Monster Sport: The unique package for price-conscious sport and computer games fans throughout Europe Diamond Multimedia and the computer game vendors Electronic Arts and Psygnosis are now offering Monster II, France 98 The World Cup and Formula 1 ‘97 in an exclusive and inexpensive bundled package. Starnberg, 25 May 1998 – Diamond Multimedia Systems Inc., (Nasdaq: DIMD), a leading vendor in Internet/multimedia applications has now brought out a unique bundled package in conjunction with the well-known computer games manufacturers Electronic Arts and Psygnosis. The three companies will in future be marketing a unique bundled package throughout Europe known as Monster Sport which will contain the 3D games board Monster 3D II from Diamond, World Cup 98 (full version) computer game from Electronic Arts, and the Formula 1 ‘97 (full version) game from Psygnosis. This attractively priced package will only be marketed in Europe and will be available at the end of May at a retail price of DM 639 (incl. 8-MB variant of Monster 3D II X100) or DM 759 (incl. 12-MB variant of Monster 3D II X200). End users will save up to 20% off the aggregate sales price of the individual components. This cooperation between Diamond Multimedia, Electronic Arts is unique and remarkable in many ways. The three companies will jointly market the combined hardware/software package which will appear in the shops in a packaging especially designed for this purpose. The three partners have also concluded exclusive contracts valid throughout Europe. This means that the two computer games already enthusiastically received by computer games experts - World Cup 98 and Formula 1 ‘97 - will be exclusively bundled with Monster 3D II and will be available under the name Monster Sports in a total of 5 localized versions in all European countries. One more unique feature is that the full version of World Cup 98 will be available as both a standard retail version and the bundled package at the same time. Normally, computer games are first marketed as a single product before being integrated into packages. The two games manufacturers Electronic Arts and Psygnosis have concluded long-term agreements with FIFA and FIA for the use of official race teams, race cars (e.g. Schumacher in the Ferrari) and national football teams. Accordingly, these games combine a unique authenticity with a completely new level of enjoyment. Everyone can create his own, true-to-the-original Formula 1 season or replay every aspect of the World Cup. World Cup 98 from Electronic Arts allows PC game enthusiasts to play their own World Cup in unrivaled detail. The game reproduces the stadiums in France and all 32 qualifying teams, delivering everything from a TV viewer’s perspective, complete with original commentators which football fans will know from TV. One particularly interesting feature is that the game allows a player to run through specific playing strategies and/or to change strategies along the way. Once the player has worked his way through the World Cup, France 98 The World Cup also offers him "Classic Mode" where enthusiasts can play a number of the legendary football games from past World Cups (for example, the 1966 World Cup in Wembley Stadium in England). Formula 1 ´97 from Psygnosis is an optimized follow-on version of the 95 edition and combines greater realism with improved graphics. A further highlight are the original commentators. In the English version, for example, players will be able to hear the well-known voices of Murray Walker and Martin Brundle. The game comprises 11 teams, 35 drivers (including a fantasy driver option), 17 race tracks, multi-player options and crashes. Markus Florian, Product Marketing Manager at Diamond Multimedia, Starnberg, explains: "Thanks to the cooperation between Diamond Multimedia, Electronic Arts and Psygnosis, computer game fans can obtain a unique bundle at a unique price. The exclusiveness of the agreements we have concluded with our partners shows the importance which both games manufacturers attach to Monster 3D II." "There have been only a few unique collaborations between hardware manufacturers and software entertainment publishers to date, though so far, none have succeeded in bringing together the strengths of three products," commented Tom Stone Vice President of European Territories at EA. "Monster Sports brings together the outstanding technology of Diamond's new 3D graphics accelerator, and two of the most impressive sports simulations to date. Our 'World Cup 98' product showcases the biggest sporting event ever in France this Summer, and the Monster 3DII graphics card will allow consumers to truly immerse themselves in this exciting tournament," he continued. Commenting on the promotion, Lewis Macdonald, Psygnosis' Formula One Director of Business offered, "This new pack responds to the needs of increasingly well informed consumers, both at entry level and the serious gamer. With immense success at retail, the creation of this new high value market segment will undoubtedly raise the stakes for other software and hardware providers." |
| Diamond Multimedia is driving the interactive multimedia market by providing advanced solutions for home, business and professional desktop computer users, enabling them to create, access and experience compelling new media content from their desktops and through the Internet. Diamond accelerates multimedia from the Internet to the hard drive with products that include the Stealth and Viper® series of media accelerators, the Monster series of entertainment 3D and sound accelerators, the Fire series of professional 3D and SCSI accelerators, and the Supra® series of modems. Diamond also markets DVD and video phone kits. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol DIMD, and its web site addresses are www.diamondmm.de (Europe/German), www.diamondmm.co.uk (Europe/English), www.diamondmm.fr (Europe/French), and www.diamondmm.com (USA). For further information please contact::
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