Electronic Arts to Release DreamWorks Interactive's Medal of Honor, the First World War II-inspired Game for the PlayStation

Business Wire, March 18, 1999

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 1999--Electronic Arts(TM) (Nasdaq:ERTS), the world's largest interactive entertainment software company, announces the development of Medal of Honor(TM), a WWII-themed first-person action adventure title from DreamWorks Interactive(TM).

Inspired by DreamWorks SKG co-founder Steven Spielberg, Medal of Honor marks the first WWII action adventure game developed for the PlayStation(R) console system. The game allows players to take on the role of an agent in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the United States' wartime spy and covert operations agency, who aids the Allied Forces in an effort to thwart the German take over of Europe.

"As soon as Steven proposed the concept for Medal of Honor in the spring of 1997, we knew we could develop a remarkable game around the idea," says Glenn Entis head of DreamWorks Interactive. "The reaction within DreamWorks Interactive to developing the title was overwhelming, the game is a natural for us."

Medal of Honor begins on June 5, 1944, the night before D-day when the Alliance launched a massive aerial assault behind German lines. Assuming the role of a young C-47 pilot shot down during the operation, the player is recruited into the OSS and begins a new career as a field agent, participating in various covert operations, search and rescue assignments, and commando raids. Each mission is drawn from pivotal historical events that helped shape the Allied crusade in Europe, including sorties involving the development, capture, and destruction of secret war-making technologies.

"With the surging popularity of WWII-based projects across all entertainment forms," says Frank Gibeau, Vice President of Marketing at Electronic Arts, "we are excited to be the company that brings the WWII experience to video gamers."

To ensure Medal of Honor adequately reflects the realism and accuracy of the World War II era, DreamWorks Interactive brought in Capt. Dale Dye, USMC (retired), the top military consultant to the entertainment industry. Renowned for his contribution to such films as "Saving Private Ryan," "Platoon," "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Mission Impossible," Dye worked closely with Medal of Honor's production team to define characters, develop missions, and model accurate 3D versions of over fifteen different weapons from the era.

Notes Medal of Honor producer Peter Hirschmann, "Our goal when we started this project almost a year and a half ago was to design and build, from the ground up, the most fun and accessible first person shooter for the PlayStation that we could-- starting with the controller and moving up from there. Working with Captain Dye has been an invaluable experience for the team, because he's helped us develop compelling gameplay and a historically accurate story line that gives players themselves the opportunity to rise above and beyond the call of duty. He's been instrumental in giving Medal of Honor an authentic feel."

Gameplay features that will help Medal of Honor deliver an overall enjoyable gaming experience include: -0-

--   More than ten missions in which the player must accomplish
     specific objectives and goals in order to succeed and advance.
     Additionally, players will be able to earn "special assignment"
     bonus missions for excelling in duty.

--   Fifteen authentic World War II era weapons for the player to
     utilize. These include Thompson Sub-Machine gun, Springfield
     Sniper Rifle and the OSS Assassination Crossbow.

--   Thirty levels of a fully realized 3-D world, including a secret
     V2 Rocket Plant, a deadly U-boat submarine, and a fortified
     Bavarian Castle that has been turned into a POW Camp.

--   Twenty different Artificial Intelligence enemy types, from the
     Wehrmacht Light Infantry to the Elite Heavy Shock Troops.

--   Special disguise mode that allows players to put on an enemy
     uniform and move unnoticed through German encampments. (Forget to
     salute the right person, though, and you're history.)

--   Distinctive sounds effects, voice and radio communications to
     help fully draw the player into the historic wartime atmosphere.

--   Highly destructible environments that illustrate the ravages of
     war.

--   Multiple two player modes, including head-to-head, co-operative,
     and a wild version of "Hot Potato" using a live hand grenade.

--   Original music soundtrack featuring an evocative orchestral score
     by award-winning composer Michael Giacchino.

--   Actual WWII film footage to help immerse the player in the era.

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Dream Works Interactive is a joint venture between Microsoft(R) Corp. and DreamWorks SKG formed to create interactive entertainment software that combines great gameplay and technology with rich production values, compelling story-telling and involving characters.

Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of more than $1.1 billion for calendar 1998. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems. Electronic Arts markets its products under seven brand names: Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS(TM), Maxis(TM), ORIGIN(TM), Bullfrog(TM) Productions, Westwood Studios(TM) and Jane's(R) Combat Simulations. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.