Tournament Series Pits Teams Head-to-Head On First Ever Televised Competitive Play of EA's Yet to Be Released Battlefield 2142
Series Production Will Use Patented-Pending New Gamecaster CybercamTM S2 Technology To Deliver Unprecedented and Compelling Viewer Experience
New York, NY – September 5, 2006 – VOOM HD Networks' GAMEPLAY HD, the high-definition channel leading the next generation of television for gamers, announced today that it will work with Gamecaster, a San Diego based pro-gaming production house, to co-produce the first ever televised competitive play of Electronic Arts' (NASDAQ:ERTS) highly anticipated PC game, Battlefield 2142. The original eight part half-hour tournament series titled, Gamecaster's Battlefield 2142TM Invitational Presented by GAMEPLAY HD will be taped in Los Angeles on September 26 and 27. GAMEPLAY HD is part of the VOOM HD Networks, the largest and most diverse suite of high-definition channels nationwide currently available on DISH Networks.
GAMEPLAY HD launched in February of 2006 as a 24/7 High Definition video game network. It is a whole new experience in video game television, using the next-generation games to create next gen TV. GAMEPLAY HD covers the top tournaments from around the world and provides tips, tricks, news, reviews and previews for all kinds of gamers. The network is the first of its kind, taking advantage of the gorgeous, native HD resolution of next gen games.
"With more than 76 million gamers in this U.S., and an exploding interest in competition as a spectator sport, the time is right to create a series of high-production-value TV events for millions of gamers to see," said Mark DeAngelis, an award-winning producer and Vice President of Programming and Development at VOOM HD Networks. "With this series, GAMEPLAY HD is not only getting the exclusive on a yet to be released game but it is also benefiting from the creative drive of the Gamecaster crew, and from the Gamecaster Cybercam technology which offers a significant new breakthrough in TV coverage of games."
The Gamecaster Cybercam S2 integrates the real-world camera hardware and techniques of sports broadcasting into the virtual world of pro gaming. The technology will enable the show's pro sports cameramen to film within Battlefield 2142 with an unprecedented degree of precision and fluidity, and deliver gripping coverage of each heated battle on par with traditional sports coverage.
"The GAMEPLAY HD team has a real passion for pro gaming and we're excited to have this strategic relationship," said David MacIntosh, President and CEO of Gamecaster. "We're also excited to launch our Gamecaster Cybercam S2 technology at our Battlefield 2142 Invitational with one of the most highly-anticipated PC games of the year."
Battlefield 2142 is a ground-breaking first-person shooter from the critically acclaimed Swedish development studio, DICE. The year is 2142 and the dawn of a new Ice age has thrown the world into a panic. The math is simple and brutal: soil not covered by ice can only feed a fraction of the Earth's population. Some will live but most will die in the inexorable land grab to come. In Battlefield 2142, players will choose to fight for one of two military superpowers in an epic battle for survival, the European Union or the newly formed Pan Asian Coalition. Armed with a devastating arsenal of high-tech assault rifles, cloaking devices and sentry guns, players will also do battle using some of the most imposing vehicles known to man. Massive battle walkers and hover tanks wage fierce combat on the ground, while futuristic aircraft rule the skies. When facing these behemoths, players will need to use their wits and an arsenal of all-new countermeasures like EMP grenades and cloaking devices to level the playing field and win the battle.
Eight teams will be invited to the tournament taping and get the extraordinary opportunity to be among the first in the world to compete on a pre-release version of EA's upcoming Battlefield 2142 for the PC. The "winner takes all" tournament will award the winning team $30,000. For more information about Gamecaster's Battlefield 2142 Invitational Presented by GAMEPLAY HD, please visit www.gameplayhd.com.
About VOOM HD Networks
VOOM HD Networks is the largest suite of high-definition channels available anywhere, produced exclusively in high definition for distribution in the U.S. through satellite and cable operators. The VOOM HD Networks carry programming in categories as diverse as sports, movies, fashion, music, and art. Today, the VOOM HD Networks are available nationally on Echostar's DISH Network. The VOOM HD Networks were developed by Rainbow Media to meet the growing demand for quality high-definition programming, building on Rainbow Media's history of original programming innovation.
About Rainbow Media
A leader in the entertainment industry, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation. Rainbow creates and manages some of the country's most compelling and dynamic programming with linear networks including national networks – AMC, fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women's Entertainment; its regional programming service – Rainbow Sports Networks; on-demand networks including Mag Rack and sportskool; and the largest suite of high definition channels available anywhere – the VOOM HD Networks. Rainbow's other businesses include its film distribution, production and exhibition division – IFC Entertainment; in addition to its advertising sales division – Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation – and its full service network programming origination and distribution company – Rainbow Network Communications.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS BIGTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2006, EA posted revenue of $2.95 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
About Gamecaster
Gamecaster, Inc. is a media, entertainment and technology-licensing Company engaged in the development, production and marketing of video game competitions and related programs for broadcast worldwide in all media, the sale of corporate sponsorships for such competitions and programs, the licensing or sale of Gamecaster-branded merchandise, and the licensing or sale of Gamecaster CybercamTM S2 technology and related services. The Company's management and advisory team has decades of experience in the sports, television and video games industries, and has produced high-profile TV franchises, including the CBS Olympics, the World Series, NFL, PGA Tour, U.S. Open, NCAA Tournaments, and the hit Comedy Central TV, toy and video game franchise BattleBots.
Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U. S. and/or other countries. Battlefield 2142 is a trademark of Digital Illusions CE AB. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.