DJs HEAD OUT ON AFRICAN SAFARI

Digital Jesters proudly announce the signing of a hugely mass-market adventure, "Wild Earth", due for release on PC CD-ROM in the final quarter of 2005.

Developed by Seattle based Super X Studios, Wild Earth is a graphically spectacular safari adventure set in the heart of Africa, offering gamers a breathtaking journey through the Serengeti National Park. The concept, which centres on exploration of the spectacular African terrain and photography of an immense array of beautifully and accurately rendered indigenous flora and fauna, has also been developed by Super X Studios as a motion simulator thrill ride recently installed in several locations worldwide, including the Philadelphia and San Diego zoos.

"Wild Earth is a unique concept which we're confident will appeal to a broad range of people, including non-traditional gaming audiences like female gamers, young children and families. The non-violent gameplay, topical subject matter and breathtaking visuals give the game immense mass market potential and we're delighted to be working with Digital Jesters to bring Wild Earth to as wide an audience as possible," James Thrush, owner and lead producer of Super X Studios commented.

Having already secured a number of innovation awards at the Independent Games Festival, Wild Earth has caught the attention of numerous commercial brands, and Digital Jesters are currently in discussion with several key sponsorship partners, all of whom are extremely keen to share some involvement in the game.

"We're extremely pleased to have signed such a unique and widely appealing title. With the constant criticism over violence in video games, it's fantastic to be able to offer a product that gives gamers something completely different. Wild Earth has afforded us some incredible opportunities with a number of large, globally recognised brands and we're very excited about the partnership possibilities available," Terry Malham, Digital Jesters co-founder and commercial director added.

About Wild Earth:

Featuring breathtaking landscapes from the African Serengeti National Park, Wild Earth is a stunning adventure which allows players to experience the African wildlife in its natural environment. Players embark on various assignments, each of which feature different photographic objectives, challenging the player to explore the lush 3D world and take the best photographs of animals and environmental features. At the end of each assignment, an html article is created using the player's own photographs which provides additional in-depth information and insight. These articles can be printed, saved or shared.

Features

• Accurate and beautifully recreated wildlife including elephants, cheetahs, lions, crocodiles and more

• Simulated weather conditions - (racing clouds, rainfall, dust devils, thunder storms)

• Immersive 3D environments (open plains, rocky outcrops, lakes, streams etc)

• Diverse missions including specific night-time challenges, wild animal tracking and exploration of the Serengeti terrain

• Stirring soundtrack created by world music label Talking Drum Records

• Creative game design; players are encouraged to practice and develop photography skills

• Differing skill levels for more advanced photography challenges

• Personalised gameplay utilising players photographs in html articles

• Non-violent family oriented gameplay mechanic with mass market appeal

Wild Earth will be published on PC CD-ROM by Digital Jesters across all territories worldwide (excluding French speaking countries), in Q4 2005

For more information please contact Paul Loughrey, Digital Jesters (paul.loughrey@digitaljesters.com)

About Digital Jesters

Founded in 2003, Digital Jesters is a British-based publisher of computer and video games. Set up by the duo responsible for launching and establishing the Sudden Strike and Cossacks series of games in the UK, the firm's remit is simple: to source and publish the best games available. The company's commitment to originality resulting in it snapping up the original TrackMania game from French developer Nadeo and DJ's ethos of community development strategy resulted in the game becoming one of the sleeper hits of the year. A tie-in with record-breaking yachtswoman Ellen Macarthur for the firm's second release Virtual Skipper 3 ensured the game received widespread attention among the elusive non-gamer, and firmly placed the publisher on the map. The firm has enjoyed three top 10 PC hits, one of which is from the developers Cyanide, creators of Pro Rugby Manager and now DJ is expanding its operation to cover additional territories. It has also published its own comic book to widespread critical acclaim. For additional information on Digital Jesters, please visit www.digitaljesters.com or www.djmediacentre.com

About Super X Studios

Founded in 1996, Super X Studios is a Seattle-based independent game developer committed to producing innovative state-of-the-art titles. Their productions, including Wild Earth^®, Far Gate^®, Desktop Dreamscapes^TM, and nvChess, have received numerous industry awards and critical acclaim. For more information, visit www.superxstudios.com.