EA.com Goes Live; Takes Online Interactive Entertainment to the Masses; Games Available on EA.COM, AOL Games Channel, AOL.COM, Netscape, CompuServe, and ICQ

Business Wire, Oct 5, 2000

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

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REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 2000

Initial Site Delivers 30 Online Games Ranging from Sports

to Card Games to Immersive Worlds

EA.com(SM), an online interactive entertainment destination and a new business division of Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS), today announced that its new online game site, and the new AOL Games Channel, are open to the public.

Located at www.EA.com, America Online's Games Channel, at Keyword "EA", and on AOL.COM, Netscape, CompuServe and ICQ, the first phase of the site is jam-packed with more than 30 online games offering a fun interactive experience for everyone.

EA.com was formed as a result of a strategic agreement struck between Electronic Arts and America Online in November 1999. The strategic relationship was designed to bring the world's best interactive entertainment content to the Internet through AOL's family of interactive brands. Today's launch of EA.com and this relationship positions EA.com as one of the leading online gaming sites.

The new site is the first iteration of a continually expanding games experience, with new games to be introduced over time. All of the games will initially be free of charge, with new pricing plans for selected premium content introduced at a later date.

"EA.com and the AOL interactive games destinations will change the way people view and engage in online interactive entertainment," said Mark Blecher, vice president of marketing and sales at EA.com. "Our goal is to make the Internet fun with great, unique, accessible games. We're creating an assortment of games that will appeal to a wide variety of tastes -- teens, adults, males, females and casual and experienced gamers."

"We couldn't be more pleased to work with EA.com to launch our new Games Channels," said Barry Schuler, president of AOL Interactive Services. "From board and card games to massively multi-player game experiences, our new Games destinations, programmed by EA.com, offer something for everyone -- great games at every skill level."

Whether consumers want to sharpen their hoops game, see how well they handle a motorcycle, test their skill against a roomful of card sharks, or immerse themselves in a virtual world of magic and adventure, EA.com will deliver. The site also offers added value to EA's portfolio of packaged goods games through downloadable content, editorial coverage, hints and tips, community activity and multi-player matchmaking on an expanding range of CD-based titles.

EA.com has organized the many games on the site into four content channels, including: 1) EA SPORTS(TM) Arena giving sports fanatics and newbies a "quick fix" to demonstrate their cyber sports prowess; 2) EA Lounge where players can test their wit or mental muscle with an assortment of game shows and brain teasing entertainment; 3) EA Clubroom, offering an abundance of card, board and puzzle games; and 4) EA Worlds, where players discover a world of action, role playing and high speed adventures. EA.com and AOL's Games destinations are ESRB compliant and on AOL the site is compatible with AOL's Parental Controls.

"EA.com is well positioned to become a leader in the emerging online interactive entertainment arena," said David Cole, president of DFC Intelligence, a California-based market research firm. "As a game publisher, Electronic Arts has the world's deepest library of interactive entertainment content. In addition, by forming a strategic relationship with AOL, EA.com is guaranteed access to millions of consumers. Together this looks like a winning combination."

EA.com and the new AOL interactive games destinations are easily navigable with the channels of entertainment clearly displayed along with descriptions of each game. The opening page also provides the EA Game Finder, a scrolling list that users can click through to display a snapshot of any game on the site. The snapshot includes an image of the game screen and brief description of gameplay. Click on "GO" to move straight to the selected game page. From there, you can access everything you need to play including instructions, system requirements, message boards and the "Play" button to begin the game. Leader Boards are displayed throughout the site enabling users to see who has the high scores on selected games.

Players can also tap into a variety of other links that provide hints and tips, new player help or a general discussion with other players.

About EA.com

EA.com, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a new business division of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), the world's largest interactive entertainment software company. Under an agreement with America Online, Inc. (AOL), the world's leading interactive services company, EA.com will provide exclusive games programming for the AOL Games channel, AOL.COM, Netscape.com, ICQ.com, CompuServe, in addition to the EA.com home site. The relationship between EA.com and AOL has created a leading online gaming community and provides several services, including the ability to download and play games, find online opponents, obtain game related information and join chat rooms to discuss games. Electronic Arts created a new Electronic Arts Class B Common Stock that tracks the performance of EA.com.