EA Launches Ultima Online: Third Dawn Latest Upgrade to World's Most Popular Internet Virtual World Adds 3-D Characters, New Creatures and a New Land to Explore

AUSTIN, Texas, March 29, 2001-The fantasy virtual world of Ultima(tm) Online (UO) is launching into an exciting, new dimension with the release today of Ultima Online: Third Dawn(tm). This latest upgrade to the popular Ultima Online franchise brings a fresh new look to the Internet-only world, which now boasts more than 235,000 active accounts. Ultima Online: Third Dawn is the creation of ORIGIN Systems(tm), Electronic Arts' product development studio in Austin, Texas. 

With Third Dawn, Ultima Online is more immersive than ever with fully animated, motion captured 3-D characters, each with enhanced character gesturing and animations. Third Dawn features hundreds of motion-captured animations on nearly 200 different character models. An enhanced lighting and shading system, a 3-D terrain system, a new land to explore, new monsters and dozens of new rendered looks for almost all UO creatures and a particle system for spell and magic effects make Ultima Online look better than ever before. 

Third Dawn also allows development teams greater latitude to make additions and enhancements to UO long after Third Dawn launches. With Third Dawn, ORIGIN Systems is making a commitment to its players and fans for a long time to come. 

Ultima Online: Third Dawn still contains the features that have made UO the most successful Internet virtual world ever. You can still craft your own sword, tame animals, build a house, run your own business, fight as a mighty warrior or just chat with friends over a tankard of Britannian ale. 

Ultima Online: Third Dawn is available at a MSRP of US$39.95. The game can also be purchased online at the EA Store(sm), http://www.eastore.ea.comor by calling EA Direct Sales at (800) 245-4525. After the first 30 days of free game time, players are charged US$9.95 per month. An Internet connection (not included) is required to play. Ultima Online: Third Dawn carries a "Teen" rating from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. 

Current Ultima Online players can upgrade to the new Third Dawn world and features by purchasing the Third Dawn client online via the Ultima Online: Third Dawn web site located at http://www.uo.com/upgrade.html. The cost for the upgrade client is US$9.95 plus shipping and handling.

About Ultima Online Originally launched in September of 1997, Ultima Online continues to chart new territory in the online gaming space: · The more than 235,000 registered users now playing UO represent 125 countries located in each of the world's time zones. · Active accounts have grown by more than 50% in the past year, representing UO's greatest period of growth in its 3½-year history. · Ultima Online is translated into six languages: Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Anglicized English. · Currently 22 servers located on four continents support UO. · More than half of UO players login every day. · More information on Ultima Online can be found at http://www.uo.com.

About Electronic Arts Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of more than $1.4 billion for fiscal 2000. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and video game systems and markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTS(tm), EA GAMES(tm) and EA.COM(sm. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.

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