MANCHESTER UNITED AND US NATIONAL TEAM GOALKEEPER TIM HOWARD TO APPEAR ON COVER OF WORLD TOUR SOCCER 2006 FOR PLAYSTATION®2

2004 English Premier League Keeper of the Year Takes the Net for Popular Soccer Franchise
 
FOSTER CITY, Calif., February 14, 2005 – Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the signing of Manchester United and U.S. National Team goalkeeper, Tim Howard, to be the cover athlete for the upcoming release of World Tour Soccer 2006 for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.  Howard dove into the spotlight when he joined the famed club, Manchester United, for the 2003-2004 season, helping his team win the Charity Shield and prestigious FA Cup, and in doing so was named EPL Goalkeeper of the Year.

A North Brunswick, New Jersey native, Howard excelled at soccer at a young age and was provided an opportunity to live every athlete’s dream – to play their sport of choice, professionally, and in their own backyard.  Signed by Major League Soccer (MLS) and drafted by NY/NJ MetroStars in 1998, Howard had a breakthrough year in 2000 where he had an impressive 1.59 goals against average while starting nine games, while also splitting his time with the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team which placed fourth at the Sydney Games.  During the 2001 MLS season, Howard became the Metro’s starting goalkeeper and was named an MLS All-Star after recording four shutouts and leading the league in saves (146).  As a result of his spectacular play that season, he became the youngest player ever to be awarded the Aquafina Goalkeeper of the Year.   
 
“Tim Howard has distinguished himself as one of the most dominant keepers in the today’s global game.  With his aggressive style of play and commitment to excellence, Howard is the perfect fit to represent World Tour Soccer 2006 and the 989 Sports brand,” said Scott Rohde, director of product development, 989 Sports.  “We are honored to have Howard join our team and look forward to his input and participation in the promotion of World Tour Soccer 2006 as we continue our tradition of creating the most authentic sports games on the market.”

Throughout his career, Howard has been recognized for his aggressive and commanding presence between the posts.  The 25-year-old keeper is considered one of the most active goodwill ambassadors in the game today.  At a young age, Howard was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome.  As Howard has become an internationally recognized star of his sport, he has dedicated himself to creating a greater awareness for the neurological disorder.  On November 12, 2001 he was named to the Board of Directors of the Tourette Syndrome Association of New York.  He was later awarded New York Life Humanitarian of the Year award and in 2004 Howard was named Tourette’s Syndrome Person of the Year.  Howard has become a shining example, proving that obstacles can be overcome, goals can be reached, or blocked in this case, and dreams can come true. 

Now in its fourth year, World Tour Soccer 2006 promises to build upon the roots of the popular 989 Sports® soccer franchise and deliver a familiar yet enhanced gameplay experience, complete with even more features, players, teams and stadiums.  Highlighted by more than 935 international and club teams from around the globe, along with an astounding 19,000 FIFPro licensed players from 32 different leagues, eight international tournaments and 28 unique stadiums, the global game of soccer has been recreated with exceptional detail in order to capture its enormous scope and popularity.

Known for its comprehensive and realistic list of gameplay options including Exhibition Match, Season, Career, Challenge, and Competition Mode, World Tour Soccer 2006 will offer new features to enhance the experience on the virtual pitch. An all-new Cup Mode will allow the individual to revisit and play with any of the past teams from previous editions, while EyeToy™ functionality allows gamers to take a snapshot of themselves, put their face into the game, and compete against the world’s best. 
 
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates World Tour Soccer2006 “E” for Everyone.  For more information about the ESRB visit www.esrb.org.
 
About 989 Sports
989 Sports® is the sports software brand of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.  Known for its top-selling sports franchise titles such as NFL GameDay™, MLB™, NBA ShootOut, Gretzky™ NHL® 2005, NCAA® Final Four® and NCAA® GameBreaker®, 989 Sports is committed to developing authentic and innovative sports games to appeal to both the professional athlete and hard-core sports videogame fan.
 
About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one™ game console, and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.  The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is set to revolutionize the home entertainment market, offering the most compelling interactive content and the capability to be used as a network terminal in the coming broadband era.
Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system for the North American market.  Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
 
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Visit us on the Web at http://www.989sports.com
 
 
 

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