Universal Cartoon Studios and Electronic Arts/Origin Team to Create Wing Commander Academy; Animated Series Premieres on USA Network This Fall

Business Wire, May 14, 1996

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 14, 1996-- Universal Cartoon Studios and Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS) have joined forces to create Wing Commander Academy, an animated series based on the award-winning Wing Commander line of computer games from Electronic Arts' ORIGIN Systems subsidiary, it was announced today by MCA Television Entertainment President Barbara Fisher and Electronic Arts Chairman and CEO Larry Probst.

Thirteen initial half-hour Wing Commander Academy episodes are being produced at Universal Cartoon Studios and will premiere Fall '96 on the USA Network (air times to be determined).

"There is a very broad audience for the vision being realized through the marriage of the Wing Commander computer games and the new animated series," said Fisher. "Jeff Segal, former Universal Cartoon Studios president, had the creative foresight to originally develop Wing Commander Academy with Electronic Arts, and we're very proud the project continues Universal Cartoon Studios' overall commitment to produce high-quality, story-driven animation for the marketplace."

Adds Electronic Arts Chairman and CEO Larry Probst, "We have long believed that the best-selling Wing Commander franchise was the perfect vehicle to move our compelling interactive content to a broader entertainment medium. Partnering with Universal Cartoon Studios has been a superb match, combining our characters and stories with their considerable linear production experience."

Universal Cartoon Studios has secured several of the talented cast members from the Wing Commander III and Wing Commander IV games to provide voices for the Wing Commander Academy animated series. Reprising their roles from the game are Malcolm McDowell (Star Trek: Generations), Mark Hamill (Star Wars trilogy) and Tom Wilson (Back to the Future I, II and III). Joining the regular cast in a new role is Emmy award-winning actress Dana Delany (China Beach).

Electronic Arts is a leading global publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems. Electronic Arts, ORIGIN Systems and Wing Commander are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts or its wholly owned subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Universal Cartoon Studios is a division of MCA INC., a unit of the Seagram Company, Ltd., a global beverage and entertainment/communications company.

CONTACT: Electronic Arts

Pat Becker, 415/513-7523

Caroline Hughes, 415/513-7860

or

MCA Television Entertainment

Zenon Dmytryk, 818/777-8072

or

Origin Systems

David Swofford, 512/434-6620