HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER ONLINE GAME "EVE ONLINE: THE SECOND GENESIS" SHIPS TO RETAIL

Servers Go Live on Most Ambitious MMOG To Date; Game to Arrive At Retail Over Next Several Days 

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND, May 6, 2003 - Simon & Schuster Interactive, the digital entertainment unit of Simon & Schuster Inc. announced today Crowd Control Productions' (CCP), highly anticipated massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) "EVE Online: The Second Genesis" has shipped to retail in North America and will be arriving at retailers over the next several days (Rated "T" by the ESRB; $49.95 estimated street with one month online time included). 

This morning EVE became a living, breathing universe as the servers were turned on at 9 AM GMT.  Gamers will be settling 'The New Eden' over the next few days as corporations, freelancers and many others begin their journey in this unique, open-ended universe. 

"Three years ago EVE was just an idea for a massively multiplayer online game, now after much blood and sweat EVE is a reality," said Reynir Hardarson, art director and co-founder of CCP Games. "No game has ever been done like this in history or on this scale.  We have been working passionately on EVE for such a long time and we are very proud of what we accomplished."

"My friend two years ago told me to check out the EVE website because the game didn't have a publisher," recalls Senior Producer Mike "Campion" Wallis of Simon & Schuster Interactive.  "I wanted to be a part of EVE's development as I knew it was something special. Taking Simon and Schuster Interactive from console and PC games into the world of MMOGs has been an exciting experience and we look forward to watching EVE grow and take its place in online gaming history."

ABOUT "EVE ONLINE"
A Galactic Scope
EVE is a massively multiplayer game, set in a world of galactic proportions.  This online universe is governed by a hyper-capitalistic economy where space flight is the path to all commerce, communication, and conflict.  Your mission is to establish yourself as a major competitor, trusted by your friends, feared by your enemies.  To accomplish this, your principle tools -- apart from an impressive array of sophisticated equipment, customizable space ships and in-game corporations -- will be your natural business acumen, social skills, Machiavellian thinking and cunning combat strategies.

Spectacular Environment
The world of EVE spans over 5,000 solar systems in astounding visual environments packed with adventure and intrigue.  Pirate infested regions, military border zones, rich mining tracts, constellations controlled by terrorist organizations and militant religious cults, politically disputed territories, trade routes, war zones, rebel uprisings, black holes, asteroid fields, glorious vistas and ion storms are among the scenarios and phenomena you will encounter on your way to glory.

Choose Your Destiny
Begin by creating a character and choosing a career.  You can opt to become an employee of a mega corporation, pick a career in the military or law enforcement, work as a scientist of a research institution, etc.  To get started, you will receive equipment and missions, as well as contacts.  Eventually you might want to break free and start your own operation, form a corporation, join a pirate clan, dabble in smuggling, become a bounty hunter. The choices are virtually endless. Good or evil, honest or devious, rich or poor, strong or powerless, you are the master of your destiny.

Unique Characters
Choose from four races: Amarr, Caldari, Gallente, and Minmatar.  Customize the appearance of your character down to the smallest details.  Create a look that is uniquely your own.  Then, advance through an extensive skill and training system, which reflects your character's profession.  You may seek to perfect your combat skills or study to be an award-winning scientist, join the military or dive into the world of EVE on your own. There are no skill point maximums, race or class restrictions.  You are truly free to create a character that is individually tailored to suit your interests with a myriad of skills.  Pirate, mercenary, stockbroker, spy or all of the above... the choice is yours.

NPC Factions and Agents
There is a multitude of Non-Player Characters in Eve to interact with.  They run the gamut from a mining corporation to a multinational terrorist organization.  Developing contacts within the factions can provide you with access to specialized equipment, missions or top-secret information to help you succeed faster.

NPC and Player Generated Missions
Missions can be played out at any time during the game.  These can involve a courier mission for a trade contact, the assassination of an Amarrian ambassador, hunting down a notorious criminal or a full-scale assault on a Caldari military base involving dozens of other players and careful planning.

Player vs. Player
A large portion of the game is centered around player versus player activity -- it's always more fun to compete against a human opponent.  Keep in mind that if you're timid, you'll find a safety zone within the borders of the empires, as killing of innocents is not tolerated within their borders.  You can seek protection with the local law enforcement and make a good living under their wing, but remember that glory comes only to those who dare.  No one will give you power-real power is something you must take!

Combat
Combat in EVE is incredibly fast and furious and will have you constantly strategizing about what measures you should take to best deal with each situation.  Group tactics involve formation flight and squad-based communication, allowing for massive fleet battles with military standard hierarchies.

Large Scale Economy
Everything that can be bought in EVE is manufactured in specialized space stations, using a variety of raw materials. Activities such as mining, selling and transporting raw materials, as well as manufacturing products, are core components of EVE's economic system.  Trade and commerce can take place in global markets or directly between players.

Player-Run Corporations
As you enter EVE, you will be assigned to an in-game corporation.  At any time you can choose to quit and create your own corporation and recruit other players.  Corporations can own and colonize planets and build space stations from where they can run mining operations and manufacture equipment. More sophisticated equipment can enter the marketplace where trade monopolies are enforced with military power.

Corporate Warfare
Competition over limited resources and territories can give rise to corporate warfare.  On this level EVE becomes a grand-scale strategy game, where mercenaries, highly trained spies and computer hackers can plot to eliminate high-ranking officers and CEO's.

Ships - Over 80 Different Types
Ships range from small frigates to the massive titan-class, reaching over a mile in length.  A multitude of equipment and weapons can be fitted in a myriad of combinations to best suit your individual combat style. Add your corporate logo and other details to fully customize your ship.

World Events and a Progressing Storyline
The world of EVE is ever changing and will be affected throughout the game by colossal events, such as exploding stars, rebel uprisings, famine, deadly epidemics, presidential elections, and kidnapping of corrupt politicians. All this is part of a greater story being played out by the gamers themselves-- unfolding day by day as the game progresses.

Social Interaction
With thousands of players online from around the world, EVE is an incredible social experience. You have the option of making in-game notes about people you encounter throughout the game - friend or foe - a database of information about their behavior. Next time you meet the guy who ambushed you, he will pay!  Notorious players can be tracked down by bounty hunters craving justice - and cash!

Rich Background
The stories behind EVE are multifarious.  You can dig deep into the world to gain valuable information, including a detailed history of the races, articles about people, places and world-based phenomena.  A complete in-game encyclopedia is included.

Photo Realistic Real-time Graphics
The graphics engine in EVE is capable of doing photo realistic rendering in real-time of surfaces such as rusty steel, dirty glass, oxidized aluminum and volumetric fire and smoke, as well as environmental effects such as asteroids falling on the planet's surface, comets and the aurora borealis. The Eve engine is built on DirectX9 and utilizes the latest graphics and hardware technology.

Cinematic Feel
EVE is played from a 3^rd person perspective.  You see the world through the eyes of a camera drone hovering outside your ship.  This gives you a much better feel for the world over the traditional first person viewpoint in classic space simulators.  A 3^rd person camera lets you watch as your turrets aim and fire at an enemy target.  You'll see missiles flying overhead and your ship in flames if you are running into trouble.  This also allows for more sophisticated options, such as controlling large battleships, attacking multiple targets, remotely controlling combat drones, etc.

Easy to Learn
Every action in EVE is accessible through the graphical user interface. There is no need to learn any keyboard shortcuts.  The user interface is mouse operated and uses traditional point and click, drag and drop. Every visible object in the scene and on the radar can by interacted with directly.

Already a Massive Community
EVE has created quite a stir in the gaming community, with already over 100 fan sites and strong coverage on gaming websites all over the world.  EVE has been listed as one of the most anticipated games of the year and has received incredible enthusiasm among gamers and press alike.

EVE ONLINE WEB SITE
For very detailed information on EVE ONLINE: THE SECOND GENESIS, please visit the web site:  www.eve-online.com 

AVAILABLITY
EVE ONLINE: THE SECOND GENESIS is now shipping to retailers in North America and will be available in stores within a few days.  

ESRB RATING
EVE ONLINE: THE SECOND GENESIS is rated "T" or "Teen" by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).  More information on the ESRB and its rating system can be found at www.esrb.org. 

Simon & Schuster Interactive ( www.ssinteractive.com ) is the digital entertainment unit of Simon & Schuster, Inc.  Based in New York, S&SI publishes entertainment, education and reference titles for the PC, Macintosh, Pocket PC, Sony Playstation 2®, Microsoft XBox®, Nintendo® Game Boy® Advance, and Nintendo GameCubeä. 

Simon & Schuster, the publishing operation of Viacom Inc., is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed and multimedia formats.  Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Trade Publishing, Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster New Media, Simon & Schuster Online, Simon & Schuster U.K., and Simon & Schuster Australia.  For more information about Simon & Schuster, visit our website at www.simonsays.com.

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CCP is a privately held company founded in 1997. It is created on strong vision of creating online games which focus on maximizing player interaction, and on utilizing the new, unexplored possibilities created by having thousands of players interacting in the same game world.