Major publisher signs multi-title digital distribution deal with IGN Entertainment
December 7, 2005
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Author: IGN
BRISBANE, Calif - Dec 6, 2005 - Direct2Drive, IGN Entertainment's digital retail store, and 2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., have signed a multi-title exclusive digital distribution deal covering several 2005 and 2006 launch titles in North America and the UK. 2K Games' move into digital delivery includes recent hot PC releases Sid Meier's Civilization IV, Serious Sam 2 and Sid Meier's Pirates.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV is receiving the highest marks from all game reviewers. IGN.com editors stated, "The only reason to stop playing Sid Meier's Civilization IV is to tell other people just how good the game is," and rated the game a 9.4 out of 10. In addition, eight other 2K Games' titles will be made available on Direct2Drive, reinforcing what hardcore gamers already know - that IGN Entertainment's network of sites is the ultimate destination for game news, information, community and downloads.
"It is clear that Direct2Drive is the top choice for the highest quality publishers and games as the industry goes digital," said Jamie Berger, vice president and general manager of IGN Entertainment's Consumer Products division. "We are thrilled to have become the exclusive digital distribution home for Sid Meier's Civilization IV, Serious Sam 2 and other outstanding PC game franchises from 2K Games."
2K Games is the latest AAA publisher to become part of the Direct2Drive family, joining an acclaimed roster that already includes Activision, Atari, Eidos, Electronic Arts, Namco, NCsoft, Sony Online Entertainment, Ubisoft and Vivendi Universal Games, a list that underscores the growing investment the industry's top publishers are making in digital delivery.
Since launching in October 2004, Direct2Drive has been gaining popularity among IGN's largely 18-34 year-old male customer base with its growing roster of top games. Direct2Drive builds on the proven operational infrastructure of FilePlanet, IGN Entertainment's download site and IGN's separate HitPoints program, which provides full digital game downloads as rewards to IGN and GameSpy subscribers.
Game publishers interested in learning more about the distribution opportunities on Direct2Drive can contact Sutton Trout, IGN's director of digital content, at 415-508-2062, or by email at [email protected].
About Take-Two Interactive Software
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (Nasdaq:TTWO) is an integrated global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation game console, PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, PSPTM (PlayStationPortable) system, the Xbox video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Xbox 360TM video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCubeTM, Nintendo DSTM and Game Boy Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K Games, 2K Sports and Global Star Software; and distributes products in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region through its Joytech subsidiary. The Company maintains sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Vienna, Milan, Sydney, Breda (Netherlands) and Auckland. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.
About Direct2Drive
Direct2Drive (http://www.direct2drive.com), IGN Entertainment's digital download retail store, serves the users of IGN's popular games and entertainment sites. Direct2Drive offers game publishers a new channel to sell both their new and catalog PC game titles. The service uses proven Digital Rights Management technologies to ensure a secure transaction for both the buyer and the game publisher. As a digital-download-only store, Direct2Drive carries no physical inventory, meaning Direct2Drive can offer as many games to its customers as a publisher wishes to put on sale.
About IGN Entertainment
IGN Entertainment is a leading Internet media and services company focused on the videogame and entertainment enthusiast markets. Collectively, IGN's properties reached more than 33 million unique users worldwide in the month of October 2005, according to Internet audience measurement firm comScore Media Metrix*. The company's network of videogame-related properties (IGN.com, GameSpy, FilePlanet, TeamXbox, Direct2Drive and others), is the web's number one videogame information destination and attracts one of the largest concentrated audiences of young males on the Internet. IGN also owns and operates the popular movie-related website, Rotten Tomatoes and one of the leading male lifestyle websites, AskMen.com. In addition, IGN provides technology for online game play in videogames. The company is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices throughout the U. S. and in Montreal.
IGN Entertainment, IGN.com, GameSpy, AskMen.com, Rotten Tomatoes, FilePlanet, TeamXbox, 3D Gamers, Direct2Drive, GameStats.com and IGN FilmForce are trademarks of IGN Entertainment, Inc. All other trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.
*Worldwide data cited herein represent an aggregate of 32 countries reported by comScore Media Metrix on a monthly basis.
Contacts:
Sibel Sunar/Craig Sinel
The Bohle Company
(310) 785-0515 Ext. 271/211
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