Great news for Spectrum HoloByte: Magic the Gathering for the Internet out earlier than expected
Thursday September 4 12:36 PM EDT
Company Press Release
Source: Spectrum HoloByte Inc.
MicroProse Announces Holiday Plans for Expanding
Magic: The Gathering(R) for the PC Experience With
New Multimedia Products and Services
Magic Fans Will Soon Challenge Other Players to Transcontinental Duels
Over the Internet
ALAMEDA, Calif., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Magic: The Gathering(R), the trading card game
phenomenon, is now being expanded with a complete line of multimedia products and services.
Enhancements will allow fans to play Magic(TM) duels online with other players internationally for
the first time. Following the computer success of Magic: The Gathering, Spectrum HoloByte, Inc.
(Nasdaq:SBYT) will release, under the MicroProse(R) brand name, three new products in the
Magic: The Gathering for the PC line: Magic: The Gathering Spells of the Ancients(TM) expansion
CD-ROM, Magic: The Gathering ManaLink(TM) multiplayer update and Magic: The Gathering
Duels of the Planeswalkers(TM). In addition, MicroProse is jointly producing Magic: The
Gathering GatheringNet(TM) with Wizards of the Coast. GatheringNet is the official Magic: The
Gathering online play website.
With over two billion cards sold to date and the shipment of more than 235,000 copies of the
interactive computer game on CD-ROM, Magic: The Gathering for the PC is the number one
strategy card game on the PC. Magic for the PC is a turn-based strategy card game that appeals
to all ages.
MicoProse is expanding the Magic experience for computer users with the following new
multimedia products and services:
Spells of the Ancients
The Spells of the Ancients expansion CD-ROM offers a variety of new features to the Magic
player, including over 130 highly sought after cards from the original Unlimited Edition(TM),
Arabian Nights(R) and Antiquities(R) trading card sets. A new Sealed Deck Generator creates
virtual starter decks and boosters from all available cards allowing players to build decks and play
in single-elimination tournaments against the computer. Spells of the Ancients has over 60 new
prebuilt decks (including multicolored land cards) optimized to make the most of Magic gameplay
and the computer's AI. The expansion also features new interface screens for greater ease of use.
ManaLink
The ManaLink multiplayer module update will greatly enhance depth of gameplay. This online
software enables two players to duel over the Internet, chat, send messages and taunt opponents
inside and outside of the Duel. For easy opponent matching over the Net, ManaLink creates a
``live'' player environment, allowing players to view a list of other Magic players who are currently
online and playing over the Internet. Players can sort potential opponents' attributes by their rank
and location. ManaLink will be free and will be posted to the Internet upon release. Purchasers of
Spells of the Ancients, however, will receive the update before the initial posting as a special offer.
GatheringNet
Magic: The Gathering fans can challenge players around the world by visiting GatheringNet at
gathering.net, the official Magic: The Gathering online play website. GatheringNet will
be an online community where Magic enthusiasts can meet, discuss Magic topics of interest, learn
the latest Magic news and hear about Magic events taking place both online and in the real world.
Fans can win Magic prizes in contests and promotions, get the latest strategy tips, trade the latest
deck files and download other cool Magic freeware.
Duels of the Planeswalkers
A compilation of everything a player needs to compete in Magic play on the Internet, Duels of the
Planewalkers is complete with the original Magic: The Gathering for the PC, ManaLink, plus a new
card expansion for the PC, containing over 50 cards from Legends(R) and The Dark(R). With
proof of purchase for the original Magic: The Gathering for the PC, purchasers of Duels of the
Planeswalkers can get $15 back in a special rebate offer.
Spectrum HoloByte, Inc. is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software
for use on CD-ROM-based personal computers under the MicroProse(R) brand name. The
company is also developing software for the use on next generation 32/64-bit console machines,
the Internet and online gaming services. The company has five development studios located in:
Alameda, California; Hunt Valley, Maryland; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Austin, Texas and
Chipping Sodbury, England. Products are available nationally and internationally and are sold
through major distributors, retailers and mass merchants. Products and company information are
available for download from the MicroProse Web site at microprose.com. All
trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
The Magic trading card game is an imaginative game that promotes strategy, mathematics and
critical thinking. The card game has become the intellectual sport of the '90s. Developed by a math
professor, the Magic card game contains elements similar to bridge or chess and is often played in
a tournament setting, with amateur and professional Magic players competing throughout the year
to earn rankings and win prizes. To help players track their rankings, Wizards of the Coast created
the DCI(TM) players' organization, the governing authority for all officially sanctioned Magic
tournaments and events. Since its inception, DCI membership has grown to over 100,000 players.
Wizards of the Coast is a leading developer and publisher of entertainment products, including the
world's best-selling Magic: The Gathering trading card game. Wizards of the Coast subsidiaries
include TSR Inc. creators of the popular Dungeons & Dragons(R) adventure game, and Five Rings
Publishing Group Inc., best known for the Legend of the Five Rings(R) trading card game.
Headquartered just outside of Seattle, Wash., Wizards of the Coast has international offices in
Antwerp, Paris and London. For more information on Wizards of the Coast, visit the company's
website at wizards.com or its CompuServe forum at GOWIZARDS.
NOTE: WIZARDS OF THE COAST, Magic: The Gathering, DCI, Arabian Nights, Antiquities,
Legends, The Dark, Spells of the Ancients, ManaLink, GatheringNet and Duels of the
Planeswalkers are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast Inc. Dungeons & Dragons is a registered
trademark of TSR Inc. Legend of the Five Rings is a registered trademark of Five Rings Publishing
Group Inc. TSR Inc. and Five Rings Publishing Group Inc. are subsidiaries of Wizards of the
Coast Inc.
SOURCE: Spectrum HoloByte Inc. |
