Surf's Up at Xbox Launch With Infogrames' Transworld Surf

Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Infogrames, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFGM), a global publisher of interactive entertainment software, announced the shipping of TransWorld Surf(TM) to stores shelves this week for the debut of the new Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft. The highly anticipated surfing action game is one of the first to be launched under the reinvented Atari(R) brand and is also the premiere title for the recently acquired TransWorld license. "One look at TransWorld Surf and you know this is the game that will define the surfing genre," said Laddie Ervin, director of marketing for Infogrames, Inc.'s Los Angeles label. "TransWorld Surf reflects everything our reinvented Atari brand stands for -- the ultimate gaming experience with groundbreaking visuals, unforgettable gameplay and unrelenting addictiveness."

Ervin added, "The power of Xbox has allowed us to produce never-before seen graphics, spot-on physics and unique camera angles that make this the most realistic surfing game ever made. And, working with the world's largest action sports publisher, TransWorld Media, has given us the knowledge, access and expertise to make the game as authentic as possible."

Involved from start to finish TransWorld Media provided access to the wide variety of professional surfers, authentic licensed gear and surfing event locations that allow players to more fully experience the lifestyle of a pro surfer. In addition, the developers worked with TransWorld Media and the games pro surfers to determine the best tricks and locations as well as how to accurately recreate everything from specific ocean-water physics in the locations chosen to how a surfboard handles on different waves.

Gamers can pull off massive airs and blazing tailslides while assuming the identity of one of 13 top-ranked surfers like Shane Dorian, Andy Irons, Taj Burrow, and many more. Each athlete has been recreated with their own signature style and moves.

Players will compete in a nine-location tour sponsored by TransWorld Surf magazine. At each location, surfers must successfully complete a basic photo shoot before moving on to the competition. Surfers will also face goal challenges at photo shoots, such as freeing dolphins from fishing nets or completing insane combo moves. Locations include Teahupoo (Tahiti), Huntington Beach (California, USA), Pipeline (Hawaii) and more.

TransWorld Surf features six unique game modes, including single-player Prosurf, Freesurf and Single Session modes, as well as up to four-person multiplayer Freesurf, Competition and King of the Wave modes. In Prosurf, gamers must pull off a trick in front of the cameraman to earn a spot in TransWorld Surf magazine and unlock new breaks and levels. Players will interact with other surfers, animals and objects including bodyboarders, dolphins, boats, other surfers and more. Careless surfers will find themselves pursued by hungry sharks if they roam too far past a wave. But players won't be too upset -- there's always Miss Reef Girl waiting to tow them out on her personal watercraft to the next gnarly break!

One of the game's truly unique features is the Karma Meter, which allows players to interact with objects and people to change the gameplay experience to suit their style. Gamers can keep their meter high by avoiding other surfers and dolphins or let their meter run low by surfing recklessly, snaking waves and eventually facing shark attacks and angry surfers. With numerous tricks and combos to execute in conjunction with the Karma Meter, the gameplay experience is never the same twice.

Additionally, a new feature made possible only by the future-generation video game systems is the inclusion of actual surf videos and interviews with the pro athletes. To more fully immerse players in the surfing lifestyle and to provide a snap shot of each character's real life personality and abilities the developers filmed interviews and action footage of each surfer in the game.

TransWorld Surf boasts a huge, pumping soundtrack with both licensed and original music and an audio ripping function allowing players to record their own CDs onto the Xbox hard drive. The game also features clothing, accessories and equipment from more than 50 surfing-related sponsors including DC Shoes, Hurley, Nixon, Oakley, O'Neill, Volcom and more.

Developed by the talented minds at San Diego-based Angel Studios, TransWorld Surf features amazing water technology, incredible lighting, shadow and particle effects, bump mapping and anti-aliasing for awesome 3D visuals. TransWorld Surf shipped to most major retail stores this week with an estimated retail price of $49.95 and an ESRB rating of 'T' for Teens.

About TransWorld Media
TransWorld Media, a division of Time4 Media(TM) based in Oceanside, CA, is a leading publisher of young men's special interest publications reaching more than 4.5 million Generation Y males. Properties include TransWorld Snowboarding, TransWorld Snowboarding Business, Freeze, TransWorld SKATEboarding, Skateboarding Business, TransWorld SURF, TransWorld SURF Business, TransWorld STANCE, TransWorld Motocross, Ride BMX, TransWorld BMX and BMX Business. Time4 Media is a subsidiary of Time Inc., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: AOL).

About Xbox
Xbox (http://www.xbox.com) is Microsoft's future-generation video game system that delivers the most powerful games experiences ever. Xbox empowers game artists by giving them the technology to fulfill their creative visions as never before, creating games that blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Xbox will be available in North America on November 15, 2001 at the suggested retail price of $299.99. *Reseller prices may vary.

About Infogrames, Inc.
New York-based Infogrames, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFGM) is the second largest third-party publisher of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company develops video games for all consoles (Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft), PCs, and Macintosh systems. Infogrames' catalogue of more than 1,000 titles includes award-winning franchises such as Alone In The Dark(TM), Civilization(TM), Deer Hunter(R), Driver(TM), Roller Coaster Tycoon(R), Test Drive(R), and Unreal(R), and key licenses including Survivor(TM), Warner Bros. Looney Tunes(TM), Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues(TM), Dragon Ball Z, Mission Impossible(R), Harley-Davidson(R), Major League Baseball(R), and the National Football League(R), among many others. The Company's Humongous Entertainment and MacSoft labels are leaders in children's entertainment software and Macintosh entertainment software, respectively.

Infogrames, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (IESA) (Euronext 5257), a global publisher and distributor of video games for all platforms, as well as interactive digital television, mobile smart devices (WAP, HDML) and in-flight entertainment systems. In 2001, IESA acquired Infogrames Interactive, Inc. (formerly Hasbro Interactive), including its line of software based on well-known licenses such as Monopoly(R), Jeopardy(R), Tonka(R), and Atari(R), which are published in the U.S. by Infogrames, Inc. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.infogrames.com.

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SOURCE Infogrames, Inc.