Ubisoft Reinvents Action Sports Video Games with Shaun White Snowboarding

Business Wire, May 28, 2008

Olympic Gold Medalist and Sports Superstar Partners with Ubisoft to Push the Boundaries of Video Games and Bring the Action Sports Lifestyle to Consumers Like Never Before

SAN FRANCISCO -- Today Ubisoft announces the development of Shaun White Snowboarding, a title destined to break all former action sports video game notions and redefine the action sports genre. The game will appear on the Xbox 360[R] video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION[R]3 computer entertainment system, Windows-based PC, and the Wii[TM] home video game system from Nintendo, and is scheduled for release in Holiday 2008.

Powered by the award-winning Assassin's Creed[TM] engine for Xbox 360 and the PLAYSTATION 3 system, Shaun White Snowboarding truly captures the action sports lifestyle. Shaun White Snowboarding is being developed from the ground up for the Wii system, taking full advantage of the Wii Balance Board[TM] accessory and featuring its own unique storyline and adventure with Shaun White.

"Shaun White Snowboarding will turn all of the traditional ideas and experiences of past action sports titles upside down," said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. "The combination of Ubisoft's innovation approach and the influence of Shaun's lifestyle and perspective make this gaming experience like no other."

Developed in close collaboration with Shaun White, Olympic Gold Medalist and eight-time X Games Gold Medalist, Shaun White Snowboarding allows players to enter a world of total freedom, where they can create their own experience and choose how, where, and with whom they want to ride.

Key Features of Shaun White Snowboarding for Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 system, and Windows-based PC:

* Open World Mountains: Choose how you ride in open-world mountains across the world. Conquer extreme peak conditions, create your own paths in the back country, or compete with fellow riders in the terrain parks.

* Your Friends Are Always Around: Play in a world where your friends are always around. Do your own runs on mountains populated by real gamers, or join your friends for a quick session from any mountain.

* More than Just Snowboarding: Have fun with your friends on and off the board! Throw snowballs, hike to access secret spots, film your friends doing ripping tricks. You can also upload your videos online to share with the world.

* Ride Your Way: Express yourself through tricks, riding styles, and highly customizable avatars - both in single-player and in the online world. Use the intuitive dual analog control to pull off a huge variety of tricks that express your style.

* Next-Gen Technology: Built on the Assassin's Creed engine, this game creates a massive world with gorgeous visuals and realistic NPC interactions. This is also the first time a snowboarding game is completely driven by physics instead of animation.

* Authentic Snowboarding: Ubisoft has worked closely with Shaun White to infuse the gaming experience with authenticity, personality and humor. Shaun is a friend and mentor in the game, and will help you with your skills. And, if you are deemed worthy, you may even be able to play as Shaun in the game ...

Key features of Shaun White Snowboarding for the Wii system:

* Exclusive storyline: Everybody loves a road trip! You and your crew travel the world to participate in a variety of the largest and craziest events to become a world-renowned athlete. Life on the road to success wouldn't be the same without the support of your friends, who will always be there to help you out and keep your head on your shoulders. Stand together with your friends - both in the game and in the living room - and you will be able to conquer the madness that fame brings.

* Go on a globetrotting adventure with Shaun White as your partner - Ubisoft worked in close contact with Shaun White in order to infuse the experience with the most authentic elements of his riding style, personality and sense of humor. Shaun will act as a good-natured friend and mentor to the player, hooking him up with the right friends to conquer challenges together, introduce him to new locales, or simply be around to share in a laugh.

-- Wii Balance Board Integration - Get yourself into the game like never before by using the Wii Board to control your rider. Control your carves, jumps and grinds with the intuitiveness and fun of having a snowboard in your own living room.

* Everyone plays, no one waits - Engage in a seamlessly integrated multiplayer experience for two to four players, where every player is active in the game at all times.

* Get together your crew - In the world of snowboarding, it pays to have friends on your side. Your crew of friends will always be there to help you by offering you unique abilities to improve both your riding and keeping you grounded with friendly pranks; filming all the antics along the way.

* Fame and Respect - Getting your name out there by doing well as a pro snowboarder is bound to get you some recognition. As your fame grows, so too does your ability to take on bigger and bigger challenges, from new mountains to more prestigious events and competitions. Fame, however, isn't everything. You'll need to gain your friends' respect by riding with style in order to gain their support; they will help you find hidden areas, share their favorite music tracks and keep you laughing.