ESPN VIDEOGAMES ANNOUNCES CELEBRITY RELATIONSHIPS - POP CULTURE INFUSES SOFTWARE ENTERTAINMENT

LOS ANGELES - (May 12, 2004) - Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) - ESPN Videogames today announced details of a unique celebrity relationship that combines Hollywood, the music industry and football , and the video game industry within ESPN NFL 2005.  ESPN Videogames has partnered with celebrities that who are eager to promote the ESPN Videogames brand and embrace the sport and represent the broad audience range that has made video game entertainment a successful mainstream medium industry.

"Exceeding 10 billion dollars in revenue, the video game industry has become the hottest form of entertainment, with sports video games leading the pack," Video games have become the hottest form of entertainment media," said tates Steve Raab, Senior senior Vice vice President president of Marketing marketing for Visual Concepts, the producers of ESPN Videogames.  "Growing to well over 9 billion dollars in revenue, the industry has become a mainstream outlet, and sports video games are leading the pack.  We approached key celebrities who represent appeal to the broad diverse range of sports video game enthusiasts.  We're very excited by the new possibilities this relationship brings and are pleased that each of these celebrities are as enthusiastic to work with ESPN Videogames as we are with them."

The list of celebrities includes hip hop pioneer Funkmaster Flex; , Jamie Kennedy of the Jamie Kennedy Experiment; , Carmen Electra from Carmen Electra and the Pussycat Dolls; , Steve-O of Jackass and Wild Boyz fame; , and David Arquette, famous for starring roles in Scream and Eight Legged Freaks.  Each celebrity will be found in the popular "Crib" mode in ESPN NFL 2005.  "The Crib" is a virtual pad where gamers can gain new unlockable items by completing various goals.  As they explore the mode, gamers will receive in-game phone calls from celebrities who are looking for afor a challenge.  New items and further additional celebrity challenges will be revealed as the player progresses through the game.

Available for both Playstation®2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox® videogame system from Microsoft, ESPN NFL 2005 is scheduled to release this fall.  ESPN Videogames 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 (launching the end of 2003), 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.

© 2004 NFL Properties LLC.  Team names and logos are trademarks of the teams indicated.  All other (NFL-related marks) are trademarks of the National Football League. Licensed product of PLAYERS INC. The PLAYERS INC logo is a registered trademark of the NFL players. www.nflplayers.com.  NFL Properties LLC. Team names and logos are trademarks of the teams indicated. All other NFL-related marks are trademarks of the National Football League. Officially Licensed product of PLAYERS INC. The PLAYERS INC logo is a registered trademark of the NFL players. www.nflplayers.com.

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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