Sony Computer Entertainment America Announces March 2004 Release For PlayStation®2 Hard Disk Drive

Continuing to extend the capabilities of PlayStation®2 through technology and content, industry leader Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. today unveiled specifics on its internal Hard Disk Drive (40GB) (for PlayStation®2) and while also announcing an impressive line-up of first and third party online-enabled titles that will be available for the holiday season and beyond.

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The Hard Disk Drive is a further step toward a new era of digital in-home entertainment, creating a total living room experience that includes games, movies and music. True to its business philosophy of delivering technology when the market is ready and with full content support, the Hard Disk Drive will take advantage of the active PlayStation 2 online community by providing consumers an extended world that is dynamic through expanded applications and downloadable content.

The Hard Disk Drive will come pre-installed with Square Enix's highly anticipated massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), FINAL FANTASY®XI, allowing cross-platform play between the PlayStation 2 and a personal computer. In addition, the company plans to include sneak-peek product demos as well as PlayStation 2 titles, to be announced, pre-installed as part of the product package. Other product features or benefits include 40GB of storage, faster loading times, saving CDs to create a personal jukebox, and the ability to download content - levels, missions, characters, and much more.

Soon-to-be-released PlayStation 2 titles SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs and Syphon Filter®: The Omega Strain, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America, will be among the first to utilize the Hard Disk Drive with new content for consumers to download.

In addition to the gaming content, the internal Hard Disk Drive will also include a customized media player specifically designed for PlayStation 2. The media player offers a myriad of entertainment options to the consumer including playing MP3s, storing CDs, further expanding the functionalities of the top-selling console. The media player will also incorporate a photo manager allowing users to store, display and edit digital photos, as well as a games manager to organize and browse games stored on the drive.

Available in March 2004 for $99 suggested retail price (SRP), the internal Hard Disk Drive attaches to the Network Adaptor (Ethernet/modem) (for PlayStation®2), which connects to both broadband or dial-up networks, and rests in the expansion bay of the PlayStation 2 console.

"With the battle for console supremacy decided, we are departing from the status quo in an effort to broaden the in-home entertainment market with the release of the Hard Disk Drive for PlayStation 2," said Andrew House, executive vice president, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "The online world is dynamic and constantly changing, and with the Hard Disk Drive consumers can truly capitalize on the fusion of content -- whether it be gaming applications, communities, digital media delivery -- and refresh and expand the experience infinitely."

New Online Titles for PlayStation 2

As the PlayStation 2 online community nears critical mass, with more than 800,000 connected gamers to date, the industry leader is set to create one of the fastest growing business areas, allowing the company to transition online console gaming from an early adaptor to a mainstream proposition.

Sony Computer Entertainment America has established itself as the leader in the online console gaming market, earning this distinction by empowering the largest online gaming community with choice, value, easy access and the best online games available. In keeping with these promises and with the knowledge that content is king in continuing to lead consumers online, publishers are preparing to roll out dozens of new first and third party online titles for PlayStation 2. Consumers will be able to choose from an impressive line-up of more than 50 online-enabled titles by year-end.

Validating the company's approach of giving third party publishers flexibility and control in order to create compelling content and control the customer relationship, more than 20 publishers are developing online-enabled titles for the PlayStation 2 platform. Electronic Arts, the world's largest videogame publisher, continues to make its best-selling sports franchises PlayStation 2 online exclusive, including Madden NFL™ 2004, Tiger Woods PGA Tour™ 2004, NBA Live 2004, NASCAR Thunder™ 2004, and more. In addition, Electronic Arts is also bringing other key franchises to PlayStation 2 online including The Lord of the Rings™, The Return of the King™, SSX 3, Medal of Honor™ Rising Sun and The Sims™ Bustin' Out, the widely popular role- playing game from Electronic Arts due out in December 2003.

Other highly anticipated titles set to launch by year-end include Warhammer 40,000®: Fire Warrior™ from THQ, XIII from Ubi Soft and Tony Hawk's Underground from Activision.

  Online Titles for PlayStation 2
  First Party Online Title List
  -- Amplitude (available now)
  -- ATV Offroad Fury™2 (available now)
  -- FINAL FANTASY® XI (available March 2004)
  -- My Street™ (available now)
  -- NBA ShootOut 2004 (available October 2003)
  -- NCAA® GameBreaker™ 2004 (available now)
  -- NCAA® Final Four® 2004 (available November 2003)
  -- NFL GameDay™ 2003 (available now)
  -- NFL GameDay™ 2004  (available now)
  -- SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs  (available now)
  -- SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs  (available November 2003)
  -- Syphon Filter®: The Omega Strain  (available February 2004)
  -- Twisted Metal: Black™ ONLINE  (available now)

  Third Party Online Title List
  -- All-Star Baseball™ 2004 from Acclaim (available now)
  -- Auto Modellista™ from Capcom (available now)
  -- Champions of Norrath™ from Sony Online Entertainment (available
     February 2, 2004)
  -- Chessmaster® from Ubi Soft Entertainment (available now)
  -- Deer Hunter™ from Atari (available October 28, 2003)
  -- ESPN NBA Basketball from ESPN Videogames (available October 2003)
  -- ESPN College Hoops from ESPN Videogames (available November 2003)
  -- ESPN NFL Football from ESPN Videogames (available now)
  -- ESPN NHL® Hockey from ESPN Videogames (available now)
  -- EverQuest® Online Adventures™ from Sony Online Entertainment
     (available now)
  -- EverQuest® Online Adventures™: Frontiers from Sony Online
     Entertainment (November 17, 2003)
  -- FIFA Soccer 2004 from Electronic Arts (available October 2003)
  -- Madden NFL™ 2003 from Electronic Arts (available now)
  -- Madden NFL™ 2004 from Electronic Arts (available now)
  -- Medal of Honor™ Rising Sun from Electronic Arts (available fall
     2003)
  -- Midnight Club II™ from Rockstar Games (available now)
  -- NASCAR Thunder™ 2004 from Electronic Arts (available fall 2003)
  -- NBA Live 2003 from Electronic Arts (available now)
  -- NBA Live 2004 from Electronic Arts (available October 2003)
  -- NCAA® Football 2004 from Electronic Arts (available now)
  -- NCAA® March Madness™ 2004 from Electronic Arts (available November
     2003)
  -- Need for Speed Underground™ from Electronic Arts (available fall
     2003)
  -- NFL™Blitz™ Pro from Midway Sports (available October 20, 2003)
  -- NHL® 2004 from Electronic Arts (available September 2003)
  -- NHL® Hitz® Pro from Midway Sports (available September 26, 2003)
  -- Resident Evil® Outbreak from Capcom (available March 2003)
  -- Risk™: Global Domination from Atari (available December 28, 2003)
  -- SEGA Sports™ NBA 2K3 (available now)
  -- SEGA Sports™ NCAA® College Basketball 2K3 (available now)
  -- SEGA Sports™ NFL 2K3 (available now)
  -- SSX 3 from Electronic Arts (available October 2003)
  -- The Lord of the Rings™, The Return of the King™ from Electronic
     Arts (available fall 2003)
  -- The Sims™ Bustin' Out (available December 2003)
  -- Tiger Woods PGA Tour™ 2004 from Electronic Arts (available
     September 23, 2003)
  -- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon™: Jungle Storm from Ubi Soft (available
     November 2003)
  -- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater™4 from Activision (available now)
  -- Tony Hawk's Underground from Activision (available October 28, 2003)
  -- Tribes™ Aerial Assault from Sierra Entertainment (available now)
  -- Trivial Pursuit® Unhinged from Atari (available December 9, 2003)
  -- Warhammer 40,000®: Fire Warrior™ from THQ (available fall 2003)
  -- World Championship Pool 2004 from Jaleco (available November 11, 2003)
  -- XIII from Ubisoft (available fall 2003)

  About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one™ game console, and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is set to 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 family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console and the 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.

Visit us on the Web at www.us.playstation.com.

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SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment America

CONTACT: Teresa Weaver of Sony Computer Entertainment America,
+1-650-655-5324, or teresa_weaver@playstation.sony.com, or Erin Phillips,
+1-415-235-0365, or ephillips@blancandotus.com, for Sony Computer
Entertainment America

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