The Biggest Consumer Electronics Product Launch in History Is Here: PlayStation®2 Computer Entertainment System Officially Available Across North America

The most significant consumer electronics product to hit store shelves, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, is officially available throughout North America for a suggested retail price of $299 U.S. and $449 CDN, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today. With the largest software library ever introduced for a home entertainment product, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system brings together games, music and movies to redefine consumers' entertainment lifestyles and change the landscape of the North American living room.

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           NewsCom:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001026/SFTH062 )

"Just as the PlayStation game console appealed to a mass market audience, driving the growth of the interactive entertainment category to unprecedented levels, PlayStation 2 will create a new market for the next level of entertainment experience in the home," said Kaz Hirai, president and chief operating officer, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. "The incredible success of the PlayStation 2 launch will firmly establish Sony Computer Entertainment America as the driving force behind computer entertainment."

To supply the market with a continuous flow of the highly anticipated system product during the holiday season, the company shipped 500,000 units of the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system to North American retailers, and plans to ship approximately 100,000 additional units per week on average during the holiday season. In just two months following its launch, the company estimates that it will have shipped a total of 1.3 million units into the North America market, representing an historic milestone for the industry. Additionally, the company is on target in North America to ship three million units by the close of fiscal year 2001, ending March 31, 2001, which is part of the company's total 10-million-unit worldwide production estimate for the product within the same time period.

In Japan, where the system launched on March 4 this year, more than three units have been shipped, establishing Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s ability to accomplish what no other manufacturer has previously -- maintain market leadership from one platform to another and simultaneously dominate the market with two distinct platforms. The second best-selling platform in Japan is the PS one™, the newly-designed, compact version of the popular PlayStation® game console.

The PlayStation 2 not only plays graphically stunning game titles, but also DVD movies and audio CDs. It offers a bay for a hard drive that will allow broadband connectivity in 2001, allowing for an Internet connection that will eventually allow the system to serve as a network platform for e-commerce applications and network gaming capabilities.

In order to lead the broadband era, without changing the aesthetic design or basic dimensions of the system itself, the PlayStation 2 includes a bay for 3.5" hard disc drive and an expansion unit for interfacing with a network for future functionality upgrades. Together with the USB and i.LINK (IEEE1394) interfaces, the PlayStation 2 is ready to expand into the home network.

In addition, the PlayStation 2's DVD-video playback capability is built into the hardware, and does not require use of a Memory Card. The features and functionality of the DVD player can also be enhanced in the future via firmware upgrade, simply by loading a new program from upgrade discs. This firmware upgrade feature also enables the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system to evolve into future digital consumer applications.

No other system has created as much excitement and support among the software development community as the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. Currently 301 publishers/developers are licensed to develop software and more than 270 software titles are in development worldwide. On October 26th, a software library of 26 titles will be available for the system with more than 50 titles scheduled for release by the end of 2000. The new system boasts the broadest software catalog ever created with the capability of playing the more than 800 titles available for the PlayStation game console and PS one.

Consumers can find the following titles in October at more than 20,000 retail locations (listed in alphabetical order):

  -- Armored Core 2, published by Agetec and developed by From Software
  -- Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore, published and developed by Tecmo
  -- Dynasty Warriors 2, published and developed by Koei
  -- ESPN International Track & Field, published by Konami and developed by
     KCEO
  -- ESPN X Games Snowboarding, published and developed by Konami
  -- Eternal Ring, published by Agetec and developed by From Software
  -- Evergrace, published by Agetec and developed by From Software
  -- FantaVision™, published by SCEA
  -- Gun Griffon Blaze, published by Working Designs and developed by Game
     Arts
  -- Kessen, published by Electronic Arts and developed by Koei
  -- Madden NFL 2001, published and developed by EA Sports
  -- Midnight Club: Street Racing, published by Rockstar Games and developed
     by Angel Studios
  -- Moto GP, published and developed by Namco
  -- NHL 2001, published and developed by EA Sports
  -- Orphen, published by Activision and developed by Kadokawa Shoten
  -- Q-Ball Billiards Master, published and developed by Take 2 Interactive
  -- Ready 2 Rumble™ Boxing: Round 2, published and developed by Midway
  -- Ridge Racer V, published and developed by Namco
  -- SSX, published and developed by Electronic Arts
  -- Silent Scope, published and developed by Konami
  -- Smuggler's Run, published by Rockstar Games and developed by Angel
     Studios
  -- Street Fighter® EX3, published and developed by Capcom
  -- Surfing H30, published and developed by Take 2 Interactive
  -- Summoner, published by THQ and developed by Volition, Inc.
  -- Swing Away Golf, published by Electronic Arts and developed by T&E
     Software
  -- Tekken Tag Tournament, published and developed by Namco
  -- TimeSplitters, published by Eidos and developed by Free Radical Design,
     Ltd.
  -- Unreal Tournament, published by Infogrames and developed by Epic Games
  -- Wild Wild Racing, published by Interplay and developed by Rage Software
  -- X-Squad, published by Electronic Arts and developed by EA Square

The PlayStation 2 is sold with necessary cables and cords and the DUALSHOCK™2 analog controller. The DUALSHOCK 2 analog controller offers analog functions, with the exception of the "start" and "select" buttons, providing a wider variety of user operations and a more compelling interactive experience. Additional controllers are available for a suggested retail price of $34. The following other PlayStation 2-branded peripherals are sold separately:

  -- Memory Card (8MB) -- With a $34 suggested retail price, the new memory
     card has a storage capacity of 8MB of data, and a data transfer rate up
     to 250 times faster than the current memory card.  In the interests of
     data security for potential future network applications, the memory
     card incorporates the authentication and encryption security system,
     "MagicGate™."
  -- Multi Tap Adaptor -- This innovative peripherals device, available for
     a $34 suggested retail price, is an adaptor used to increase the number
     of controllers and memory cards that can be connected to the
     PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.  With one multi-tap, up to
     four-players can enjoy intense gameplay, and two multi-taps allow up to
     eight players the ultimate interactive videogame experience.
  -- Stands -- Available for horizontal or vertical use, each stand offers
     maximum flexibility for optimum enjoyment with the PlayStation 2
     computer entertainment system.  The suggested retail price for the
     vertical stand is $14.99 and $9.99 for the horizontal stand.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® game console and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system will revolutionize the home entertainment market, offering the most compelling interactive content and the capability to be used as a network terminal in the coming broadband era.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation game console and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PlayStation game console and the upcoming PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

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SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment America

Contact: Molly Smith of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.,
650-655-6044, or cell, 650-619-1341, or molly_smith@playstation.sony.com; or
Samantha Sackin for Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., 213-489-8246, or cell,
213-304-7125, or sackins@fleishman.com

Website: http://www.playstation.com/