LOS ANGELES, Jul 12, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced the upcoming
release of the award-winning(1) title Orcs & Elves® to the Nintendo
DS™ and the second installment in the action-fantasy saga, Orcs &
Elves II, coming to mobile. Orcs & Elves and Orcs & Elves II are
first-person fantasy role playing games created by id™ Software and
developed exclusively for EA by Fountainhead Entertainment. Orcs &
Elves marks one of the first games developed specifically for the
mobile platform that has crossed over to another game-specific device.
The Orcs & Elves franchise has been lauded for marrying the
storytelling and visuals of the fantasy RPG genre with the
accessibility of the mobile format, which has appealed to casual and
hardcore gamers alike. The game won numerous awards including IGN's
Best of E3 2006 and Mobile Game of the Year at the 10th Annual
Interactive Achievement Awards.
"Orcs & Elves was a perfect fit for the DS," said John Carmack,
founder and technical director at id Software. "We were able to take
excellent advantage of the 3D hardware and unique user input
capabilities, and expand the game to include a lot of wonderful
features that we just couldn't fit on the cell phones. Orcs & Elves II
is a polished gem of a game for the mobile platforms, opening up new
parts of the world to explore, while carrying forward and improving
all the elements that were loved about the original game."
"Orcs & Elves changed a lot of people's perceptions by showing
that you could build an easily accessible, story-rich RPG for today's
mobile phones," said Travis Boatman, vice president of worldwide
studios for EA Mobile™.
id Software has crafted an entirely new version of Orcs & Elves
that utilizes the Nintendo DS unique technology platform. Orcs & Elves
will feature higher graphical fidelity, more levels, items and
monsters as players explore a massive Dwarven kingdom riddled with
ancient treasures and fierce enemies. The game features hybrid
gameplay, combining the best of first-person action and fast-paced
tactical RPG gameplay.
"With the franchise expanding to the popular DS platform, we're
reaching a real milestone in handheld gaming," said David DeMartini,
vice president and global GM of EA Partners.
Orcs & Elves II for mobile continues the epic story from the
original game and expands the Orcs & Elves universe. In Orcs & Elves
II, evil begins to spread throughout the lands after the fall of King
Brahm at Mount Zharrkarag. As a novice thief who has stolen the
legendary wand Ellon, players must travel through towns and forests
while trying to convince the Wand to be helpful. With a new mouse
companion, Ellon's help, and a lot of luck, Valin must return to his
under siege town before it's too late. Players will encounter new
creatures, allies and villains as they explore seven huge interactive
environments including towns, collapsing caverns and haunted forests.
Orcs & Elves II for mobile and Orcs & Elves for the Nintendo DS is
scheduled to be available for the upcoming holiday season.
(1) Orcs & Elves won 'Best RPG - Wireless Best of E3 2006 Award' -
IGN; 'Best Mobile Game' at the 2006 Leipzig Games Convention and
'Mobile Game of the Year' at the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement
Awards in Las Vegas in February 2007.
About id Software
id - defined by Freud as the primal section of the human psyche;
id Software, located in Mesquite, Texas, was founded in 1991. From
inception to present day, id Software has relentlessly provided
technical, design and artistic leadership as an independent game
developer and technology provider. Transcending the games industry,
id's iconic brands such as Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE and Enemy
Territory have become staples of popular culture for generations of
gamers. More information on id Software can be found at
www.idsoftware.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City,
California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software
company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and
distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems,
personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic
Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™,
EA™, EA SPORTS BIG™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2007, EA posted
revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one
million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More
information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be
found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
About Fountainhead Entertainment
Privately held, Fountainhead Entertainment develops and produces
animation, documentaries, and specializes in new media. With focus
into combining the best elements of traditional media with new
emerging forms, Fountainhead Entertainment is dedicated to supporting
creative achievement and the entrepreneurial spirit that forges a
culture of dedication to quality and excellence. To find out more
about Fountainhead Entertainment, visit www.fountainheadent.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, POGO and EA Mobile are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other
countries.. Orcs & Elves and ID are either trademarks or registered
trademarks of Id Software, Inc. All other trademarks are the property
of their respective owners.
SOURCE: Electronic Arts Inc.
EA
Bryce Baer, 650-628-5102
bbaer@ea.com
or
Sparkpr
Nick Leahy, 415-321-1864
nick@sparkpr.com