REDMOND, Wash. —
Jan. 9,
1996 — Microsoft Corp. announced today it has formed games-development relationships with Atomic Games, Crystal Dynamics, Rainbow America and Terminal Reality. The announcement further demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to publish games for the Microsoft® Windows® 95 operating system. It comes a month after the company announced its acquisition of the Bruce Artwick Organization of Champaign, Ill., developers of the best-selling game software title, Microsoft Flight Simulator®
.
Atomic Games of Houston, Texas, well known for its development of the award-winning V for Victory and Worlds at War strategy games, will work with Microsoft to bring the
much-anticipated, real-time World War II strategy game Close Combat to market. Close Combat will be Microsoft’s first entry into strategy gaming and is scheduled to be available on CD-ROM next summer for both the Windows 95 and Macintosh®
platforms.
Additionally, Microsoft and Palo Alto, Calif.-based Crystal Dynamics, a leading software developer for next-generation gaming platforms such as Sega® Saturn and SONY®
PlayStation game consoles, plan to bring the No. 1 selling title for the 3DO gaming platform, GEX, to Windows 95. GEX, a side-scrolling action game that features a wisecracking gecko named GEX, received the 1994 Editor’s Gold Choice Award from Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine and Game Fan magazine’s Best Action Platform Game for 1994.
Phoenix, Ariz.-based Rainbow America, developer of the recently released title The Hive, will work with Microsoft to develop an underwater action game for Windows 95-based PCs. As part of product development, Microsoft will benefit from Rainbow America’s work with TRG3, artists experienced in TV-quality, computer-generated effects that produced visuals for such hits as Star Trek: The Voyager, and SeaQuest.
Continuing its relationship with Terminal Reality Inc. (TRI), which developed the
fast-paced space-action arcade game Microsoft Fury3, Microsoft and TRI will produce several titles, including an off-road driving simulation. Additionally, Microsoft and TRI look forward to developing future titles showcasing the speed, ease and excitement of gaming under Windows 95.
“We are very pleased to build our games portfolio by forming relationships with proven games developers,”
said Tony Garcia, manager of the entertainment business unit at Microsoft.
“We are committed to bringing exciting new titles to market and are thrilled to have these talented games developers as partners.”
The Microsoft entertainment business unit portfolio includes the best-selling entertainment title Flight Simulator; Fury, a space-age action game for Windows®
; and Golf 2.0 on CD-ROM, the newest golf title with multiplayer capability. The entertainment business unit has also publicly announced development partnerships with games developers and organizations such as Access Software, McDonnell Douglas and Larry Holland.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, Windows and Flight Simulator are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Inc.
Sega is a registered trademark of Sega Of America.
SONY is a registered trademark of Sony Corp.
