LAS VEGAS, Feb. 27, 2002 — Today at the Microsoft PC Games International Games Festival, Microsoft® Game Studios announced that the newest version of its best-selling PC golf franchise, “Links® 2003,” is scheduled to hit store shelves this holiday season. PGA superstar Sergio Garcia returns to headline an all-star lineup of well-known professional golfers featured in “Links 2003.”
The newest version of the best-selling golf simulator features improved graphics, six all-new championship courses, several high-resolution 3-D characters, expanded online capability and new features that offer gamers the most realistic golf simulation ever created. “Links 2003,” with its superior ball physics and unparalleled attention to detail, is the perfect complement to playing a real round of golf. PC golfers can expect to see shadows and hear birds chirping in stunning 3-D audio while playing on the most detailed grass, sand and water textures around.
“‘Links 2003’ is so real, the game can help you mentally improve your real game because it presents you with so many real-life golf situations,” Garcia said. “It’s as real as golf can get without a tour card. Fans of the ‘Links’ series really have something to look forward to this holiday season.”
PC golfers looking for new courses need look no further. “Links 2003” provides golfers with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play on some of the world’s most beautiful and exclusive golf courses, including courses in Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland and the United States. In addition, “Links” golfers can play all the “Links 2001” courses, as well as hundreds of user-created courses available for download via http://www.linkscountryclub.com/ .
With “Links 2003,” PC golfers have the opportunity for fast and easy online play. Using the all-new “Links” Match Maker, PC golfers can start an online tournament and play with friends or family at any time. Players can even join matches with other online players via a simplified, in-game process or through e-mail. The extremely popular “Links” Tour has been revamped, providing all “Links 2003” golfers with new and improved features such as player stats, handicap information and message boards for the ultimate online golf tournament.
“Links 2003” also comes equipped with an updated Arnold Palmer Course Designer, the same tool used by the design team to create all the courses featured in the “Links” franchise. The revolutionary course designer sports a 3-D real-time system that gives players full creative control over every inch of their dream course, as well as a library of more than 1,500 new objects to place on their course. Once their dream course is completed, gamers can save it on a number of fan sites listed at http://www.linkscountryclub.com/ .
More information on the historic “Links” series, including information on the “Links” Tour, can be found at http://www.linkscountryclub.com/ .
About the Microsoft PC Games Group
The Microsoft PC Games group, part of Microsoft Game Studios, comprises many of the industry’s top development studios. Committed to publishing a diverse PC games portfolio, Microsoft Game Studios develops, publishes and distributes such award-winning franchises as “Flight Simulator,” “Age of Empires® ,” “Links,” “MechWarrior®
” and “Zoo Tycoon (TM) ,” as well as original titles across all genres. More information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/games/ .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, Links, Age of Empires, MechWarrior and Zoo Tycoon are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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