Gaming News - May 2005
Redmond, WA (May 11, 2005) - Microsoft today announced its E3
lineup for PC games, and also announced a new Zoo Tycoon 2 expansion and the
Rise of Nations sequel.
From Microsoft:
Microsoft Game Studios is proud to announce the stunning, all-new successor
to Rise of Nations, which won multiple awards for Real-Time Strategy Game of the
Year in 2003. The new game, Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends, promises to
reinvent the RTS genre once again with a game that immerses players in an epic
fantasy war between the forces of Magic and Technology. Gamers fight through
towering cities, flame-swept deserts and brutal ice plains in battles filled
with mystical creatures, devastating machines and incredible acts of magic. Rise
of Nations: Rise of Legends will raise the bar in the RTS genre with
jaw-dropping graphics from an all-new 3-D engine, immersive in-game cinematics,
integrated story-driven gameplay, a multiplayer mode for fast-paced games and
clan support to build online communities.
Today Microsoft Game Studios is also announcing an exciting expansion to the
wildly popular, award-winning Zoo Tycoon 2. Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species
will let zookeepers adopt and raise some of the world’s rarest animals, such as
the Giant Galapagos Tortoise and the Scimitar Horned Oryx. The upcoming
expansion will bring zookeepers and their guests closer than ever to these
amazing animals, thanks to new transportation options including sky trams and
vehicle tours. With more than a dozen exotic new animals, innovative new
people-movers and new challenges in the Campaign and Freeform modes, players and
their families will have a huge variety of new options for building their dream
zoo.
In addition to these titles, Microsoft Game Studios will showcase Age of Empires
III, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Dungeon Siege II and Fable: The Lost Chapters at
this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). These breakthrough titles once
again demonstrate that some of the best and most innovative gaming experiences
are on the Windows platform. Today’s announcement underscores Microsoft’s
continued commitment to delivering top-notch games for Windows – a platform that
boasts an installed base of more than 81 million home computers in North
America, which is larger than all three major gaming consoles combined. This
killer lineup of Windows games means that 2005 and 2006 promise to be great
years for Windows gamers.
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Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends
Developed by Big Huge Games – the veteran design team responsible for such hits
as Civilization II, Colonization and Alpha Centauri – Rise of Nations: Rise of
Legends will evolve the franchise’s trademark features such as borders,
large-scale battles and city-building in innovative ways. Players will be able
to transform small villages into powerful civilizations and lead vast fantasy
armies into strategic battles using formations, unit control and heroic
abilities to destroy the enemy. The immensely popular Conquer the World (CTW)
Campaign returns in Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends with exciting updates. The
new CTW Campaign will guide players through a new world of heroes, monsters,
loyalty and betrayal. Gamers will follow a gripping story through multiple
campaigns with fascinating subplots and heroic characters. The campaigns will
immerse players in an ever-changing three-dimensional world with terrain and
cities that evolve as civilizations grow. For more information, visit
www.riseofnations.com
or www.bighugegames.com.
Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species
Calling all zookeepers: Some of the rarest and most exotic species are now up
for adoption! Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species will put players’ zookeeper
skills to the test caring for endangered animals like the playful Orangutan,
elusive Gray Wolves, mysterious Florida panther and fearsome Komodo Dragons. Zoo
Tycoon 2: Endangered Species will challenge players of all ages to nurture and
raise these rapidly disappearing animals to save them from extinction.
Zookeepers will be able to get closer than ever to their prized animals with
observation decks and bridges over exhibits, as well as sky trams and vehicle
tours that afford guests an outstanding view while preserving the animals’
delicate habitats. For more information, visit
www.zootycoon2.com
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes
One of the most visually spectacular and ambitious MMOs ever conceived, Vanguard
is being developed by one of the world’s most talented and experienced online
game design studios: Sigil Games Online. Vanguard will be the premier,
third-generation MMO on the Windows platform by featuring a full spectrum of
life in a fantasy world, from crafting to combat, all the way up to politics and
city building. Vanguard will combine next-generation 3-D graphics with a vast,
majestic and detailed fantasy world, passionately designed by award-winning
artist Keith Parkinson.
The design team at Sigil Games has more than 150 man-years of MMO experience
that encompasses such titles as EverQuest, Star Wars Galaxies and Planetside.
Vanguard will let players embark on a wild journey of unlimited imagination
where they can make their mark on a world and shape its future. For more
information, visit
www.vanguardsoh.com.
Age of Empires III
All hail the return of the real-time strategy king! Age of Empires III is the
latest landmark game in the award-winning series that has sold an amazing 16
million copies worldwide. Age of Empires III will rock the L.A. Convention
Center with its unprecedented graphics and revolutionary gameplay features,
including the all-new Home City. Players will forge alliances with Native
Americans, bombard enemies with artillery and naval armadas, and use cavalry and
bayonet charges to break up enemy lines. For more information, visit
www.ensemblestudios.com.
Dungeon Siege II
Chris Taylor and his team at Gas Powered Games return players to the lush,
interactive world of Aranna in Dungeon Siege II, with a new special effects
engine, cinematic storytelling, Hero Powers, and exotic pets that will grow with
the player’s combat party. The new game features a deep story, an extensive new
character development system, gigantic monsters, dazzling special effects and
more. For more information, visit
www.dungeonsiege.com.
Fable: The Lost Chapters
Fable: The Lost Chapters is the groundbreaking role-playing adventure game from
Lionhead Studios based on the award-winning Xbox game that sold more than 1.5
million copies. Now on the Windows platform, Fable looks better than ever and
features a wealth of new content including exciting quests and new armor,
weapons, spells, areas and enemies. Fable: The Lost Chapters is scheduled to be
released this fall. For more information, visit
www.microsoft.com/games/fable/default.asp.
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