LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2001 — Today in advance of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E 3 ) 2001, Microsoft Corp. announced an exclusive licensing agreement with Warner Bros. to develop and publish games for the Microsoft® Xbox™
video game system and the PC based on Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated movie,
“A.I.”
Considered to be interactive sequels to the
“A.I.”
movie, three action-packed adventure games will be published by Microsoft for Xbox, two of which are slated for release this fall with the console’s launch in North America on Nov. 8.
“‘A.I.’ Puzzler”
for the PC will be available in summer 2001.
“I wanted the games that will be inspired by ‘A.I.’ to be creative and groundbreaking,”
said Spielberg.
“Microsoft really understands the ‘A.I.’ concept and presented me with a series of games scenarios that were out of this world.”
“It is an honor for Microsoft to work with the creative genius Steven Spielberg and help bring his newest entertainment project to life,”
said Robbie Bach, senior vice president and chief Xbox officer for Microsoft.
“‘A.I.’ is a futuristic story that pairs perfectly with the future-generation gaming experience of Xbox and the continual innovation of the PC. We will create engaging gameplay experiences to extend the compelling spirit and storyline of ‘A.I.'”
Slated for release on June 29,
“A.I.,”
which stands for
“artificial intelligence,”
is written, directed and produced by Spielberg. Featuring an all-star cast that includes Haley Joel Osment and Jude Law,
“A.I.”
is a movie shrouded in secrecy. To help preserve the film’s secrets, the titles and genres of the Xbox games will not be unveiled until the movie is released. The games will be high-action interactive sequels to the
“A.I.”
movie with a new story that unifies all three titles.
“‘A.I.’ Puzzler”
for the PC translates the story of
“A.I.”
into a collection of more than 130 innovative puzzles designed by Alexei Pajinov, the creator of
“Tetris”
and
“Pandora’s Box.”
Players journey through the
“A.I.”
movie as behind-the-scenes extras are unveiled when puzzles are conquered.
About Xbox
Xbox ( http://www.xbox.com/ ) is Microsoft’s future-generation video game system that delivers the most powerful games experiences ever. Xbox empowers games artists by giving them the technology to fulfill their creative visions as never before, creating games that blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Xbox will be available in North America on Nov. 8, 2001, at an estimated retail price of $299.99* (U.S.).
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.
* Reseller prices may vary.
The information contained in this document relates to prereleased products that may be substantially modified before first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the products when first commercially released. This document is provided for informational purposes only, and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to this document or the information contained in it.
Microsoft and Xbox 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.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
