"We are maximizing our strengths this year and going all out to create solid titles that combine great gameplay and advanced technology," said Martin Spiess, senior vice president, global marketing at Crave Entertainment. "We are expanding established brands like Ultimate Fighting Championship and Kengo, while exploring new territory with games like The Lost and Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter."
Highlights from Crave's 2002 line-up
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The first real fighting game for Xbox(TM), UFC: Tapout, shipped Feb. 19 and is already a top seller in its first week. It's all about "Real Fighters, Real Fighting." UFC: Tapout has its share of in-your-face, full contact battles which perfectly recreate one of the most exciting sports in the world today -- Ultimate Fighting Championship. With more than 10,000 polygons per fighter, this is as real as it gets.
UFC: Throwdown introduces real fighting for the first time to the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system and Nintendo GameCube(TM). The successful genre, created by Crave in 2000, will again feature actual UFC champions and all the real, unbelievable mixed martial arts moves found in the Octagon.
With amazingly realistic graphics and an unprecedented Fighter Career Mode, UFC: Throwdown hits stores in the second quarter of 2002 for PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system and third quarter of 2002 for Nintendo GameCube(TM).
The Lost
Anticipated to be the most terrifying psychological thriller game ever conceived, The Lost takes the survival horror genre to all new depths. Introducing an incredibly deep storyline with engaging character development, The Lost will have gamers' hearts and minds racing as they explore nine, frightening circles of Hell. The anticipated release date of The Lost, for the PlayStation 2, is third quarter 2002.
Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter
Groundbreaking technology drives this original action title. By allowing gamers to seamlessly transition between first person action and arcade space combat, Bounty Hunter delivers a totally unique gaming experience. Players are immersed in a universe of huge corporations and futuristic gunslingers as Mace seamlessly travels from the ground to the air to a space-tracking quarry as he unravels a deep, and very dangerous, mystery. The anticipated release date, for both Xbox and PC, is third quarter 2002.
Three additional titles round out the line-up. X-Bladez is a challenging, extreme racing game based on one of today's fastest growing extreme sports -- In Line Skating. X-Bladez shipped for the PlayStation(R) game console in January 2002 and a Game Boy(R) Advance version is anticipated to ship in March 2002.
H2Overdrive is a high-speed, water drenched speedboat-racing arcade with broad appeal shipping for the PlayStation 2 with an anticipated second quarter 2002 ship date. Kengo 2, for PlayStation 2, builds on the acclaimed fighting dynamic of Kengo by adding larger environments, more complex fighting, faster action, multi-opponent combat and improved graphics and control. Its anticipated release date is fourth quarter of 2002.
About Crave Entertainment
Based in Los Angeles, Crave Entertainment is a privately held publisher of videogame entertainment products. The company's best-selling line-up features top brands and franchises such as Ultimate Fighting Championship and Tokyo Extreme Racer.
Crave produces games for the major console platforms including Game Boy(R) Advance, Nintendo GameCube(TM), the PlayStation(R) game console, PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft, and for the PC. For more information about Crave Entertainment visit http://www.cravegames.com.