Sony Online Entertainment Partners With Developers SolWorks and Lodestone Games

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming, today announced development agreements with Lodestone Games LLC and SolWorks® to create original gaming content to be published by SOE. Lodestone and SolWorks will be creating two independent, as-yet unannounced games; further product information will be revealed at a later date.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011203/LAM002 )

"We're working hand-in-hand with two very talented game production houses in order to expand the breadth and depth of SOE's impact on the online gaming market," said John Smedley, president, Sony Online Entertainment. "Both Lodestone and SolWorks have great track records when it comes to game development. We have very high expectations for the products they are going to deliver and we are very excited to be working with them."

Founded in 2001 by veterans of the massively multiplayer games industry, Lodestone Games, LLC ( http://www.lodestonegames.com/ ) is a development studio devoted to advancing the art and science of internet gaming. Lodestone's cutting edge technology was featured in SOE's innovative title, PlanetSide™. Lodestone Games is located in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"There are no other companies as serious about massively-multiplayer gaming as Sony Online Entertainment," said Lodestone founder and President Lorin W. Jameson. "Having the opportunity to work with SOE again on our new project is extremely exciting. They really are a class act."

Based in Carlsbad, California, SolWorks ( http://www.solworks.com/ ) is a leading developer of interactive entertainment software. Founded in 1998 by industry veteran Craig Broadbooks, SolWorks is focused on delivering excellent games on time for the PC and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

"As the premier publisher of online games, Sony Online Entertainment can work with any developer they choose," said Craig Broadbooks, President and CEO of SolWorks. "SolWorks is honored and excited about teaming up with SOE to develop another hit title."

About Sony Online Entertainment

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Digital Inc., is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with a subscriber base of over 500,000 active players around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises, EverQuest® and PlanetSide™, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™: An Empire Divided™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX and St. Louis, MO, SOE has an array of cutting-edge online games in development.

EverQuest is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. SOE and the SOE logo are registered trademarks and PlanetSide is a trademark of Sony Online Entertainment Inc.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011203/LAM002
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SOURCE: Sony Online Entertainment Inc.

CONTACT: Chris Kramer, +1-858-577-3481, ckramer@soe.sony.com, or Sean
Kauppinen, +1-858-577-3387, seank@soe.sony.com, both of Sony Online
Entertainment Inc.

Web site: http://www.solworks.com/

Web site: http://www.lodestonegames.com/

Web site: http://www.station.com/