DISNEY ONLINE DEVELOPING ‘PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN’ MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER INTERNET GAME 

Follow-up to Disney’s Toontown Online Will Feature Interactive Adventures Inspired by the Popular Pirates Theme Park Attraction and Franchise

North Hollywood, Calif. –April 26, 2005 -- Disney Online, part of the Walt Disney Internet Group, is developing a new massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on the popular theme park attraction and franchise “Pirates of the Caribbean.”  The game is slated to debut in summer 2006, coinciding with the theatrical premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.” 

“We’ve learned through our experience with Toontown that the market for massively multiplayer online role-playing games can indeed reach beyond traditional gamers,” stated Ken Goldstein, EVP and managing director, Disney Online.  “Pirates of the Caribbean is the perfect franchise for our second commercial effort in this arena.  Fans of the movies and theme park attraction will be able to live their own unfolding pirate adventure through the game, including searching for lost treasures and battling numerous enemies on land and at sea.”

Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, added, “This is a great way for game enthusiasts to experience the fun and excitement of playing the role of a pirate while competing against a wide variety of opponents in a great adventure.  This game captures the same swashbuckling sense of humor, spirit and action that moviegoers loved in the first ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film, and which will continue with the next installment of the highly anticipated sequel in summer 2006.  Disney Online has created a really entertaining and challenging game that will appeal to the adventurer in all of us.”

The game is being designed by the Walt Disney Internet Group’s acclaimed VR Studio as a world of high seas action and adventure where players will personalize their own pirate character and organize with other players to form a pirate crew.  Players will then embark on swashbuckling missions to battle both each other and the evil, undead pirates of the high seas in an effort to become the Caribbean’s most legendary pirate.  Access to the game will be available directly online and players will pay a subscription fee for the service.  An information site for the game has been launched at www.pirateslegend.com offering a registration service to sign-up to receive future game updates and launch information.

Buena Vista Games (BVG), the videogame arm of The Walt Disney Company, will release additional titles based on “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” for the PSP™ portable entertainment system and Nintendo DS™ in conjunction with the movie launch.

Disney Online
Disney Online (www.disney.com) produces the number one kids' entertainment and family community destination on the World Wide Web. Launched in 1995, Disney.com is designed to reflect the vision of an "online theme park," providing an interactive gateway to all of the company's many Disney-branded Internet initiatives. Popular Disney Online places to visit include The Disney Channel (www.disneychannel.com), Playhouse Disney (www.playhousedisney.com), shopping at Disney Direct (www.disneydirect.com), Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (www.disneydestinations.com) Walt Disney Pictures (www.disneypictures.com), Disney DVD & Video (www.disneyvideos.com) and Radio Disney (www.radiodisney.com).

Among the many magical "neighborhoods" found at www.Disney.com are premium subscription services including Disney's Blast (www.disneyblast.com) and the recently announced Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online (www.preschooltime.com). Disney Online also produces FamilyFun.com (www.familyfun.com), the premier online family resource for "great ideas, practical advice, and fun stuff to do" as well as Movies.com (www.movies.com), a leading site that provides a broad array of reviews and information to help movie fans "get movie night right." Disney Online is a part of the Walt Disney Internet Group, which provides integrated strategic and operational services for Internet, broadband, and mobile initiatives of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS).

Disney’s Toontown Online
Disney Online’s first MMO, the award-winning Disney’s Toontown Online (www.toontown.com) launched in 2003 as the first 3D MMORPG created for kids and families. Designed as an Internet-based world of non-stop play, ever-changing adventure and irreverent fun, Toontown combines elements of traditional video games, online community and strategic role playing games.   Developed by the Walt Disney Internet Group’s in-house VR Studio, Toontown has received numerous awards, including 2004 Game Industry News Family Game of the Year, 2003 MMORPG Game of the Year by Computer Gaming World, 2003 Webby Awards People’s Voice Award in the Kid’s Category, 2003 Parent’s Choice Silver Honor and 2003 Children’s Software Review All Star Award.

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