Microsoft Announces Windows CE Toolkit for Dreamcast

REDMOND, Wash., March 16, 1999 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that the Microsoft® Windows® CE Toolkit for the Sega Dreamcast home video game system is now available to licensed Dreamcast developers. The Windows CE Toolkit for Dreamcast provides a full-featured development environment including optimized DirectX® libraries for 3-D graphics, sound and input, as well as built-in communications support designed to provide Internet access and networked multiplayer gaming. The flexible development environment of the Windows CE operating system also maximizes programming productivity by delivering for the first time the benefits of the Microsoft Visual C++® development system to the world of console development.

“The Windows CE Toolkit for Dreamcast delivers Windows CE operating system services and optimized DirectX libraries designed to take creative and technical advances in video games to entirely new levels,”
said Ted Kummert, general manager, Windows CE home products group, Microsoft.
“The recent release of Sega Rally 2 in Japan proves that Windows CE is delivering on our promise to enable compelling new console gaming experiences.”

Sega Rally 2, developed by Sega Enterprises Ltd. with Windows CE and the DirectX API, has been the No. 1 title for Dreamcast since its release on Jan. 28 and is the first and only multiplayer networked title released on Dreamcast in Japan so far.
“The popularity of network play with Sega Rally 2 confirms that networked multiplayer functionality can drive retail sales of console titles,”
said Toshinori Asai, general manager, consumer software R & D at Sega Enterprises.
“Using Windows CE with DirectPlay® greatly simplified our efforts to add multiplayer network play functionality and build the network infrastructure for Sega Rally 2.”

“Windows CE has made it very easy for Acclaim to get title development under way for Dreamcast,”
said Craig Galley, vice president of technology at Acclaim.
“Using the Windows CE Toolkit for Dreamcast, we were able to bring one of our key game engines developed with Win32® and DirectX over to the Dreamcast platform and get title development under way within a month.”

“Konami has made the decision to standardize Dreamcast development on Windows CE,”
said Kazumi Kitaue, managing director at Konami Japan.
“The Windows CE Toolkit delivers high-performance libraries and support for networking, and allows our internal teams to share technology easily without compatibility issues.”

“Hudson is pleased to announce that our first Dreamcast title for Japan has been developed using the Windows CE Toolkit,”
said Shinichi Nakamoto, managing director of Hudson.
“Windows CE provides us the flexibility to develop Dreamcast games directly on the PC using the familiar Visual C++ development environment, and then easily transition development over to the Dreamcast platform.”

“We’ve been extremely impressed with Windows CE for Dreamcast,”
said Nicolas Gaume, president of Kalisto Entertainment SA.
“The Visual Studio® environment is advanced, the APIs are fast, and the source code compatibility with Win32 has allowed us to develop Dreamcast and PC versions of the same title simultaneously with the same tools.”

Windows CE and DirectX for Dreamcast

Windows CE for Dreamcast is a full-featured, full-service operating system whose specific optimizations for game development on Dreamcast hardware make it a sound choice for

serious high-performance game development. The size and performance of Windows CE and DirectX API components have been optimized to meet the demands of game developers, while maintaining compatibility with the widely accepted Win32 API and DirectX programming model on Windows-based PCs. Incorporation of DirectX also allows the Dreamcast system to capitalize on the momentum toward Windows-based PC gaming and the ever-increasing body of developers creating games for the Windows platform.

The Windows CE Toolkit for Dreamcast is designed to work with Dreamcast hardware development systems, which are available to developers under license from Sega Enterprises.

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 to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft, Windows, DirectX, Visual C++, DirectPlay, Win32 and Visual Studio are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.


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