FOUR FANTASTIC FOCUS TITLES TO STOCK THIS AUTUMN!
Focus Multimedia is pleased to announce its exciting September games line-up consisting of four key titles which are certain to reinforce its strong position as a major player in the value sector of the PC games market.
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Dark Motives, Myst IV Revelation, Pacific Fighters and Alexander are all licensed from leading international games developer and publisher Ubisoft, and are released in September at the value price point of just SRP £9.99 each.
With the success that these games have achieved at full price, combined with the strong brand, film and television licenses associated with the titles, retailers can expect strong sales as they attract new fans and provide shoppers with excellent gift ideas in the run up to Christmas.
CSI Dark Motives is the second instalment in the series of chilling forensic simulation games based on the hit US television series, Crime Scene Investigation. This popular title features official characters, locations, voices and music from the TV show. The CSI franchise continually tops the UK ratings chart both on terrestrial and digital channels, with around ten million viewers tuning in to watch the CSI TV series every week. The first PC game in the series, the critically acclaimed CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has consistently been a top-five performer since its recent budget release by Focus Multimedia. (Source: ChartTrack figures 2005)
Players can show off their crime-solving skills and join forces with Grissom, Catherine and the entire Crime Scene Investigation team in Las Vegas. There, they can become a new recruit, gathering and analysing evidence and using their new-found forensic science techniques to solve gruesome crimes.
Puzzle and adventure fans will enjoy Myst IV Revelation, the penultimate title in the critically acclaimed and best-selling Myst franchise, which has sold over 12 million copies worldwide since the release of the first Myst title in 1993. The mythical adventure story of mystery, beauty and betrayal, combined with the breathtaking graphics that have made the Myst series a cult favourite, have earned Myst IV Revelation the position as finalist in the PC Action/Adventure Game of the Year category in the prestigious Interactive Achievement Awards that took place earlier this year. The new game will join a number of other critically acclaimed Myst titles in the Focus range, including Myst III Exile, Myst Masterpiece Edition, and Uru - Ages Beyond Myst. The eagerly anticipated finale to the series, Myst V - End of Ages, is set for release later this year and is certain to have a strong impact on demand for the re-released titles.
In Myst IV Revelation, the gamer takes a journey into a world full of secrets and betrayal that surround a family's shattered past. Players will finally learn the fate of Sirrus and Achenar, two sinister villains introduced in the original Myst. They also must uncover the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a little girl, venturing inside the intense and dangerous worlds of the two villainous brothers.
For flight fanatics, Pacific Fighters is the award-winning combat simulator and the latest episode in Oleg Maddox's spectacular IL-2 series, one of the most successful flight-simulation franchises ever. Dozens of major new features and the creation of a unique global flight simulation experience also earned Pacific Fighters a finalist's position at the Interactive Achievement Awards - this time for Simulation Game of the Year. Pacific Fighters joins the Focus range in addition to the original IL-2 Sturmovik and the add-on, IL-2 Sturmovik Forgotten Battles, which still perform exceptionally well at retail and consistently feature in the official ChartTrack Top 100 Budget Games.
In Pacific Fighters, players can move from the Eastern front to the fierce combat of the Pacific theatre, flying a variety of WWII fighters and bombers and reliving famous Pacific battles such as Pearl Harbour and Guadalcanal. For the first time ever, a large variety of British aircraft are included alongside US and Australian planes; giving players a total of 40 flyable aircraft models with which to target their enemies.
The final addition to complete Focus' September gaming line-up is Alexander, a military themed real-time strategy game based on Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone's epic film of the same name. Released in January this year, the biopic film based on the life and conquests of Alexander The Great performed well in the UK and reached the number two position at the UK box office. The film was released on DVD earlier this month, and now with the release of the game onto budget PC CD-ROM, Alexander fans have the chance to own the complete 'package'. Fans of the real-time strategy genre will be attracted by the challenging gaming experience.
Players must go back in time to 330 BC, where they command the army led by Alexander The Great. The 3,000 weary military units under their command face a fearsome opposing army of tens of thousands, and even though they have ample resources to fight, their enemy has more. Designed to test honour and triumph in epic real-time battles, players must make courageous and cunning decisions to determine their success in the game.
The diversity of these four new Focus titles will appeal to a broad spectrum of PC owners, with action, strategy, military battle, simulation and adventure offerings at budget prices.
Craig Johnson, managing director of Focus Multimedia commented, "We are delighted to be launching four key Ubisoft titles through our £9.99 Focus Essential range. Month in, month out, we are proud to continue offering unmissable PC games at unmissable prices. Our strong September range gives retailers the chance to stock up on another fantastic Focus offering, just in time for the peak selling season."
"Focus Multimedia continues to be an excellent partner for taking our strong product range into the budget market and new consumers" said Charlie Barrett, head of strategic sales & licensing for Ubisoft. "They play a vital role in extending the lifecycle of our key strategic Brands."
The four titles will be released in September 2005, and will be available in DVD style packaging from all good PC software outlets. For information on the complete range of Focus Multimedia games and software, please visit www.focusmm.co.uk.
About Focus Multimedia
Focus Multimedia is the leading PC CD-ROM budget software publisher by value in UK retail (Source: Chart Track), specialising in high quality, affordable PC CD-ROMs aimed at both children and adults. The Focus range consists of over 300 titles, including Games, Lifestyle, Creativity, Knowledge and Travel. Focus Multimedia has distribution channels into major retail outlets such as PC World, WHSmith, Staples, Game, via the Internet through www.amazon.co.uk as well as non-traditional chains.
About UbisoftTM:
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through its strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 21 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. Ubisoft is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video games titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated revenue of 538 million for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, an increase of 8 percent over the previous fiscal year at constant exchange rates. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.