"Champions of Norrath was an incredible success and left PlayStation 2 gamers definitely wanting more," said John Smedley, president, Sony Online Entertainment. "Champions: Return to Arms will build upon the progressive features of the first edition with more single-player adventures, a deeper online and multiplayer experience, plus new characters, monsters, weapons and items."

"Champions: Return to Arms will be the very first Action/RPG to let player chose to fight either for Good or Evil," says Florence Alibert, Ubisoft's Marketing Director for Europe, the Asia Pacific region and South America. "With this added to the new non-linear mission system, the 7 playable races and the endless customization possibilities, Champions: Return to Arms is bound to give players even more of what made Champions of Norrath a success: innovation, high role-playing depth and intense action-packed challenge"

Champions: Return to Arms offers an online multiplayer component for no additional cost to players (players are responsible for providing a broadband internet connection and PlayStation 2 Network Adaptor for online play). Up to four players per game can adventure in Norrath via their broadband internet connection, using the PlayStation 2 Network Adaptor (sold separately). Players have the freedom to join an existing game or host their own through SOE's matchmaking service, SOEGames.net. Champions: Return to Arms has both USB headset voice and keyboard chat support, allowing players to plan strategies during online play (USB headset/keyboard optional, each sold separately). Alternately, up to four players can use the Multitap (sold separately) to play together on a single PlayStation 2.

About Champions: Return to Arms
The Champions of Norrath have destroyed the god Innoruuk, shattering his body into shards of hate. Innoruuk's followers and allies have taken it upon themselves to gather these shards in order to resurrect their fallen prince. Firiona Vie has called upon the champions to take up the crusade against evil to rid Norrath of this evil threat once and for all. The game is designed to offer more than 100 hours of gameplay per character, unlimited battles, deadly missions and the ability to import characters from the original game.

The game also features:

• A continuation of the engrossing fantasy storyline of Champions of Norrath, with exciting twists and turns that require the player to choose his or her fate
• Two new playable races: the Kerran Berserker and the Iksar Shaman
• Earn medals based on gameplay performance, which can then be used to unlock secret levels
• Thousands of new items, weapons, armor and magical artifacts to acquire
• All-new and beautifully detailed environments
• New spells and abilities for all classes
• A host of new monsters to battle and non-player characters to encounter
• Innovative medal system which unlocks secret gameplay modes
• Secret Epic items of incredible power found through unlockable side quests
• The ability to import characters from the original game and start at a higher difficulty level
• Increased level limits—take characters to level 80!
• More than 50 gameplay areas along with a mission system containing non-linear side quests
• Multitap support for up to 4 players
• Superior online multiplayer options for up to 4 players via Network Adaptor – no additional subscription fees required (players must provide their own internet connection and PlayStation 2 Network Adaptor for online gameplay modes)
• All new multiplayer and online gameplay options