The Learning Company's Mindscape Division Expands Popular 'Blackstone
Chronicles' Storyline With Red Orb Brand Adventure Game
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Best-Selling John Saul Book Series Has Sold 10 Million Copies Worldwide
NOVATO, Calif., Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Learning Company, Inc.'s (NYSE:TLC) Mindscape division today shipped an adventure game that expands the storyline of the world-famous "Blackstone Chronicles" book series.
John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles: An Adventure in Terror represents an emerging form of storytelling that uses complementary yet independent media platforms for more fulfilling entertainment.
While this computer game is based upon the Blackstone book series, it expands the original story and stands alone to appeal to users who have not read the books. By embracing the newest developments in technology, John Saul has enriched the entire experience of his fiction and essentially created a new genre of storytelling. The Blackstone universe now encompasses a series of books, a computer game, three Web sites and a television miniseries to be aired next year on ABC. Each component of the story is told through a uniquely appropriate medium and stands alone, yet they are all integrally related and enhance each other.
John Saul commented on the project: "I think the most exciting thing about the Blackstone game is that it represents a genuine breakthrough in storytelling, offering the creator of fiction an entirely new framework within which to construct a story. While the CD-ROM form offers a new set of opportunities for structuring a tale, it presents a new set of limitations as well -- I found the form to be not only very exciting, but incredibly challenging, and I am very much looking forward to working in it again."
John Moore, president of Mindscape, expects the Blackstone CD-ROM to reach beyond the traditional computer entertainment market to include millions of loyal John Saul readers who don't normally play games. "John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles: An Adventure in Terror will challenge the hardcore gamer yet also appeal to everyday John Saul fans who love a good mystery," Moore said.
"The Blackstone Chronicles" book series was released in six separate installments in 1997. Since then the books have sold more than 10 million copies in 13 languages worldwide. Legend Entertainment Company developed the computer game for Mindscape.
Like the book series, the setting for John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles: An Adventure in Terror is the fictional New England town of Blackstone, which has been haunted for generations by a mysterious evil spirit. The game takes place inside a 25-room asylum that has recently been renovated after being abandoned for more than 40 years. Gameplay involves exploration and puzzle-solving to reach the core of the asylum and uncover its evil secrets.
John Saul has published 27 New York Times paperback bestsellers, including his most recent novel, "The Presence," which was released in 1997. His writing career counts more than 60 million books in print worldwide in 37 languages.
John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles: An Adventure in Terror will be
released under the Red Orb label. For a limited time, a free copy of the blockbuster best seller Myst will be included with each game.
Minimum System Requirements and Availability
Windows 95/98, Pentium 133 and 16 MB of RAM, plus a 1MB SVGA card. The game is available in all major computer resellers in the United States, the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, and France for an estimated street price of US$49.99. Customers interested in inquiring about John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles: An Adventure in Terror or other Mindscape products may call the company at 800-716-8503. Product information and technical support is also available over the Internet at www.mindscapegames.com.
About Legend Entertainment Company
Legend Entertainment Company is a leading developer of high-quality entertainment software. The company is best known for its mastery of interactive storytelling, creating rich adventure games that feature memorable plots, themes, characters and environments. Founded in 1989, Legend has developed 16 titles, including the award-winning games "Star Control 3," "Mission Critical," "Death Gate" and "Eric the Unready."
About Red Orb Entertainment
Red Orb Entertainment is a Mindscape brand published by The Learning Company, Inc.
About the Learning Company
The Learning Company, Inc. is one of the country's leading developers of consumer software for the entire family. The company publishes some of the best-known education, reference, personal productivity and family entertainment brands in the U.S., including Reader Rabbit, Sesame Street, Carmen Sandiego, National Geographic, American Greetings, Myst, SSI, Red Orb Entertainment, PF.Magic, and Chessmaster. The company's products are sold in more than 23,000 retail stores in North America and through multiple distribution channels including school sales, online, direct marketing and OEM. The Learning Company also develops, publishes and distributes products internationally through subsidiaries in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Holland, Japan and Australia, and with distributors throughout Europe, Latin America and the Pacific Rim. The Company's headquarters are located at One Athenaeum Street, Cambridge, Mass. 02142; telephone 617-494-1200; fax 617-494-1219. The corporate Web site is located at www.learningco.com, and customer service can be reached at 617-761-3000.
SOURCE Learning Company, Inc. 11/13/98
/CONTACT: Maria Murnane of Strategy Associates, 650-653-2771, or
maria@prstrategy.com, for The Learning Co.; or John Suske, Investor Relations, The Learning Co., 617-494-5816, or jsuske@learningco.com/
/Web site: mindscapegames.com
/Web site: learningco.com |
