
NARC and MIDWAY are registered trademarks of Midway Amusement Games, LLC. “P layStation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xbox is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
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 interactive entertainment industry, dependence on new product introductions and the ability to maintain the scheduling of such introductions, the upcoming console platform transition and other technological changes, dependence on major platform manufacturers and other risks more fully described under "Item 1. Business - Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, and in the more recent filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About Xbox
Xbox (http://www.xbox.com) is the video game system from Microsoft that brings people together for the most exhilarating game and entertainment experiences. Xbox delivers an expansive collection of breakthrough games, powerful hardware and the unified Xbox Live online service. The new tagline, "it's good to play together," captures the spirit of Xbox as the social hub of the new digital entertainment lifestyle. Xbox is now available in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia.
For More Information Contact:
Natalie Salzman
Midway – Media Relations
773-961-2163
Tara Monahan
HighWater Group
212-338-0077
Miguel Iribarren
Midway Games - Investor Relations
773-961-2222
