News Release                                                 For immediate release

Shrapnel Games to Publish Space Empires: IV

Partnership with Malfador Machinations enables Shrapnel Games to bring it's 6th title to market since opening doors one year ago!

Cary, NC, July 28, 2000

Shrapnel Games is proud to announce that it is has signed developer Malfador Machinations to a contract to publish their highly anticipated sequel: Space Empires: IV. Details on this game and information on how to pre-order can be found on our website at http://www.shrapnelgames.com.

Space Empires IV is a massive space strategy game for Windows. You control your empire in an ever changing and hostile galaxy. Design your starships and use them to explore new solar systems throughout the galaxy. Hundreds of different components are available to place on your ships, and giant facilities to build on your planets. Use fighters, troops, mines, satellites, and weapon platforms to supplement your starships. Build your empire through research, intelligence operations, politics, treaties, and decisively planned strategy. Engage in Tactical or Strategic Combat, or use the Combat Simulator. Up to 20 players, human or computer, can play against each other with multi-player support (turn-based or simultaneous play). Customize the graphics for your ships and download updates from our website!

Richard Arnesen, Director of Covert Operations for Shrapnel Games, said, "This is a new type of game for us but one I could not put down once I started playing it. Simply put Aaron Hall, and Malfador Machinations, have put together the ultimate in outer space 4X gaming, far surpassing anything ever put out in the genre! I could not be more pleased to have signed such a committed developer and such a wonderful product. Try the demo out once and watch the hours float by!"

"We are very excited to be signing with Shrapnel Games. They have extensive experience in publishing wargames made by smaller developers. We really appreciated their down-to-earth style and their non-typical publisher approach. As former developers themselves, they knew our concerns before we asked, and put us completely at ease. We anticipate that with their marketing and distribution contacts, we will be able to get Space Empires IV into the hand of every fan that wants it, and to all of those fans that don't know they want it yet!" commented Aaron Hall, President of Malfador Machinations.

Established in 1999, Shrapnel Games is the premier war and strategy game publisher who has published such hits as Horse and Musket (86% by PC Gamer), Armies of Armageddon WDK2K (95% by pcgameworld.com), and Brigade Combat Team (Used by armies around the world as a training tool). Formed by industry veteran Timothy Brooks, developer of such award winning games as Wages of War and 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy, it continues to bring bright new games to the forefront with promising games such as Steel Beasts (Over 50,000 downloads of the demo in the first 10 days) and Combat Command 2: Danger Forward (the first modern wargame to highlight exciting WWII air and sea operations) waiting in the wings. As Shrapnel Games continues to grow and develop we are always looking for new developers, programmers, artists, testers, and the like who have a strong love of gaming and an enterprising spirit.

For more information, please contact:

Timothy W. Brooks

PMB #164

952 US Hwy 64 West

Apex, NC 27502-7184

tbrooks@shrapnelgames.com