EA's Ultima Online To Enter New Dimension; Ultima Online: Third Dawn to Feature 3-D Characters, New Lands and Monsters; Unveiling Takes Place at Inaugural UO World Faire

Business Wire, Nov 10, 2000

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 10, 2000

Call it a makeover, an exciting new look, a change of face or just the latest chapter for the Internet's most popular virtual world. Today, Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) and its Austin, Texas subsidiary, ORIGIN Systems(TM), announced plans to launch Ultima(TM) Online: Third Dawn(TM) early next year. Third Dawn is the latest upgrade to the highly successful Ultima Online (UO) game, which currently boasts more than 200,000 active subscribers. Third Dawn was formally unveiled this morning at the first annual Ultima Online World Faire taking place today and tomorrow at the Austin Convention Center.

With Third Dawn, Ultima Online will be more immersive than ever with fully animated, motion captured 3-D characters, each with enhanced gesturing and animations. In all, Third Dawn will feature more than 700 motion-captured animations on nearly 200 different character models. An enhanced lighting and shading system, a new land to explore, more than a dozen new monsters, a particle system for spell and magic effects and improved music and sound effects will make Ultima Online look and sound better than ever before.

"Third Dawn is really going to give our players a brand new way to experience Ultima Online's virtual world," says Gordon Walton, ORIGIN's vice president for online services. "We're not just adding more of the same thing. We're creating 3-D technology that will enhance how each person plays and identifies with their character. It opens up an emotional attachment between players and their avatars that we've never had before in Ultima Online."

Third Dawn also will allow development teams greater latitude to make additions and enhancements to UO long after Third Dawn launches. With Third Dawn, ORIGIN Systems is making a commitment to its players and fans for a long time to come.

Beta testing for Ultima Online: Third Dawn will begin soon and will be open to current UO players only. More information on Third Dawn can be found at http://www.uo.com/thirddawn.

Ultima Online: Third Dawn was announced this morning at the Inaugural Ultima Online World Faire. More than 800 Ultima Online players from around the world are attending the two-day event which includes roundtable and panel discussions, period costumes and music, medieval weaponry and art exhibits, a Renaissance village of vendors, a charity auction, parties and game demos.

About Ultima Online

Ultima Online is a thriving, persistent, virtual world where more than 200,000 people live and play on the Internet. Players can enjoy true social interaction with other participants in real-time, form adventure parties, engage in battles, take on perilous quests or chat in a tavern over a goblet of virtual ale. More information on Ultima Online can be found at http://www.uo.com.

About ORIGIN Systems

ORIGIN Systems develops and publishes state-of-the-art entertainment software. To date, the company has released more than 60 titles, including the award winning Ultima, Wing Commander(TM), Privateer(TM) and Crusader series of games. ORIGIN is based in Austin, Texas and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Electronic Arts (EA). More information on ORIGIN products can be found on the Internet at http://www.origin.ea.com.

About Electronic Arts

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 $1.4 billion for fiscal 2000. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and video game systems and markets its products under two brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA GAMES(TM) and EA.COM(SM). More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.

ORIGIN, Origin Systems, Ultima, Third Dawn, Wing Commander, Privateer, Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS and EA GAMES are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA.COM is a service mark of EA.COM Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.