EA AND JAY KAY IN NEED FOR SPEED™ SHOWDOWN
Jay Kay Most Wanted’ competition hits Europe’s back streets Find the singer’s hiding place for virtual and real life drift racing with the star
CHERTSEY, UK., - September 27, 2005 - Electronic Arts, the world's leading interactive entertainment software company today announced an exclusive partnership with Jamiroquai lead singer Jay Kay for the launch of this year's hottest racing title EA's Need for SpeedTM Most Wanted. Music and racing game fans across Europe will have a chance to win the drive of their lives with Jay Kay if they can successfully decode clues to a secret location in one of four cities. The challenge is free and open to all and lucky winners will get to drive home in a Need for SpeedTM branded Fiat Punto.
The show down kicked off in front of a cheering crowd in Berlin on Wednesday 21 September and will continue to move with Jamiroquai's European tour dates visiting Brussels, Paris and London through September and October.
Media partners in each of these cities will give away clues to a secret location where Jay Kay will be waiting. The very first contestant to arrive at the secret location will be the winner of a Need for SpeedTM branded Fiat Punto. He or she will join the group of the first 10 contestants who arrived at the venue who will then play one another in an exclusive sneak preview of Need for SpeedTM Most Wanted. The winner will get the once in a lifetime opportunity to sit in the passenger seat of a tuned up street car while Jay Kay shows off his drift stunt skills in a timed relay against English drift driver champion Brett Castle.
"This will be the racing competition to end all racing competitions," said Jay Kay. "I am extremely pleased to be working with Electronic Arts on this exciting opportunity giving music and gaming fans the chance to live the Need for SpeedTM experience."
Jamiroquai's 'Feels Just Like it Should,' remixed by DJ Timo Maas, will feature exclusively in the forthcoming Need For SpeedTM Most Wanted. The agreement between EA and Jay Kay will also see other exciting collaborations around the Need for SpeedTM franchise.
According to Jan Bolz, Vice President Marketing & Sales Europe, "Music is an integral part of the gaming experience and working with Jamiroquai brings together the energy of his music with the high speed rush of Need for SpeedTM Most Wanted. It's great to be working with gamer and car enthusiast Jay Kay to bring this revved up experience to consumers."
Developed in Vancouver, B.C. by EA Canada, Need for SpeedTM Most Wanted will be available for the Xbox® and Xbox 360TM video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft as well as the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo GameCubeTM, Nintendo DSTM, Game Boy AdvanceTM, PSPTM handheld entertainment system and PC. More details to follow.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS BIGTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2005, EA posted revenues of $3.1 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.electronicarts.com.uk. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at www.electronicarts.co.uk/press
Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U. S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.