ShugaShack - Document

One of the Most Controversial PC Games of 1999 Hits the Streets - 'Kingpin: Life of Crime'

IRVINE, Calif., June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Interplay Entertainment Corp. announced today the hotly anticipated 3D action game of the summer ``Kingpin: Life of Crime''(TM), for Windows 95/98/NT, has shipped to retail outlets nationwide. Kingpin is a first person descent into the underground world of organized crime and episodic adventure. Given the current political climate within the video game industry, Interplay has gone to great lengths to insure that while Kingpin stays true to its artistic direction, consumers are informed to the nature of this title and the audience that it is intended. Kingpin carries an 'M' rating from the IDSA for mature audiences 17 and older.

``Kingpin is a tour-de-force of a gritty interactive entertainment experience, but is clearly targeted for older audiences,'' states Cal Morrell, vice president of marketing. ``Interplay and Xatrix have included additional labeling, on-screen information and settings, above and beyond what is required for retail, to allow consumers to make an informed decision.''

Set in a fictional retro-tech urban world, players are invited into a game of deep dark adventure, organized crime and revolutionary game technology. Based on an enhanced version of the Quake II(TM) engine, Kingpin allows players an ability to explore storylines and subplots, and prepare for confrontation before exploding into all-out warfare. With its film-noir style, superlative graphic detail and sinister soundtrack Kingpin is sure to find that crossover audience gaming's been waiting for.

Developed by Xatrix Entertainment, the 3D action game will include music from multi-platinum recording artists Cypress Hill whose raw sounds set the tone of Kingpin. With a team of hired bodyguards, players find their way through 27 levels and six varied episodes while a multi-player game invites up to 16 people over an online Internet server.

Powered by the enhanced Quake II engine, Kingpin delivers some of the most unbelievably realistic graphics as seen on the PC. Specific enhancements include 32-bit color, full alpha transparencies, goraud lighting of characters, neural net-based AI and a myriad of other advanced special effects including motion capture technology.

Interplay Entertainment Corp. is a leading developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for both core gamers and the mass market. Interplay currently balances its development efforts by publishing for personal computers and current generation video game consoles. Interplay releases products through Interplay, Shiny Entertainment, Tantrum, Black Isle Studios, Interplay Sports, 14 Degrees East, its distribution partners and its wholly owned subsidiary Interplay OEM, Inc. More comprehensive information on Interplay and its products is available through its worldwide web site at http://www.interplay.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

This release may contain forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future events or results to differ materially and adversely from those described in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that may cause such a difference for Interplay include, but are not limited to, risks of delays in development and introduction of new products, dependence on new product introductions which achieve significant market acceptance and the uncertainties of consumer preferences, dependence on third party software developers for a significant portion of new products, risks of rapid technological change and platform change, intense competition, seasonality, risks of product defects, dependence upon licenses from third parties, risks associated with future capital requirements, dependence upon third party distribution, dependence upon key personnel and risks associated with international business, intellectual property disputes and other factors discussed in the Company's filings from time to time with the Securities Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company's annual report on Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 1998. Interplay disclaims any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by it or on its behalf.