Best Internet Selected to Host id Software's QUAKE; Leading Business Internet Service Provider Handling between 15-20 Million QUAKE Hits Per Day

Business Wire, August 5, 1996

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 5, 1996--Best Internet Communications, the world's leader in Web Hosting services, today announced its selection by id Software to host the company's popular new Internet software game - QUAKE. As id's next-generational advancement from DOOM, the most popular network computer game ever, QUAKE is generating over fifteen million hits per day as users download the shareware through a preliminary rollout of the game via the Internet. id Software selected Best Internet to host this critical rollout of QUAKE after evaluating several national Internet Service Providers.

Best was chosen over competing providers because of its superior connectivity infrastructure. Best's hosting capabilities enable id to accommodate the high volume of QUAKE daily downloads. QUAKE is currently downloaded at a daily rate of 20,000 downloads, generating 69.2GB of data transfers per day via a single Sequent server.

"We searched and quantitatively evaluated several ISPs before selecting Best as our Web hosting service provider for QUAKE," said Jay Wilbur, CEO of id Software. "We selected Best Internet because they provide us with a fortified and very powerful Internet conduit on which to offer QUAKE. id Software is distributing the shareware version to game players by allowing them to download QUAKE at no cost. Best's co-location services allow id to house their six processor Sequent server at Best's facilities for substantially increased bandwidth and complete and secure Web site hosting."

"The download demands of a game as popular as QUAKE can cripple most Internet Service Providers," noted Bruce Lichorowic, vice president of sales and marketing for Best Internet.

"With 62GB a day, hosting a game of this magnitude requires an infrastructure capable of handling extraordinary large volumes of traffic and Best is uniquely qualified to support QUAKE. In fact, with the success we're having with QUAKE, Best has been asked to co-locate a number of other game software companies, becoming the place to go for high-volume downloading needs. By partnering with id Software, Best Internet is demonstrating how the Web is fast becoming the shareware marketing channel of choice for software developers."

To download QUAKE - a nightmarishly intense, true 3-D shoot-em- up game - users go to the id home page (http:www.idsoftware.com) and click on the QUAKE download icon. The download page includes a simple set of instructions, offering the option to download either the full 9MB file, or 7 1.44MB files to fit on disks for backup. Users can save the game to either their hard drive or disks and then download the game.

Best's market-leading co-location services permit companies to maintain and administer their own equipment on a 24x7 basis, while taking advantage of Best's redundant T3 backbone connectivity. By providing id Software with direct access to the Internet, Best provides high-performance Internet responsiveness and throughput at a competitive price.

ABOUT ID SOFTWARE

id Software, founded in 1991, is a software development company located in Mesquite, Texas. id's team of talented developers continue to make gaming history by creating and publishing one sensational action game after another. Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, DOOM II, Heretic and HEXEN have created a frenzied demand worldwide and have managed to consistently break shareware and retail sales records at home and abroad.

ABOUT BEST INTERNET

Best Internet Communications, Inc. is a rapidly growing Internet Service Provider located in the heart of Silicon Valley. The company provides a comprehensive range of innovative Internet Services, and is the world leader in Web site hosting, new Internet domain name registration, and Internet service co-location. Other value-added services including merchant ready Commerce Server hosting, FTP hosting, Web site development and Internet security consulting. The company also provides dial-up and dedicated Internet connectivity for consumers, small business and large corporations. Best Internet has established strategic alliances with a number of leading companies, including Microsoft, NetScape, CyberCash, Digital Equipment, and Wells Fargo. -0- Note to Editors: All trademarks are acknowledged.

CONTACT: Best Internet Communications

Bruce Lichorowic, 415/944-8214

bwl@best.com

or

Dave' & Bairey Communications

Peter Dave', 415/882-9905

peter@dbcomm.com