GameTap Celebrates First Birthday By Heralding New Era In Digital Distribution
New, Innovative Content and Lifestyle Programming Set Stage for the Future of Online Entertainment
ATLANTA - October 17, 2006 - GameTap, the first-of-its-kind broadband entertainment network from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), celebrates its first birthday today. With more than two-thirds of active Internet users in the U.S. now connected via high-speed DSL or cable systems [1], broadband is more prevalent and accepted in the American home than ever before. Boasting a 70 percent conversion rate, with seven out of ten who try the service converting to subscribers, GameTap is rapidly evolving its role as the broadband leader in the video game lifestyle space.
On its first anniversary, GameTap currently features:
The largest collection of video games on-demand with more than 700 of the greatest titles ever, including Far Cry, Tony Hawk Pro Skater, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six ® 3 Gold The worldwide exclusive debut of "Sam & Max Episode 1: Culture Shock" TODAY only on GameTap Over 50 Challenge games including Street Fighter Alpha 3, Pac Man, Dig Dug, Bust-A-Move, Combat, and Pong Six more new episodes of Computer Lab Original GameTap TV shows such as Quick Hit, featuring Twisted Sister's Dee Snider and Jay Jay talking about their new Twisted Sister Christmas album, currently being world premiered on GameTap.com A growing library of celebrity interviews, "making-of" shorts, and game trailers Parental controls that enable parents to select games and content appropriate for each child in the family For the younger set, edutainment titles such as Putt Putt, Jump Start, Clue Finders, Mighty Math, Lego, and Math Blaster A limited-time birthday deal: for the price of just one console game ($59.40), consumers can subscribe to GameTap for an entire year"The future of GameTap is continuing to offer more dynamic, innovative and exclusive content that drives people to the network and keeps them there longer," says Stuart Snyder, GameTap's senior vice president and general manager. "We have spent the last year putting our resources towards understanding what consusmers really want in gameplay. By offering more original content for everyone, from adventure to MMO games to family-friendly titles, we're continuing to make a wide spectrum of entertainment easily available and affordable to gamers of all ages."
Since its inception one year ago, GameTap has become the industry's "virtual game shelf," adding original and episodic games such as Telltale Games' "Sam & Max: Culture Shock" based on Steve Purcell's madcap crime fighting duo, and the upcoming "Myst Online: Uru Live," Cyan World's massively multiplayer online game that's part of the top-selling "Myst" video game franchise.
GameTap Goes International
After a year of continued success domestically, GameTap begins its worldwide ascent today with the Canadian market. In addition to over 600 great games, GameTap Canada will offer the same new episodic and MMO games exclusive to GameTap U.S., as well as family-friendly titles and GameTap TV, the exclusive broadband video channel with original gaming content and entertainment, 100% on demand, all dedicated to the gaming lifestyle. GameTap subscribers in Canada will enjoy the same features that GameTap is so well-known for in the U.S.: ease of use, robust parental controls and ability to challenge friends online or team up with over 50 multiplayer and Challenge games.
The Console you Already Own
As console prices and individual game titles soar in price, the PC continues to gain momentum as an optimal option for gaming. Nielsen//NetRatings estimates that more than 95 million American Internet users had broadband access as of February 2006. Following years of double-digit growth, broadband now reaches a record 68 percent of active Internet users in the U.S. (Overall Internet penetration in the U.S. reached 74 percent at home in February 2006.) (1) Nearly 80% of U.S. households have at least one PC and the average home has two. By 2010, three out of four global online households will connect to the Internet via broadband.(2) With these statistics, GameTap is perfectly positioned to give consumers unrivaled value through "the console you already own."
"PC penetration and broadband usage have skyrocketed over the past few years, and so have prices for consoles and individual game titles," says David Reid, vice president of marketing for GameTap. "In this environment, for an investment of $9.95 or less per month, GameTap emerges as a tremendous value that provides endless hours of original programming and access to more than 700 games, including exclusive episodic content such as Sam & Max and "Myst Online: Uru Live?"
Breaking the Entertainment Barriers
Commensurate with the gaming industry itself in 2006, GameTap also saw a dramatic rise in "community play" interest. GameTap responded by offering over 57 multiplayer-focused "Challenge" titles and 60 "Leaderboard" titles where players can post their high scores. 2007 will see even more offerings in this category, with more original MMO titles to come.
Continuing to prove itself as a destination with something for everyone, GameTap not only introduced a slew of new kid-friendly entertainment and educational games such as Oregon Trail, Carmen Sandiego, and Jump Start, but its new set of parental controls is the most robust in the industry. The new filtering feature enables parents to select games and content appropriate for each member in the family.
"We've made a commitment to ensuring that everyone gets what they want at GameTap," said Snyder. "No matter how large our subscriber base, we'll always be nimble enough to respond to what our community needs, whether it be more exclusive and original content, more adventure or MMO titles, or hotter TV programming. We'll continue to break the entertainment barriers in 2007 and beyond."
Get a Year's Subscription for the Price of a Console Game in October
As part of its birthday celebration, GameTap is offering consumers in the U.S. and Canada a limited-time offer. From October 12-22, 2006, gamers can sign up for an entire year of GameTap, including original, "behind-the-scenes" content on GameTap TV, for the price of just one console game at $59.40. With this offer, subscribers will have access to 700 of the greatest titles ever; exclusive, original content like all of the upcoming Sam & Max episodes; original GameTap TV shows such as Tapped In, Space Ghost Coast to Coast and Quick Hit, and in November, the premiere of GameTap Tracks with Twisted Sister performing Heavy Metal Christmas exclusively for GameTap; celebrity interviews, "making-of" shorts, and game trailers; a slew of edutainment titles, and the most robust set of parental controls in the industry.
To register for GameTap, visit www.gametap.com and receive a free trial. For a low monthly price, subscribers with a broadband connected PC can enjoy unlimited access to more than 700 video games and 600 video shows with new titles and programs added every week.
About GameTap
GameTap is the leader in digital game distribution and broadband entertainment. Launched by Turner Broadcasting in 2005, it now delivers more than 700 authentic versions of the greatest console, computer and arcade games on demand, including original and exclusive episodic properties. In addition to games for every age and interest, GameTap offers more than 600 original entertainment programs, popular video streams and thriving virtual communities to broadband-connected PCs. Continually updated with new games, programs and features, GameTap is a downloadable application that supports navigation and game play using keyboard and mouse, as well as most USB peripherals. Go to www.gametap.com and expand your playground.
About Turner
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment products around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.
CONTACT:
Clint Bagley
Access Communications for GameTap
415-844-6250
cbagley@accesspr.com
Misty Skedgell
TBS, Inc.
404-885-4396
misty.skedgell@turner.com