New publishing and distribution agreements
11 October 2004
SCi Entertainment Group Plc
SCi Entertainment Group Plc ("SCi"), one of Europe's leading publishers of computer and video games, today announces three new publishing and distribution agreements.
North American publishing agreement signed for Conflict 4, Carmageddon and Reservoir Dogs
SCi has granted exclusive North American publishing rights for three products to a leading US publisher. The products are Conflict: 4, the next game in the highly successful Conflict series; Carmageddon, a new version of the classic driving game; and Reservoir Dogs, based on the classic Quentin Tarantino film.
Worldwide shipment of the three previous products in the Conflict series now exceed 4.5 million units. Additionally, all three games in the Conflict series achieved the number one chart position in the U.K. charts.
The products will be published in North America during 2005 and 2006 on multiple platforms and PC.
SCi products signed to Gizmondo handheld platform
SCi today announces an agreement with Gizmondo Europe Ltd ("Gizmondo") under which Gizmondo has licensed twelve SCi products to publish on the new Gizmondo hand-held entertainment platform.
The Gizmondo will be launched in the UK on 29 October 2004 and will be extended throughout the world in 2005. As well as a powerful gaming function, the Gizmondo offers a full range of entertainment possibilities including a movie player for films, an MP3-player for music, SMS and MMS communication, GPS-navigation and a high-resolution digital camera.
Under the agreement SCi has licensed to Gizmondo the rights to develop twelve SCi products for the new platform, including the multi-million selling Conflict and Carmageddon franchises and the recent rally simulation title Richard Burns Rally. SCi will receive guaranteed minimum royalties, with further royalties dependent on the success of the games.
Gizmondo Europe Ltd is a series of owned subsidiaries of Tiger Telematics Inc, a NASDAQ listed company (Nasdaq: TGTL). Tiger Telematics is a designer, developer and marketer of mobile telematics systems and services that combine global GPS functions and voice recognition technology.
Strategic mobile phone agreement
SCi and Synergenix Interactive AB ("Synergenix"), an innovative mobile games publisher, today announces a strategic partnership where Synergenix during the coming years will develop and publish a wide range of SCi titles for mobile phones.
The market for mobile phone based games is forecast to grow rapidly. A recent report suggests that over the next five years, there will be a six-fold growth in the mobile games market to a global value of Euros 6.65 billion. (Source: Report by Strategy Analytics in Digital Media News 30 August 2004). The growth is fuelled by games of higher quality, more capable handsets, and an increased consumer willingness to pay for downloadable games.
Under the agreement, SCi will license a number of intellectual properties to Synergenix in return for royalties. Synergenix will completely fund the development and publish the games.
Synergenix is a key player in the mobile gaming industry. It offers complete solutions to the mobile gaming needs of operators, phone manufacturers, mobile technology providers, and game developers worldwide. The company was founded in 1999 and is located in Stockholm, Sweden with sales representation in London and Shanghai. It has published a number of games for mobile phones including Colin McRae Rally 04, World Tour Golf and SCi's Conflict: Vietnam.
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About SCi Entertainment Group Plc
SCi Entertainment Group Plc (SEG) is one of the UK's leading publishers of computer video games, with a unique strategy, a valuable portfolio of intellectual property and a track record of chart success with titles such as The Italian Job, The Great Escape and Conflict: Desert Storm I & II and Conflict: Vietnam. SCi's future titles include the game of the forthcoming movie Constantine, starring Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz and Reservoir Dogs. www.sci.co.uk
For further information, please contact:
Rob Murphy, Finance Director
SCi Entertainment Group Plc
Tel: 0207 350 5240
For media enquiries:
Nick Lambert / Robin Tozer
Bell Pottinger Financial Tel: 0207 861 3891
For investor enquiries:
Neville Harris
IR Focus Tel: 0207 861 3894