Atari is offering a pre-order program at participating retailers, as part of a comprehensive multi-vehicle marketing campaign for the launch of the real-time strategy PC game, based on the hit board game of the same name. The pre-order program allows consumers who reserve a copy of Axis & Allies to receive a free playable bonus battle scenario exclusive to the retailers participating in the program. Consumers can pre-order from now until the November 2nd launch date.
"Working with Electronics Boutique, Gamestop and participating retailers, we're able to extend the Axis & Allies experience even further through this special offer of exclusive content, ," said Nancy MacIntyre, Vice President of Marketing for Atari's Beverly Studio. "TimeGate Studios has created a masterpiece and we're thrilled to have this opportunity to offer Axis & Allies fans more incredible content not available in the game."
Consumers who pre-order Axis & Allies at Electronics Boutique will receive a free bonus battle scenario based on the 1941 German invasion of Russia. The scenario lets fans race against time to push quickly through Russia and capture a series of critical Soviet cities.
Consumers who pre-order Axis & Allies at Gamestop will receive a free bonus battle scenario based on the 1940 German capture of Dunkirk. The scenario lets fans dive into the key WWII battle in which more than 300,000 members of the British Expeditionary Forces were stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk.
When consumers reserve their copy of Axis & Allies, they receive a pre-sell box with an instruction card and key code inside. The instruction card provides the URL and download instructions for their bonus scenario. Scenarios will be available at launch, and will require the full version of Atari's Axis & Allies to play.
In Axis & Allies players will have the ability to change the course of history as they experience the most epic war in the history of mankind, World War II. With five of the world's most powerful countries - Japan, England, France, Germany and Russia - battling for control, players will be able to direct the military and economic destiny of any one country to change the outcome of the war. Axis & Allies will capture not only the intensity of war combat but also the strategies and tactics employed by top generals and soldiers in the heat of battle.
Axis & Allies will feature such unique gameplay elements as:
- Branching campaigns that offer strong replayability
- Full command of land, sea and air units in real-time
- Mobile Headquarters that give the player the ability to extend the realm of control and maintain your ability to supply troops and units
- Interaction with Generals and leaders of the era that offer the player additional resources like the Atom Bomb, Supply Drops and V2 Rocket attacks
- Online play with skirmish and instant action modes
"Time Gate Studio's interpretation of Axis and Allies is an exciting new way for Axis and Allies board game enthusiasts to experience the key moments of World War II," said Larry Harris, creator of the Axis and Allies board game. "
Axis & Allies for PC-CD-ROM will be available the week of November 2nd at a suggested retail price of $49.99. For more information Axis & Allies, please visit its official website at http://www.atari.com/axisandallies.