Game includes an unlockable alternative ending where Kong escapes safe and sound.
December 21, 2005
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Author: Ubisoft
SAN FRANCISCO - December 20, 2005 - Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, revealed that its critically acclaimed game of the year contender, Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie features an un-lockable, exclusive alternate ending in which players can save the giant ape from his cinematic death, pilot an airplane and discover Kong back home on his native Skull Island. The game, rated "T" for Teen, based on Universal Pictures' release, King Kong, from three-time Academy Award winner Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), is positioned to be the top-selling title for the holiday season and is currently available nationwide.
"I wanted the game to be able to take the audience a bit further than what the film could," said Peter Jackson. "And the final climax of the game gave us an opportunity to do something that the film could not do, which was to have an alternate ending - obviously everybody pretty much knows how King Kong ends."
"With the King Kong film opening this past weekend, Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie features the ending millions would love to see - King Kong alive and back on Skull Island," said Tony Kee, vice president of marketing for Ubisoft North America. "Michel Ancel and Peter Jackson's collaboration was strong from the very beginning to the very end, so much so, they created an alternate ending where players will experience memorable moments beyond the film."
To unlock the alternate ending, players must complete the entire game and then go back and play through various maps and earn a total of 250,000 points - which is within reason and definitely worth the effort. Other un-lockable features include several Weta Digital concept art galleries, interviews with both Peter Jackson and Academy Award winner and co-writer Phillipa Boyens, an "old movie" filter, a King Kong theatrical trailer and more.
The King Kong Collaboration:
Michel Ancel, creative director at Ubisoft - regarded as one of the top innovative minds in the video game industry - and his team at Ubisoft's Montpellier (France) studio worked with Peter Jackson and Wingnut Films to capture the King Kong movie dynamics through a unique video game experience.
"It was an absolute pleasure working with Ubisoft on the video game," Peter Jackson said. "Being able to collaborate closely together from day one was of utmost importance, which is why we gave Ubisoft unlimited access to every creative aspect of our film production. We really wanted the game and the film to be part of the same universe."
"We were amazed by Peter Jackson's creativity and what he brought to the project," Michel Ancel said. "Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie is a creation that closely follows the storyline of the movie, yet as video games have the innate ability to do, pushes the emotional tension of the film to even greater depths. Players will experience unprecedented dual gameplay within a movie-licensed game that alternates between Jack Driscoll in first-person and as King Kong in third-person. These contrasting perspectives will immerse players in a journey that features epic battles, tough choices and a dynamic experience within the visually stunning environment of Skull Island."
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie is available for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system ($49.99), Xbox 360TM video game and entertainment system from Microsoft ($59.99), Xbox video game system from Microsoft ($49.99), Nintendo GameCubeTM system ($49.99), Windows PC ($49.99), PSPTM (PlayStationPortable) system ($49.99) and Nintendo DSTM ($39.99). Kong: The 8th Wonder of the WorldTM (rated E10+) is available for the Game Boy Advance system ($29.99).
For more information on Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie, please visit the official Web site at www.kingkonggame.com.
For more information about Ubisoft, please visit www.ubi.com and www.ubisoftgroup.com.
2005 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Universal Studios' King Kong movie Universal Studios. Kong The 8th Wonder of the WorldTM Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All Rights Reserved. ACADEMY AWARD and OSCAR are the trademarks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "PSP" is a trademark and "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Memory Stick DuoTM may be required (sold separately). TM, , Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. 2004 Nintendo. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox Live are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
2005 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Universal Studios' King Kong movie Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All Rights Reserved.
About King Kong
Triple Academy Award winner Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) directs the dramatic adventure King Kong, bringing his sweeping cinematic vision to the iconic story of the gigantic ape captured in the wild and brought to civilization where he meets his tragic fate. Jackson assumes directing, producing and co-screenwriting duties and surrounds himself with a list of superlative filmmaking and acting talents.
Jackson re-teams with longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, co-writing the screenplay with three-time Oscar-winning partner Walsh and their The Lord of the Rings co-writer, Academy Award winner Boyens. Jan Blenkin, Carolynne Cunningham, Fran Walsh and Jackson produce the film under their WingNut Films banner.
Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts (21 Grams) portrays Ann Darrow, an actress from the world of vaudeville who finds herself out of a job in Depression-era New York. Her luck changes when she meets Carl Denham, played by Jack Black (School of Rock). Denham is an entrepreneur, raconteur, adventurer and filmmaker who is struggling to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Bold, ebullient and charismatic, Denham has a natural sense of showmanship and an appetite for greatness, which ultimately leads to catastrophe. Academy Award winner Adrien Brody (The Pianist) steps into the role of Jack Driscoll, a New York playwright, who becomes an unlikely hero in a romantic adventure story which will test his physical courage and his heart.
Andy Serkis (who performed the role of the CGI character Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy) provided both on-set performance reference and motion capture performance for the title character of King Kong. Serkis also appears onscreen playing Lumpy the Cook, in service aboard the tramp steamer S.S. Venture, bound for Skull Island, under the command of Captain Englehorn, played by Thomas Kretschmann (U-571). Colin Hanks (Orange County) portrays a production assistant to filmmaker Carl Denham and Kyle Chandler (television's Early Edition), taking on the role of Bruce Baxter, a 1930s movie star cast opposite Ann Darrow in the film Denham is shooting.
Visual effects are again accomplished by New Zealand-based companies Weta Digital, under the direction of Oscar winner Joe Letteri and Weta Workshop, under the direction of Oscar winner Richard Taylor. Visual effects will supplement practical locations in creating the primordial jungles of Skull Island, while digital effects recreate the bustling metropolis of 1933 Manhattan. James Newton Howard (Batman Begins) composes the original score for the film.
A Note to Parents: King Kong is rated PG-13. Please consult www.filmratings.com for further information.
About Universal Studios Consumer Products Group:
Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is responsible for global licensing and retail strategies as well as building brand recognition of the extensive catalogue of NBC Universal properties. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.
About Ubisoft:
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through its strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 21 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated revenue of 538 million Euros for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, an increase of 8 percent over the previous fiscal year at constant exchange rates. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
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