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Lisa Bucek

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INTERPLAY’S BALDUR’S GATE II: SHADOWS OF AMN DOMINATES PC GAME RETAIL SALES

Irvine, California, October 19, 2000 – Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn, the eagerly-anticipated sequel to the award-winning Baldur’s Gate, has achieved unprecedented retail success in its first two weeks of availability, as announced today by Black Isle Studios, the role-playing game division of Interplay Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ: IPLY) and the game’s developer, BioWare Corp. Since achieving full distribution at retail, Baldur’s Gate II and its Collector’s Edition version have combined to dominate PC game sales in North America, generating an estimated $4 million dollars between September 17 and September 30, 2000, according to PC Data, thus making BG II Interplay’s best-selling PC title ever at launch.

Developed by BioWare and Black Isle Studios, Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn follows in the footsteps of the highly successful Baldur’s Gate. This exciting sequel to Baldur’s Gate uses the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition rules under license from Wizards of the Coast, and contains new monsters, spells, and areas to explore within the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

“We’re extremely excited about the overwhelming response to Baldur’s Gate II,” said Brian Fargo, chairman and chief executive officer of Interplay. “Baldur’s Gate is now firmly established as one of the leading brands in interactive entertainment, and fans of the franchise can expect to see a lot more in the future.”

As a PC game franchise, Baldur’s Gate has generated over $20 million in gross retail revenue in North America alone since the original RPG was first released by Black Isle Studios and Interplay in late December, 1998. Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn continues the tradition in an all-new Forgotten Realms® adventure that takes place along the southern portion of the Sword Coast in the merchant kingdom of Amn.

The borders of this region include such diverse environments as the Elven forests of Tethyr, the Cloudpeak Mountains, the Drow cities of the Underdark, and the Capitol City of Amn, Athkatla.

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn features an enhanced version of the BioWare Infinity Engine, supporting resolutions of up to 800x600, giving the player superlative graphical improvements and brilliance in a truly immersive world. The new graphics engine also supports 3-D Accelerator Cards, however they are not required to enjoy the richness of the Baldur’s Gate II world. In addition, the entire interface can be hidden to allow full screen which will allow both novice and seasoned role players the opportunity to experience an even richer gameplay experience.

Also in production from Black Isle and BioWare is Neverwinter Nights™, which will bring the pen-and-paper D&D experience to the PC in a revolutionary way by allowing players to create their own modules, host those modules on their own server and even "DM" the game.

Wizards of the Coast, the worldwide market share leader in the trading card game and tabletop role playing game categories, is a leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products as well as the owner and operator of one of the nation's largest specialty game retail chains. Producing both the Pokemon™ and world's best-selling Magic: The Gathering® trading card games, the company holds an exclusive patent on the play mechanic of trading card games. Publisher of adventure games such as the classic Dungeons & Dragons games, family card and board games and electronic media products, Wizards of the Coast is also one of the world's leading fantasy and science fiction book publishers. Headquartered near Seattle, Washington, Wizards of the Coast has international offices in Antwerp, Paris, Milan, London and Beijing. For more information on Wizards of the Coast, visit the company's web site and electronic retail store at http://www.wizards.com.

Black Isle Studios is a division of Interplay Entertainment Corp., a leading developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for both core gamers and the mass market. Interplay currently balances its development efforts by publishing for personal computers as well as current and next generation video game consoles. Interplay releases products through Interplay, Shiny Entertainment, Digital Mayhem, Black Isle Studios, 14° East, is distribution partners and its wholly owned subsidiary Interplay OEM, Inc. More comprehensive information on Interplay and its products is available through its worldwide web site at http://www.interplay.com. For investor relations’ inquiries, please contact J. Scott Liolios (scott@liolios.com mailto:scott@liolios.com) or Christopher Rosgen (chris@liolios.com mailto:chris@liolios.com) at Liolios Group, Inc. (949) 574-3860.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

This release may contain forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future events or results to differ materially and adversely from those described in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that may cause such a difference for Interplay include, but are not limited to, risks of delays in development and introduction of new products, dependence on new product introductions which achieve significant market acceptance and the uncertainties of consumer preferences, dependence on third party software developers for a significant portion of new products, risks of rapid technological change and platform change, intense competition, seasonality, risks of product defects, dependence upon licenses from third parties, risks associated with future capital requirements, dependence upon third party distribution, dependence upon key personnel and risks associated with international business, intellectual property disputes and other factors discussed in the Company's filings from time to time with the Securities Exchange Commission, including but not limited the Company's annual report on Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 1999. Interplay disclaims any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by it or on its behalf.

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