Majesco And Starbreeze Confirm "The Darkness" Video Game On Next Generation Consoles
Gritty Supernatural Crime Drama Spearheads Growing Company’s Next-Gen Lineup
March 22, 2005
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Majesco | EDISON, N.J., March 21, 2004 - Majesco (NASDAQ: MJES), a provider of diversified offerings and content for digital entertainment platforms , today announced it will publish the video game adaptation of the popular comic book series, The Darkness, for the next generation of consoles. Scheduled for release in 2006, The Darkness is being developed by Starbreeze, the acclaimed development studio behind the top-selling video game, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.
Based on the best-selling Top Cow comic book, The Darkness casts players as Jackie Estacado, a fearless Mafia hitman for the Franchetti crime family who is suddenly possessed by the terrifying and spectacular powers of The Darkness. Throughout the game, players must learn to control and harness The Darkness power in order to overthrow the vicious mob boss and fulfill their destiny.
"We are excited to have secured Starbreeze, a highly talented and respected team, to develop one of our first titles for the next generation of video game consoles," said Jesse Sutton, president of Majesco. "Combining the top-tier development talent and technology of Starbreeze with the compelling content of Top Cow's The Darkness comic book series provides a solid foundation for success."
The Darkness features a seamless and unique blend of modern crime drama and supernatural horror through first and third-person, non-linear gameplay. Utilizing the Starbreeze engine for next generation consoles, The Darkness features single and online multi-player action across highly realistic environments.
Union Entertainment, a feature film and video game production company, packaged the deal which includes Paul Jenkins, a seminal writer in The Darkness comic book series, who will provide game story and dialogue.
The Darkness comic book series launched in 1996 and is currently published in 19 different languages around the world. The highly popular comic sells more than 500,000 copies of each issue and generates more than $25 million annually across its various brand extensions. The Darkness live action film, produced by Platinum Studios and Dimension Films, is estimated for release in 2007.
Additional information about The Darkness will be unveiled during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) being held May 18-20 in the Los Angeles Convention Center, booth 846 in the South Hall, in Los Angeles, CA.
About Starbreeze
Starbreeze is a Swedish game developer founded in 1998. The company has released four titles, for plaforms like Xbox, PC, PS2 and Gamecube. The latest release is the critically acclaimed Chronicles of Riddick for PC (91.1% average review score on Gamerankings.com) and Xbox (89.0% average review score). Starbreeze is listed on the Swedish small-cap stock exchange Aktietorget. For more information please see www.starbreeze.com.
About Top Cow
Top Cow was founded in December of 1992 and currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and 2 licensed) in the industry's Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise Witchblade was TNT's #1 original film of 2000. Virtually all of Top Cow's other properties are in development as feature films, live action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games and role playing games.
About Majesco
Headquartered in Edison, NJ, Majesco Holdings Inc . ( NASDAQ : MJES ) is an innovative provider of diversified products and content for digital entertainment platforms. The Company's
three main product lines include Games, which includes highly anticipated titles such as Advent Rising and Psychonauts; Videos, which highlights the Company's platform-independent video compression technology; and Gadgets, which includes innovative digital entertainment products like FroggerTV Arcade. More information about the Company can be found online at www.majescogames.com.
Safe Harbor
Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period(s) or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate" or "continue" or the negatives thereof or other comparable terminology. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. These factors include but are not limited to, the demand for our products; timely development and release of our products; the ability to secure licenses to valuable entertainment properties on favorable terms; continued consumer acceptance of the gaming platforms on which our products operate and our products; competitive factors in the businesses in which we compete; fulfillment of orders preliminarily made by customers; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; adverse changes in the securities markets; and the availability of and costs associated with sources of liquidity. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release publicly the results of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
"The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay" interactive game ® 2004 Vivendi Universal Games, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "Chronicles of Riddick" TM & ® Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All Rights Reserved. Vivendi Universal Games and the Vivendi Universal Games logo are trademarks of Vivendi Universal Games, Inc.
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