ESPN Videogames Introduces the Next Movement in Virtual Basketball with ESPN NBA 2005

LOS ANGELES  (May 12, 2004) - Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)- (May 12, 2004) - ESPN Videogames today announced the launch of the that the highly-anticipated ESPN NBA 2005, to will be released in Fall 2004. The king of the court returns as ESPN NBA 2005 promises basketball hoopsters an extraordinary experience that can be described as; the next movement in virtual basketball. ESPN NBA 2005 challenges previous basketball standards by introducing a multitude of new, unique graphical and gameplay enhancements never before seen in sports video games.

"Old foundations that we set when we released our first basketball game are being renovated with new exciting standards for the next generation of sports gamers," states Greg Thomas, President of Visual Concepts, the producers of ESPN Videogames.  "To succeed in basketball, one must you have to elevate their your game higher than the competition and that's the same in the virtual arena.  As sports gamers advance to the next level of the game they expect more detail in the graphics, responsiveness to gameplay controls, and new appealing features.  Even with such high expectations, I believe fans of video game basketball will be wonderfully surprised at the new standards we've set in ESPN NBA 2005."

Supporting online game play for both Xbox® videogame system from Microsoft and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, ESPN NBA 2005 delivers intense hardwood action as court awareness and enhanced team movement take have an integral role in the successful execution of plays. Pioneering a new standard in artificial intelligence and player motion, ESPN NBA 2005 heightens the senses of the computer-controlled player with the exciting debut of Reactive Court Sense. This new technology allows CPU players to independently react to the human player's  opponents actions, creating a more in-depth, natural response system that further blurs the line between virtual and real courts.

The boundaries of gaming reality are further pushed as ESPN NBA 2005 jumps into the Next Movement, the a unique momentum movement system that allows . Players' players performances are to be directly influenced by their physical make-up and ability, . This createsing a more realistic portrayal of team and game dynamics.  These elements will  by determine determining if whether a player can run up the court on a fast break quick enough or make a tough basket from the top of the key.
 
Visuals and graphics reign supreme in ESPN NBA 2005 as new lighting effects, hyper-realistic court reflections, self-shadowing, and stunning lifelike players faces and expressions adorn the television screen.  ESPN NBA's dribble system makes a triumphant return with IsoMotion2 touting exciting improvements to this revolutionary feature. The popular 24/7 feature gets an upgrade with the addition of over 100 new items, new timed mini games, and multi-player games.

The high-drama excitement and authenticity of ESPN NBA 2005 continues with new ESPN integration elements. ESPN-style press camera angles, follow cams, and stat overlays are implemented, adding to this unrivaled basketball experience. Enhancing the true ESPN feel are the voice talents of sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya and Hall of Fame legend Bill Walton, bringing all the exhilarating on-the-court action.

ESPN NBA 2005 and other ESPN Videogames titles are produced by Visual Concepts - Sega's sports studio.  For more information, log on to http://www.espnvideogames.com.

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About Visual Concepts Entertainment
Visual Concepts Entertainment is the maker of the critically acclaimed 2K series of sports games. The company is responsible for the full development and marketing for all ESPN Videogames titles and is committed to delivering the best, fully integrated sports gaming experience for all consumers. Visual Concepts Entertainment is wholly owned by Japan-based SEGA Corporation.

About ESPN
ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is a multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia assets in sports marketing with over 40 business entities.  The company is comprised of seven domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes , ESPN Now, ESPN Today), ESPN HD (a high-definition simulcast service of ESPN), ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (25 international networks and syndication), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, SportsTicker, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN Broadband, ESPN Wireless, ESPN Video-on-Demand and ESPN Interactive.  Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc, which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.  The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

The NBA and individual NBA member team identifications used on or in this product are trademarks, copyrighted designs and other forms of intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams and may not be used, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of NBA Properties, Inc. © 2004 NBA Properties, Inc.  .

About Sony Computer Entertainment America
Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America markets the PlayStation® game console and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PlayStation game console and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. 

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 is now available in North America, Japan, Europe and Australia.

Xbox is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries

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