Sony Computer Entertainment America Launches the Highly Anticipated PlayStation(r)2 Internal Hard Disk Drive with FINAL FANTASY®XI at the PlayStation Store

      Eager Fans, Dressed as Their Favorite FINAL FANTASY Characters
 to Be Among the First to Purchase the New Hard Disk Drive Pre-Installed
           with FINAL FANTASY XI at an Exclusive Midnight Sale

  WHAT:      Sony Computer Entertainment America will hold a midnight sale
             and character costume contest to launch the new PlayStation®2

             Hard Disk Drive pre-installed exclusively with the wildly
             popular FINAL FANTASY®XI, a new online-only title, at the
             PlayStation store in the Metreon, a Sony Entertainment Center.


             Consumers will have the opportunity to play FINAL FANTASY XI
             online and be one of the first to purchase the hard disk drive
             pre-installed with the game during the midnight sale.  Prizes
             will be awarded for the best two FINAL FANTASY character
             costumes.

  WHEN:      Monday, March 22, 2004

             7:00 p.m.   Consumers lining up
             8:00 p.m.   Gameplay opportunities
             12:01 a.m.  PlayStation®2 Hard Disk Drive pre-installed
                         with FINAL FANTASY XI goes on sale

  WHERE:     Sony PlayStation store at the Metreon.
             Located at the corner of Fourth and Mission streets.
             (101 Fourth Street) in downtown San Francisco.  The Sony
             PlayStation store is on the ground floor of the Metreon.

  ABOUT FINAL FANTASY XI:

             The latest installment to the world-renowned series developed
             by Square Enix and published by Sony Computer Entertainment
             America, FINAL FANTASY XI will come pre-installed exclusively
             on the new internal Hard Disc Drive (40GB)(for PlayStation®2)

             and allows consumers to participate in cross-platform,
             cross-continent gameplay between a PlayStation 2 and a PC.
             FINAL FANTASY XI offers gamers a dynamic online adventure in a
             persistent world.  The introduction of the internal Hard Disk
             Drive provides players with the unique opportunity to
             experience a completely new gaming world online with large
             communities, complex gameplay in intense online environments
             and a constantly, refreshed gameplay experience with the
             ability to download updates.

             FINAL FANTASY XI is rated "T" for Teen and is available
             March 23, 2004, exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer
             entertainment system.

             Learn more about FINAL FANTASY XI and the hard disk drive at
             www.us.playstation.com.

  For more information, please contact:
   Patrick Seybold
   Sony Computer Entertainment America
   650-655-5904
   patrick_seybold@playstation.sony.com

   Alyssa Casella
   Sony Computer Entertainment America
   650-655-3617
   alyssa_casella@playstation.sony.com

  (Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SFW104-a )

PRNewswire -- March 18

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SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

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