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MIDWAY SPORTS MLO SLUGFEST 20-03 BECOMES NUMBER ONE SELLING BASEBALL VIDEOGAME FOR PLAYSTATION2
MLB SlugFest 20-03 Leads Off First Year of Franchise and 2002 Holiday Season as Year-to-Date, Best-Selling Baseball Videogame for PlayStation 2
CHICAGO– Dec. 18, 2002 – Midway Sports, the sports brand of leading software industry publisher and developer Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), announced today that MLB SlugFest 20-03, the first-ever adrenaline-style console baseball videogame, is the top-selling baseball videogame for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system in 2002 thus far. MLB SlugFest 20-03 is now available on PlayStation 2, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and the Nintendo GameCube.
According to NPD Funworld, MLB SlugFest 20-03—released in summer 2002—has outsold every competitive baseball game individually for the PlayStation 2 by two-to-one since its launch. In the month of July 2002, MLB SlugFest 20-03 hit a home run with consumers everywhere, outselling all competing PlayStation 2 games’ combined sales by a nearly two-to-one margin, and any single PlayStation 2 competitor by five-to-one. Sales figures for all PlayStation 2 baseball games from January through November have revealed that MLB SlugFest 20-03 outsold all competing PlayStation 2 games in the category, making it the best-selling PlayStation 2 baseball game thus far in 2002. (NPD Funworld, July – Nov. 2002).
“MLB SlugFest 20-03 combines Midway Sports signature over-the-top gameplay with real baseball aspects, delivering a one-of-a-kind videogame for next-generation systems,” said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway. “We attribute the success of MLB SlugFest 20-03 to the game’s appeal to both longtime fans of the sport and action gamers alike.”
In addition, MLB SlugFest 20-03 scored with kids and their parents this year as the top sports videogame in NBC’s national “Today Toy Test 2002.” Hosted by consumer specialist Herb Weisbaum, this annual toy test featured hundreds of toys, and a videogame section. To select the top videogame titles, Weisbaum and his staff tested more than 70 videogames and collected 10,000 ratings during a two-week period. Results aired on NBC’s nationally syndicated “Today” morning news program. MLB M
LB SLUGFEST 20-03 TOP-SELLING BASEBALL VIDEOGAME FOR PS2
About MLB SlugFest 20-03
Officially licensed by Major League Baseball Properties and MLBPA, MLB SlugFest 20-03 has changed the way people think about America’s national pastime. Developed by the creators of NFLâ Blitzâ, MLB SlugFest 20-03 features real Major League Baseball players—including six-time MLB All-Star and cover athlete Alex Rodriguez—as well as teams and stadiums in the first and only over-the-top, adrenaline-style baseball videogame. Unlike any other baseball game, MLB SlugFest 20-03 stars incredible, larger-than-life athletes who take to the field to perform outrageous plays both offensively and defensively, including turbo-powered throws and pitches, blistering hits, and acrobatic diving catches.
To clearly detail each player’s facial expressions and reactions, MLB SlugFest 20-03 features advanced motion capture technology. The animations are so precise, gamers can view players on the field chewing gum, talking to one another and cheering for teammates. While at the plate, gamers can dig in and unleash mammoth blasts clear out of the park.
The game also features Roadrunner Records recording act Dry Kill Logic, which recorded a hard-rockin’, new millenium version of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” to accompany the game’s aggressive attitude and extreme-style play. Dry Kill Logic performs in a music video, which is featured in the game’s DVD section and was created especially for MLB SlugFest 20-03. In addition, Midway licensed music from the electronica band Curve to complement the fast-paced action of the game.
Midway Games Inc. is a leading developer, publisher and marketer of interactive entertainment software. Midway videogames are available for play on all major videogame platforms including the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy® Advance.
For more information about Midway Games visit www.midway.com.
MIDWAY, BLITZ and SLUGFEST are trademarks of Midway Amusement Games, LLC. HITZ is a trademark of Midway Home Entertainment Inc. Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. You can reach Major League Baseball on the web at MLB.com. Ó MLBPA-Official Licensee, Major League Baseball Players Association. Visit the Players Choice on the Web at www.bigleaguers.com. The MLBPA logo is a trademark of the Major League Baseball Players Association. NFL is a trademark of the National Football League. NHL is a registered trademark of the National Hockey League.
Midway has provided the www.bigleauers.com and MLB.com links solely as a convenience for you. The information on these sites has been prepared by third parties, and Midway does not monitor, endorse or accept responsibility for the content on non-Midway sites.
“PlayStation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xbox and Microsoft are trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. Nintendo GameCube, the Nintendo GameCube logo and Game Boy Advance are trademarks of Nintendo. Ó 2001 Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business conditions and the outlook for Midway Games Inc. (the "Company") based on currently available information that involve risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the financial strength of the interactive entertainment industry, dependence on new product introductions and the ability to maintain the scheduling of such introductions, technological changes, dependence on major platform manufacturers and other risks more fully described under "Item 1. Business - Risk Factors" in the Company's current Transition Report on Form 10-K and the other filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
MLB Slugfest 20-03 (GBA)
MLB Slugfest 20-03 (GC)
MLB Slugfest 20-03 (PS2)
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