Press Release: Infogrames Unleashes the Power and Fury of Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ on PlayStation® 2 Computer Entertainment System
From Video Game Morgue File
INFOGRAMES UNLEASHES THE POWER AND FURY OF DRAGON BALL Z®: BUDOKAI™ ON PLAYSTATION® 2 COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
BEVERLY, Mass., Dec. 4 -- Achieving an incredible convergence between one of the leading anime and television properties ever created and the interactive entertainment world, Infogrames, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFGM) today announced that it has shipped Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. Already heralded for its authenticity, depth and excitement, Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ is hitting store shelves in time for the holiday season. Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ spans from the Saiyan™ Saga through Cell Games and allows players to experience the fantastic confrontations that define the Dragon Ball Z® universe. Choose from five heart-pounding fighting modes, including Story Mode, where players reenact some of the most exciting fighting scenes from the animated series, and Tournament Mode, where players can face off to crown a single Dragon Ball Z® fighting champion. A true parallel to the television series, which was the top rated show among all U.S. cable TV programs for boys 9-14, tweens 9-14 and men 12-24 during this season's launch lineup, Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ puts players in some of the show's most intense battles and heightens the star quality of the game via the inclusion of the actual voice actors from the show. To date, the Dragon Ball®, Dragon Ball Z® & Dragon Ball GT® franchises have generated more than three billion dollars in related merchandising and over 500 animated TV episodes. "Never before has there been a Dragon Ball Z® game that is as true to the property as Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™," said Paul Rinde, senior vice president of Infogrames. "The effort and attention to detail will be a huge payoff for fans as Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ truly recreates the epic storyline of the Dragon Ball Z® series in the interactive realm." Chris Sabat, the Voice Director of Dragon Ball Z® and the voice of Vegeta®, Piccolo™, and Yamcha®, added, "To be able to actually step inside the DBZ universe, controlling your favorite character's moves, his attacks, in his voice, is a completely surreal experience. The battle/duel section of the game is worth the price of the game itself." Already an eagerly anticipated release, the media had the following to say about the game: "Budokai is a dream come true for every Dragon Ball Z fan." -- GamePro Magazine "Fans of the show will drool over the voices, music, and perfectly replicated look of the animated series." -- Game Informer Magazine "Budokai stands above any of the previous attempts to turn the series into a fighter." -- Electronic Gaming Monthly Featuring 23 of the most famous Dragon Ball Z heroes and villains in full 3D, Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ spans 29 levels, and features over 60 different combo moves per character, including some of their infamous signature attacks from the animated series. Developed by Dimps, Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ is currently available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system at a suggested retail price of $49.99 and rated "T" for Teen. For more information on this title, please visit www.dbzgamer.com. About FUNimation Focusing on quality entertainment properties such as Dragon Ball Z®, FUNimation Productions, Ltd, is a full-service brand management company with in-house production, licensing, Internet, home video distribution and toy divisions. With over 14 million videos sold and over 7 million hits per day on its web site, www.dragonballz.com, Dragon Ball Z® is the top rated series on Cartoon Network's Toonami block and the "Most Searched for Term of 2001" according to the Lycos 50 Daily Report on the internet. FUNimation also produces Dragon Ball®, the exciting prequel to Dragon Ball Z® airing in the USA on Cartoon Network's Toonami Block; Yu Yu Hakusho™, one of the top anime of all time, airing in the USA on Carton Network's Adult Swim Action; Lupin the 3rd™, one of the longest running anime classics; Fruits Basket™, based on the top selling manga in Japan; and Blue Gender™, a sci-fi anime series. Look for collectibles from IF Labs™ featuring the Dragon Ball® Movie Collection, Dragon Ball®, and Yu Yu Hakusho™ as well as home video from FUNimation Productions, Ltd. and a host of other products licensed by FUNimation's Production's licensing division. IF Labs™ is a joint venture between FUNimation Productions, Ltd. and Irwin Toy, Ltd. For additional information on FUNimation and its properties, check out www.funimation.com. For more information regarding Dragon Ball Z®, contact Jeff Dronen at FUNimation at 817-788-0627 x 251 or jeff.dronen@funimation.com About Infogrames New York-based Infogrames, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFGM) is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company develops video games for all consoles (Sony Computer Entertainment America, Nintendo and Microsoft), PCs, and Macintosh systems. Infogrames' catalogue of more than 1,000 titles includes award-winning franchises such as Civilization®, Backyard Sports™, Deer Hunter®, Driver™, RollerCoaster Tycoon®, and Test Drive®, and key licenses including Warner Bros. The Matrix®, Warner Bros. Looney Tunes™, Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues® and Dora the Explorer™, Dragon Ball Z®, Unreal®, Mission Impossible®, Terminator®, Harley-Davidson®, Major League Baseball®, and the National Football League®, among many others. The Company's Humongous Entertainment and MacSoft labels are leaders in children's and Macintosh entertainment software, respectively. Infogrames, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (IESA) (Euronext 5257), a global publisher and distributor of video games for all platforms. In 2001, IESA acquired Infogrames Interactive, Inc. (formerly Hasbro Interactive), including rights to use its line of software based on well-known licenses such as MONOPOLY, Jeopardy®, TONKA, and Atari®, which are published and distributed in the U.S. by Infogrames, Inc. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.infogrames.com. Licensed by FUNimationa Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon Ball Z and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
