Midway Unveils High Powered Lineup For 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo
Diverse Product Portfolio Includes Proven Franchises and New Intellectual Property Along With Kids, High–End PC Games, Handheld, Current Generation Titles and Support for All Next Generation Systems
LONDON - May 4, 2006 - Unveiling one of the
most diversified and high powered lineups in company history,
Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading interactive
entertainment software publisher and developer, announced its
product portfolio to be shown at the annual Electronic
Entertainment Expo (E3), May 10-12 in Los Angeles. This
year's lineup showcases proven brands such as Blitz®: The
League, Unreal Tournament® 2007 and Mortal Kombat®:
Armageddon; exciting new properties such as John Woo
Presents Stranglehold; kid's properties like The Grim
Adventures of Billy and Mandy; high-end PC titles such
as The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of
Angmar along with full support for both handheld and
next generation game systems.
"Our 2006 E3 lineup truly reflects our product strategy to
broaden our portfolio and commit our resources to developing
titles in a wide range of genres on all major platforms:
handhelds, PC, and next generation consoles, " said David F.
Zucker, president and CEO, Midway. "From proven brands like
Mortal Kombat and exciting next generation games such as John
Woo Presents Stranglehold, to high-profile PC titles such as
Unreal Tournament 2007 and games for the younger market and
handhelds, this is Midway's most diverse and powerful line up
yet."
Midway's exciting E3 product lineup with expected ship dates
include:
John Woo Presents Stranglehold
(PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PC; Winter 2006) -
Experience exhilarating, next-gen action for the PS3, Xbox
360 videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft
and PC, as you continue the story of Inspector Tequila from
John Woo's influential action film, "Hard Boiled" starring
Chow Yun-Fat. Run into danger with both fists full of lead
and take down the organized crime bosses who stepped over the
line when they took your family. Stop at nothing as you
destroy the entire world around you to get them back. You are
a desperate man following your own rules; honor thy family;
do what's right; fear no man.
This title has not yet been concept approved by Sony Computer
Entertainment America.
Unreal Tournament® 2007 (PC, PS3) - The latest entry
into the Unreal® franchise, Unreal Tournament® 2007, is
currently in development by Epic Games Inc. Fans will be
blown away by the next-generation game play, modifiability
and visuals that Epic's Unreal® Engine 3 technology will
bring to the franchise.
This title has not yet been concept approved by Sony Computer
Entertainment America.
Blitz®: The League (Xbox 360, Nintendo
Wii, PSP (PlayStation®Portable) system; October
2006) - The celebrated arcade-style football franchise is
back and better than ever with a new treatment of America's
most popular sport. Blitz: The League exposes the harsh and
troubling, behind-the-scenes stories of a fictional
professional football league.
Mortal Kombat®:
Armageddon(PlayStation®2 computer
entertainment system, Xbox®; October 2006) - Introducing
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon - the latest chapter in Midway's
best-selling, award-winning, videogame fighting franchise.
With the most complete Mortal Kombat roster ever, including
every character from the Mortal Kombat fighting universe,
revolutionary Create-A-Fighter and Create-A-Fatality modes,
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon promises to be the most complete,
intensely lethal, fighting experience ever!
Spy Hunter®: Nowhere to Run
(PlayStation 2, Xbox®; September 2006) - Spy Hunter®: Nowhere
to Run takes the Spy Hunter franchise where it's never
gone before - on foot. Featuring action superstar Dwayne "The
Rock" Johnson as government super-spy extraordinaire Alex
Decker, players for the first time ever can step out of the
Interceptor and straight into third-person action, utilizing
The Rock's physical prowess by taking down enemies with
intense melee combat moves.
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of
Angmar (PC) - The Lord of the Rings Online is
the world's first and only massively multiplayer online (MMO)
role playing game based upon the literary works of J.R.R.
Tolkien. Gamers of all levels will establish their unique
reputations, explore incredibly detailed realms and join
familiar Tolkien characters, while adventuring solo or in
fellowships within an evolving and persistent re-creation of
Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of
Angmar is developed by Turbine, Inc. Midway will
co-publish (along with Turbine) and distribute The Lord of
the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar in North
America.
Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War
(PC; June 2006) - Rise & Fall: Civilizations at
War is the first real-time strategy game to place
players directly in the heart of combat as a heroic general
fighting side-by-side with their troops. Players can
completely command one of the four mightiest empires of the
ancient world as in a traditional RTS, but can also use Rise
& Fall's innovative Hero Mode to enter the battlefield as
one of history's eight greatest heroes.
Rise & Fall will be exclusively shown on Alienware
systems at E3.
Happy Feet (PlayStation 2, Nintendo
GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Game Boy® Advance, Nintendo
DS, PC; November 2006) - Based on Warner Bros.
Pictures' upcoming comedy adventure Happy Feet,
Midway's immersive video game puts the player in the "tap
shoes" of Mumble, a young penguin born into a nation of
singing Emperor Penguins where each needs a Heartsong to
attract a soul mate. Unfortunately, Mumble is the worst
singer in the world... however, as it happens, he is a
brilliant tap dancer! Based on the general storyline of the
film, the player will be able to experience life from the
point of view of Mumble in music, dance and interaction with
the friends and enemies of the penguin's world.
The Ant Bully (PlayStation 2, Nintendo
GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PC; July 2006 - Nintendo Wii;
November 2006) - Go pick on someone your own size! After
bullying an innocent ant colony, a young boy named Lucas is
magically shrunk down to ant size and embarks on a remarkable
adventure. Play as Lucas, experiencing the dangerous and
thrilling life of an ant as you battle, explore and forge new
friendships with natives and other species in his new ant
world. Based on exciting moments from Warner Bros. Pictures
upcoming digitally animated family adventure The Ant Bully,
and featuring all -new challenges created especially for the
game, help Lucas evolve from recluse to hero in his quest to
save the colony from extermination
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
(PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance; November
2006) - The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy video game
pits the characters from the popular Cartoon Network
television show against each other in a fighting-adventure
game, filled with mayhem, chaos and over-the-top graphics. In
battle mode, up to four players can use a multitude of
weapons in destructible arenas like the "Desert of Doom " and
the "Underworld " to battle it out and be the last one
standing. Players also have the option to play on their own
or with a friend in mission mode. There are a series of 45
story-based missions which will encourage players to unlock
new weapons and characters like the Boogey Man and Jack
O'Lantern.
MLB® SlugFest® 2006 (PlayStation 2, Xbox®;
May 2006) - Midway's newest offering of its over-the-top
baseball series, MLB SlugFest 2006 features a new
create-a-player mode, updated 2006 team rosters and stadiums,
along with a new library of signature animations and extreme
collisions that have distinguished the franchise since its
debut in 2002.
RUSH (PSP system; September 2006) - For the
first time ever on the PSP system, attempt mad jumps,
high-flying stunts and arcade-style racing from the original
RUSH franchise. Go head to head with a friend in a street
race or cruise mission using wireless functionality, or
experience Story Mode which allows you to race through 5 Los
Angeles city re-creations while finding treacherous shortcuts
and surviving death-defying jumps!
Mortal Kombat®: Unchained (PSP
system; September 2006) - Mortal Kombat®: Unchained
takes the Mortal Kombat franchise to new heights with an
innovative fighting system tailored for wireless
functionality, unparalleled depth and brutally intense action
that will appeal to long-time Mortal Kombat fans, as well as
new gamers.
NBA Ballers: Rebound (PSP system; May 2006) - NBA
Ballers: Rebound is the only one-on-one basketball videogame
available for the PSP highlighting the rags-to-riches path
from an unknown Baller to today's biggest NBA
superstar.
For more information about Midway's entire lineup of products
being showcased during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
in Los Angeles please stop by booth #4001 in Petree Hall or
visit www.midway.com.
Midway Games Inc. (NYSE:MWY), headquartered in Chicago,
Illinois, with offices throughout the world, is a leading
developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software
for major videogame systems and personal computers. More
information about Midway and its products can be found at
www.midway.com.
For More Information
Phil Robinson
UK PR Manager
probinson@midway.com
Clare Turner
European PR Manager
cturner@midway.com
STRANGLEHOLD, BALLERS, BALLERS: REBOUND, SLUGFEST, MORTAL
KOMBAT, MORTAL KOMBAT: ARMAGEDDON, MORTAL KOMBAT: UNCHAINED,
BLITZ: THE LEAGUE, SPY HUNTER: NOWHERE TO RUN, MASSIVE D,
MIDWAY and the Midway logos are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Midway Amusement Games, LLC. RISE & FALL:
CIVILIZATIONS AT WAR is a trademark of Midway Home
Entertainment Inc. RUSH is a trademark of Midway Games West
Inc.
UNREAL TOURNAMENT is a registered trademark of Epic Games
Inc. Used under license.
The NBA and individual NBA member team identifications used
on or in this product are trademarks, copyrighted designs and
other forms of intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc.
and the respective NBA member teams and may not be used in
whole or in part, without the prior written consent of NBA
Properties, Inc. ® 2005 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights
reserved. Distributed under license by Midway Home
Entertainment Inc.
CARTOON NETWORK, THE GRIM ADVENTURES OF BILLY & MANDY and
all related characters and elements are trademarks of and ®
Cartoon Network.
Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with
permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. You can
reach Major League Baseball on the web at MLB.com ®
MLBPA-Official Licensee, Major League Baseball Players
Association. Visit www.MLBPLAYERS.com, the
Players Choice on the web. The MLBPA logo is a trademark of
the Major League Baseball Players Association. Midway has
provided the www.MLBPLAYERS.com and
MLB.com 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.
"The Lord of the Rings Online," "Shadows of Angmar," "The
Lord of the Rings," and names of the characters, events,
items, and places therein are trademarks or registered
trademarks of the Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien
Enterprises under license to Turbine, Inc. Turbine and the
Turbine logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Turbine, Inc. in the United States and/or other
jurisdictions.
HAPPY FEET and all related characters and elements are
trademarks of and ® Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
THE ANT BULLY and all related characters and elements are ®
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
(s06)
"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family, "PLAYSTATION" are
registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment
Inc.
Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox Live are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries.
Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS are
trademarks of Nintendo. ® 2001 Nintendo. Nintendo Wii and the
Wii logo are trademarks of Nintendo. ® 2006 Nintendo.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 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 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 the Company's 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. Each forward-looking
statement, including, without limitation, financial guidance,
speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Midway
undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking
statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date
on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of
anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances.