Classic Poem with Introduction by Dante's Inferno Executive Producer
Jonathan Knight Available on January 19
NEW YORK, Jan 11, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Today, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) and Del Rey Books, an imprint
of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group announced that
a trade-paperback edition of the classic poem Inferno, part one
of The Divine Comedy, will be distributed to booksellers
nationwide on January 19, 2010. This special edition of the canonized
poem commemorates the launch of the highly-anticipated Dante's
Inferno(TM) video game from Visceral Games(TM). The new edition features
an introduction written by Dante's Inferno Executive Producer,
Jonathan Knight, who offers insight into the process of adapting the
dark masterpiece into the interactive medium. The book also features a
16-page, full-color art insert showcasing the evolution of characters
and environments from the classic poem to the video game.
"We are so grateful to have the opportunity to work with Random House on
this project. Through the creative process of developing this game, we
have grown quite close to the literary works of Dante Alighieri. It is
his vision that we are adapting for this new media, and new audience,"
said Jonathan Knight, Executive Producer at Visceral Games. "The game is
a celebration of Dante, and we hope gamers will be encouraged to go
beyond the game and explore the classic text that has inspired us so
deeply."
"Visceral Games and EA have provided us with an amazing opportunity to
bring one of the great works of classical fiction to a new group of
fans," said Michael Braff of Del Rey editorial. "Their stunning and
inventive take on Dante's Inferno will be sure to wow players
around the world and we are extremely proud to be able to provide those
individuals with insight into the creative processes involved in
adapting Dante to a new medium."
Created by Visceral Games and available worldwide on February 9, the Dante's
Inferno video game is set in Dante Alighieri's vividly imagined nine
circles of hell - limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, violence, heresy,
fraud and treachery. Players take Dante on an epic descent through hell,
battling their way through a terrifying gauntlet of demons to reclaim
the soul of his beloved Beatrice.
Dante's Inferno the video game will be released for PlayStation(R)3
computer entertainment system, Xbox 360(R) videogame and entertainment
system and Sony PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) on February 9, 2010. A free
demo is now available for download on the PlayStation Network and on
Xbox Live. Dante's Inferno is rated M for Mature by the ESRB and
18+ by PEGI. For more information on Dante's Inferno, please
follow Dante's Inferno on Twitter at www.twitter.com/danteteam,
and visit the game's official web site at www.dantesinferno.com,
where the team explores a new circle of hell, with new content and
updates on the ninth day of every month.
About Del Rey
Del Rey Books (http://www.delreybooks.com)
was founded in 1977 as an imprint of Ballantine Books, a division of the
Random House Publishing Group, under the guidance of the renowned
Judy-Lynn del Rey and her husband, Lester del Rey. Del Rey publishes the
best of modern fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. In 2004
it expanded by launching Del Rey Manga, which has grown to be a major
force in the U.S. graphic-novel field.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is
a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in
1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive
software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless
devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under
four brand names: EA(TM), EA SPORTS(TM), EA Mobile(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2009,
EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 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.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO, Visceral Games and Dante's Inferno are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S.
and/or other countries. "PlayStation" and "PSP" are registered
trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360
and Xbox LIVE are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6137000&lang=en
SOURCE: Electronic Arts Inc.
EA Games Label PR
Melissa Ojeda, 650-628-7870
PR Coordinator
mojeda@ea.com
Amanda Taggart, 650-628-2974
Senior Manager of PR
ataggart@ea.com
or
Del Rey Media
Joe Scalora, 212-782-8282
Publicist
jscalora@randomhouse.com
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