6 MORE EXCLUSIVE XBOX DEVELOPERS
March 8, 2001

Microsoft today announced that six design studios plan to create exclusive games for the Xbox, all of which will be published under the Microsoft label. The companies join 18 other studios that are creating games for Microsoft.

"These artists have ambitions of delivering games that push the bounds of what's possible in video gaming, making them a perfect fit for Xbox," said Ed Fries, vice president of Xbox games publishing at Microsoft. "As their publisher, Microsoft will support them with technical support, testing, marketing and distribution power while the artists focus on bringing their imaginations to life on Xbox."

The newly announced companies are:

• Blitz Games, which has developed PC, PlayStation, Dreamcast, and N64 games such as Chicken Run, Frogger 2, Glover, Action Man, Action Man 2, and Disney's The Little Mermaid 2.
• Curly Monsters has team members that have worked on key titles for companies such as Psygnosis. NGEN Racing was its latest game.
• Double Fine Productions was formed by LucasArts game designer Tim Schafer, who has worked on games such as Grim Fandango, Full Throttle, and Day of the Tentacle.
• Radical Entertainment has developed games for EA, Fox, Sony, Sega, and THQ. Its recent games include MTV Snowboarding, Jackie Chan Stuntmaster, NBA Basketball 2000, and Independence Day.
• Vision Scape Interactive has worked on games such as Jet Moto 3, Twisted Metal 3 & 4, EverQuest, GameDay '99, and Land Before Time.
• Yeti Interactive was founded last year by key members of the Rayman and Rayman 2 team.

"Xbox is the first and best chance there is to create the games we've been hoping to do for years," said Tim Schafer, game designer and founder of Double Fine Productions. "Having Microsoft as a publisher is great because they've got the determination and resources to make the game right, and to bring it to an enormous worldwide audience. They're also exciting to work with because of their commitment not just to future-generation technology, but to future-generation content."