Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising

Thursday 7th May/... Take a trip to the 220km2 island that will become Operation Flashpoint®: Dragon Rising ’s battlefield as Codemasters® today released the new gameplay trailer “Welcome to Skira”. Providing the game with an immense open-world theatre of modern warfare, gamers can take an island flight with the video now available from www.flashpointgame.com.

The island of Skira is a stunningly detailed and beautifully recreated oil-rich island. Fictionally located off the eastern coast of Russia just north of Japan, its rich geological terrain will provide a challenging tactical environment that includes valleys, mountains, coastlines, beaches, villages, industrial complexes and a huge extinct volcano.

Its natural resources and location powers a strong story that opens as an airborne division of the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) lands to claim the island as the sovereign possession of the People’s Republic. The patrolling amphibious assault ship, USS Iwo Jima, responds by sending a battalion of US Marines and the island becomes a flashpoint where the combined combat assets of two military super powers face off in an epic engagement.

“Skira makes for an immense and, with the latest visual pass, a magnificent battlefield; we’re exceptionally proud of the build so far,” said Sion Lenton, Executive Producer, Codemasters. “Creating this vast island, populated by unscripted AI military forces, is no trivial matter and so, to get this absolutely right, we’re now investing additional development time. We’ll be working right through the summer to deliver all formats this autumn and create the best possible experience that people will want to enjoy again and again.”

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is the complete antitheses of the on-rails, run-and gun action shooter. Players are empowered with the freedom to handle military crisis situations on their own initiative, deploying the weaponry, vehicles and equipment of a contemporary fighting force. Objectives are set, it’s then up to the player to decide how they are achieved are in exhilarating, unscripted missions. Armed with cutting-edge military hardware, players will need to balance brute force with intelligent use of tactics.

No game will ever play out the same way twice thanks to advanced and reactive AI that uses real world military strategies. In battle, the brutal effects of modern weapon systems are brought alive with huge explosions and persistent building damage as players fight a unique path through this unmistakable, unrivalled battlefield.

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is set to deliver the most accessible, engaging and visceral sandbox shooter of the year when its published this autumn for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Games For Windows®. Take a step closer to war with the Skira video, now available online at www.flashpointgame.com.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Stu Taylor

Barrington Harvey

01462 456 780

stuart.taylor@bhpr.co.uk

Anna Larke

Barrington Harvey

01462 456 780

anna.larke@bhpr.co.uk

PRESS RESOURCE WEB SITE

Download game artwork, screens and essential Codemasters’ press materials direct to your desktop from: http://www.codemasters.com/mediabank

ABOUT CODEMASTERS

Codemasters is a leading developer and publisher of best-selling interactive entertainment products for a global audience across multiple gaming platforms and channels. Established in 1986, the company’s dominant brands include Colin McRae DiRT, Race Driver GRID, Overlord and Operation Flashpoint; the company recently secured the exclusive worldwide video game rights to FORMULA 1. Codemasters is headquartered in Warwickshire UK, with North American operations based in Universal City, Calif. The company also maintains operations in Japan, Germany, France, Spain, Benelux and Malaysia. Codemasters receives over two million visitors to its web site every month, discover why at www.codemasters.com

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