Sony Online Entertainment to Begin Localizing Online Games to Four Languages

Business Wire, May 22, 2001

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 22, 2001

SOE Set to Expand Lines of Communication Internationally For

Best-Selling Massively Multiplayer Online Games

Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) Tuesday announced that they have begun localization for several games at The Station, (www.station.com) allowing them to support a global community.

The initial phase of localization involves both human and automated translating agents, beginning with French, German, Japanese and Korean. The localization will allow players to fully interact textually within the game in their own language. SOE is committed to making its incredible array of online games just as accessible to gamers around the world as they currently are to English speaking players.

"The vision of a global gaming community has always been the core of our business model," said Kelly Flock, president, Sony Online Entertainment. "The localization allows us to surpass language barriers and give gamers worldwide the best online gaming experience."

Leading off the localized products is "EverQuest(R): The Shadows of Luclin(TM)," the third expansion pack to "EverQuest," the most successful online role-playing game of all time boasting more than 375,000 active subscribers comprised of players from all over the world. Other games planned for localization include: "PlanetSide(TM)," the world's first massively multiplayer first-person action game set in a persistent world and "Star Wars(R) Galaxies(TM)," an online game set within the Star Wars universe.

SOE has already begun the multi-language duplication process for several games. The identical version preserves the look and feel of the game while making it accessible to a foreign language audience. SOE's plans include the use of real-time machine translation of in-game player chat. This will allow players to chat even if they do not share a common language. The combination of localization and advanced translation software will facilitate SOE's position as a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games.

Sony's localization coincides with current increases in global interest in the Internet. According to the International Development Conference, more than 50% of current Web users reside outside of the United States; this percentage is expected to increase to 60% by 2003. By 2003, nearly half of worldwide e-commerce will take place outside the United States.

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), the online gaming division of Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment, is a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming.

With headquarters in San Diego, SOE develops, publishes and distributes entertainment for the PC and online markets. With more than 10 million registered users, SOE's award-winning Web site, The Station(R) (www.station.com) hosts a variety of entertaining games and player communities spanning all genres. In addition to blockbuster hits "EverQuest(R)" and "Jeopardy! Online," SOE has an array of cutting-edge online games in development such as "PlanetSide(TM)," "Star Wars(R) Galaxies(TM)" and "Sovereign(TM)."