REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 19, 2001 — Animal magnetism has never been so strong. The powerful lure of exotic cats, commanding gorillas and artistic elephants was felt nationwide this morning as Microsoft Corp. announced the 10 national semifinalists in the
“Zoo Tycoon™ ”
Beast in Show campaign. Today through Nov. 30, animal lovers across the country can cast their vote online for the Beast in Show by simply slithering, swinging, jumping or sprinting to the nearest computer and logging on to the
“Zoo Tycoon”
site, http://www.zootycoon.com/ .
Here are the Beast in Show semifinalists:
-
“Colliet”
and
“Chumbee,”
koalas, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland -
“Farrah,”
fossa, Dallas Zoo, Dallas -
“Hansa,”
Asian elephant, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle -
“Jewel,”
hippopotamus, Sacramento Zoo, Sacramento, Calif. -
“Kubi,”
silverback gorilla, San Francisco Zoo, San Francisco -
“Liberty,”
southern bald eagle, Houston Zoo, Houston -
“Magnet,”
polar bear, Baltimore Zoo, Baltimore -
“Starlet O’Hara,”
African elephant, Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta -
“Shere”
and
“Shaka Khan,”
twin Siberian tigers, Virginia Zoological Park, Norfolk, Va. -
“Tombi,”
rhinoceros, Memphis Zoo, Memphis, Tenn.
The three animals receiving the most votes between now and Nov. 30 will move on to the final round of judging, and in December one lucky creature will be crowned Beast in Show. The best beast will become a big star, with its likeness available for download into the new
“Zoo Tycoon”
PC game, Microsoft’s new simulation game that puts players in charge of creating and managing beautiful, vibrant zoos. In addition, the winning animal’s home zoo will receive a $20,000 donation for animal care and habitat restoration.
“These 10 animals are the stars of their zoos; their charisma and energy are the reason people visit, and it shows in the nominations we received,”
said Susan Kittleson,
“Zoo Tycoon”
product manager at Microsoft.
“The ‘Zoo Tycoon’ Beast in Show campaign pays tribute to these healthy, happy animals and the zoos that care for them.”
About Beast in Show
The
“Zoo Tycoon”
Beast in Show campaign runs through Nov. 30. Beast in Show is a nationwide search for America’s favorite zoo animal superstar. Animals are the stars of every zoo, and the Beast in Show campaign is providing an opportunity for zoos, zoo members and visitors, and animal fans everywhere to give their favorite animal the star treatment. Official rules and additional information can be found on the
“Zoo Tycoon”
Web site at http://www.zootycoon.com/ .*
About
“
Zoo Tycoon
”
Simple to learn, yet challenging to master,
“Zoo Tycoon”
is a new simulation PC game from Microsoft that offers engaging gameplay for animal lovers and simulation game fans of all ages. The fun of
“Zoo Tycoon”
is building a thriving zoo business, where zoo popularity and profitability depend on proper animal care, construction of appropriate habitats, diverse and entertaining attractions, an affordable entry price, and a satisfying number of zoo amenities, ranging from gift shops and food options to benches and bathrooms. Ultimate success depends on a player’s ability to keep both the guests and the animals happy.
About Microsoft Games Studios
Microsoft Games Studios is a leading worldwide games company with three core businesses: game development and publishing, the Microsoft® Xbox™
video game system, and Zone.com. Zone.com ( http://www.zone.com/ ) is the Internet’s largest game site.
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.
* No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Game ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on Nov. 30, 2001. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 years old or older at the time of entry. For full rules, see http://www.microsoft.com/games/zootycoon/ .
Microsoft, Zoo Tycoon 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.
