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Jaguar News Archive 2001-2003
2003 ACEC Atari Swap Meet to be held on Saturday, September 13, 2003Same location as the last few years (in Columbus, Ohio).  Times will be 9AM to 3PM.  A map link is posted below. We support all Atari Products including 2600, 5200, 7800, 400-800xl, ST, Lynx, Jaguar & even pong.

There is a small admission fee for attendees and for all vendors.  All proceeds go to support the event.  We have had a good turnout the last few years from Ohio and surrounding states.  There will be several Atari systems set up for you to play games.  We hope to have a number of rare Atari  products on display.  Other classic computer and game systems are welcome.  Hope to see you there!Here is a MAP LINK to a map of the Swap Meet Site.More Information:  ACEC http://www.angelfire.com/oh4/acec/acec.htmlEMAIL colonel71@excite.com
EMAIL : dbowlin@core.com
3/11/02: The Classic Computer And Gaming (CCAG) Show 2002 is on!“We, the CCAG organizers, regret that it took so long to officially announce the CCAG 2002 Show. However, we are also very glad that the CCAG 2001 Show did NOT take place after September 11th, 2001. Had CCAG 2001 taken place after 9-11, we would have had to cancel. Because we had used a National Guard Armory for the previous two CCAG’s, we were not able to rent the Armory again after the events of 9-11. We have been able to locate and secure a facility for CCAG 2002! We again apologize for the delay, as we were only able to know with certainty, in the past several days. See you all at the CCAG 2002!!!”CCAG 2002 StaffThe Classic Computer And Gaming Show 2002 will be held on May 25th, 2002 from 8AM till 2 PM. Vendor setup is on the 24th from 5:30PM till 9PM, and from 6:30AM till 8AM on the 25th. Show location is at the St. John Lutheran Church,
11333 Granger Road, Garfield Hts. Ohio, 44125.Here is our own site for more information and current status
of vendors and attendees.www.ccagshow.comTable rental is $5 this year, and admission is only $2. The admission fee will also allow you to be eligible for a drawing at 1PM, the 25th, for an Arcade machine! (You will need a way to take the machine home with you!)The web site, www.ccagshow.com, has site info, table layouts, map info, etc.We hope to see you there at the CCAG 2002!1/13/02: NEW JAGUAR AND LYNX GAMES ON THE PROWL IN 2002:January 10, 2002ROCHESTER, MN — Two years ago today Songbird Productions announced the acquisition of three properties from former Atari Lynx and Jaguar developer Beyond Games, including the highly-anticipated CyberVirus. Songbird today announced the official release date for CyberVirus as February 18, 2002.CyberVirus takes Lynx gaming to an entirely new level by offering 16 action-packed missions all set in an amazing 3D environment. You are a soldier inserted deep into enemy territory, where you alone hold the key to turn back the Cybot threat. Avoid land mines and hunt for weapon prototypes while repelling robots, mutant spiders, and other enemies. This general release of CyberVirus contains many new features, including stealth armor, strafing movement, powerups, storyboards, an enhanced mission select screen, new objectives, all-new cheats and easter eggs, and more.Songbird continues its tradition of unparalleled support for orphaned Atari systems by also announcing the release of Protector: Special Edition (P:SE) on April 10, 2002. This games builds on the immensely popular Protector for the Atari Jaguar with a bundle of new enhancements, including 40 all-new levels and improvements in gameplay and balance to make the game fun and challenging for newcomers and pros alike. More jaw-dropping landscapes and backgrounds are sure to keep players hungering for each new level, and several new songs have been added to the mix as well.As if that wasn’t enough, Songbird owner Carl Forhan also indicated that P:SE will include two incredible features to help spur hobby development and lower costs for future CD-based games: BJL and JagFree CD. BJL is a hobby protocol for downloading Jaguar games to RAM, and is a cost-effective alternative for developing new games. JagFree CD allows new CD games to be published and played easily on any consumer Jaguar CD unit.At press time, Carl revealed plans to bundle a CD game with P:SE. Carl commented, “I want every Jaguar fan who purchases P:SE to know that the JagFree CD feature is present and works correctly with properly produced Jaguar CDs. Thus, I’ve been able to work out a deal to include the demo version of Native on CD with P:SE. While only a one level demo, Native is an impressive start to a game I know many Jaguar fans are anxious to see in action.” Carl indicated other CD games were also in the works and would be available in the near future.When asked if there is anything else fans can look forward to in the two new games, Carl responded, “There is a special treat waiting for players who finish these games. All I’ll say is you’ll definitely want to reach the end on both of them.”Songbird Productions is the premier developer and publisher for the Atari Lynx and Jaguar. To keep up to date with the latest news at Songbird Productions, be sure to visit the company web site at http://songbird.atari.net. CyberVirus and JagFree CD are copyright and trademark 2001 Songbird Productions. Protector is a trademark of Bethesda Softworks. All rights reserved. This message may be reprinted in its entirety.11/18/01: WHAT IF ATARI SPONSORED NASCAR?:I thought this was a neat image.  What if Atari sponsored a car in Nascar, what would it look like?  Well here is one possibility.
Submitted by Scott Julian using NASCAR Racing 4 paintshop and images from this site!9/12/01: OHIO ATARI SWAP MEET HELD:
The Ohio Atari Swap Meet and the Jaguar Corner was held.  Click here for details and pictures.
9/10/01: COLUMBUS ATARI SWAP MEET HELD:On September, 8th, the Atari Computer Enthusiasts of Ohio held their annual Swap Meet in Columbus, Ohio from 9:00 to 3:00.  Atari merchandise was available for sale including Jaguar and Lynx software, 800xl systems and games, Atarisoft games for the PC, and 2600/7800 games and systems.  Admission was $4 per person with proceeds going to the ACEO. Highlights included playing Atari – Hasbro Interactive games on a projection screen and auctioning off an Atari monitor.  New to the Swap Meet this year, was the Jaguar Corner.  The Corner was a Jaguar gaming event and had every game available for demo and play and featured BattleSphere, Hyperforce, Skyhammer, Soccer Kid, Protector, and Space War 2000.  Both Aircars and Doom were networked.  Jaguar commercials were also played including the 1/2 hour infomercial “The Cave,” as well as the “Clinton,” and “Stimulus” Jaguar commercials.  The Swap Meet was a great time and the Corner generated more fans for the Jaguar.


See the pictures below: 

A group of the Atari Computer Enthusiasts of Ohio members
including Don Bowlin who hosts the Atari Delphi Forum.

People playing BattleSphere and Vid Grid.
Games from Songbird displayed on the right.
 

People put out products to sell. I love to see bins of Atari stuff!

 

Atari – Hasbro Interactive Games were played using the projector.

 

Atari 800xl stuff for sale.

 

More players, more games.  Space War 2000 being played on the left.

 

Atarisoft software for the PC for sale.
Atari commercials being played on the laptop.


 8/6/01: JAGUAR CORNER AT THE OHIO ATARI SWAP MEET:Columbus, Ohio – Come join us for fun and games at the Atari Computer Enthusiasts of Columbus annual Atari Swap Meet to be held on September 8, 2001.  This annual event boasts a wide selection of Atari games and systems for sale.  Last year the event had many items available for the Atari ST, 8 Bit computers, 5200, 7800, and 2600.This year, the Jaguar Corner will be at the Swap Meet.  The Jaguar Corner is your chance to play the most popular and rare games available for the Atari Jaguar video game console. Featured games available for view and play are:- New games from Songbird Productions (http://songbird.atari.net/) including Skyhammer, Protector, Hyper Force, and Soccer Kid for the Jaguar; and Lexis, Championship Rally, PONX, Remnant, and more for the Lynx.- Doom and Air Cars in 2 Player, 2 Console Network Play- BattleSphere from Scatologic (www.scatologic.com) available for play and demo- Jaguar CD with games such as Primal Rage, Vid Grid, Blue Lightning, Battlemorph, and World Tour Racing- Popular Jaguar games such as Towers II, Worms, Zero 5, Defender 2000, Atari Karts, and Breakout 2000- JUGS (www.buyjugs.com – The Jaguar Underground Game Server) which allows the downloading of underground, homebrew games into the Jaguar.  Underground games available for play include Asteroids, Gorf demo, Jagmania, Jag Tetris, and Native.The Jaguar corner is being promoted by Fred Horvat (fmh@netzero.net) and Addie’s Atari Page (www.addiesatari.com).  The Atari Swap Meet is being run and promoted by the Atari Computer Enthusiasts of Columbus (http://www.angelfire.com/oh4/acec/acec.html.The) Atari Swap Meet and the Jaguar Corner will be held from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on September 8, 2001 at:

Oakland Park Community Building
980 Lenore St.
Columbus, Ohio 43224-3351

Directions: From I-71, take the E. North Broadway Street exit east, turn left onto Maize Road, and a quick right on Lenore Avenue.
Admission:
The price of admission to the Atari Swap Meet is $4 per person and $6 per vendor table (includes one admission). The Jaguar Corner costs nothing!For the latest details on the Jaguar Corner, see Addie’s Atari Page(www.addie.cjb.net).
7/29/01 [original post 1/27, reposted 5/11]: ACEC ANNUAL ATARI SWAP MEET SET:Mark your calendar, the date for the 2001 Atari Community Enthusiast of Columbus Atari Swap Meet is set for September 8th 2001. The place is booked and expect a great time.  For those of you who did not attend last year check out the Summary and Pictures.7/29/01: SONGBIRD ANNOUNCES JAGFREE CD:Songbird Productions recently announced that the upcoming Jaguar game Protector Second Edition (SE) will contain JagFree CD ™ bypass support. This means that by inserting the Protector SE into your Jaguar, you will be able to play new, unencrypted Jaguar CD games.  This gives Jaguar developers a cost effective means to develop, test, and distribute their home brewed Jaguar CD games.  Songbird will eventually release the JagFree CD code into the public domain to encourage potential developers to use the code in their games.  Protector SE will hopefully be released in late fall of 2001.Protector SE is an improved version of the defender style game Protector, originally released by Songbird at the end of 1999.  The SE version will feature new levels, music, graphics, and tweaking of game play.7/5/01: JAGFEST 2K1 A SUCCESS:Jagfest, the annual convention of Jaguar fans from all over the world, took place on June 30th in Milwaukee, WI and was hosted by Dan Loosen and Gary Heil of www.goatstore.com.  All reports indicate that it was a great time.Tournaments were held throughout the day for games such as Tempest 2000, Combat, and BattleSphere.  In addition, many unreleased and prototype games were available for play and display including Brett Hull Hockey cart and CD, Total Carnage, Phaze Zero, the JagVirtual Reality headset, and Alien v. Predator Lynx version.Songbird Productions used its CD bypass, found in Protector SE, to play the Brett Hull Hockey unencrypted CD.The highlight of the show was the never before seen 10 Jaguar linked network playing BattleSphere! For all the details and first account reports see the Jagfest homepage.7/2/01: CCAG EVENT IS A SMASH HIT:Read all about the Classic Computer and Gaming event and see the pictures.6/13/01: JAGFEST 2001 IS SET TO MEET:Jagfest 2k1 is set to meet this month with the theme “Beyond Tempest.”  According to the Goat Store, a major sponsor and organizer, Jagfest will feature a video game museum section displaying classic systems and games.  Consoles such as the Atari 2600, Odyssey 300, Colecovision, and Vectrex will be displayed.  Computers and handhelds will also be featured including the Apple II, Comodore 64, and Tiger Space Flight handheld.Also of interest, is the number of Jaguar rarities on display such as an Alien v. Predator pre-release demo, voice modem, Brett Hull Hockey, Arena Football, Thea Realm Fighters, and Protector SE.Jagfest 2k1 will be held at Milwaukee Wisconsin, on Saturday June 30th.  Adult admission is $8 pre-order and $10 at the door. For details go to Goat Store and the Jagfest Homepage.5/11/01 [original post 12/4/00]: CLASSIC COMPUTER AND GAMING MEET:

 ATTENTION RETROGAMERS, COMPUTER COLLECTORS, VIDEO GAME FANATICS!!!!WE’RE BACK……..CCAG 2001(Classic Computer and Gaming 2001)

 If you like collecting old computers, video games, and enjoy using them still, then come join us on:June 30th, 20019AM till 6PMNational Guard ArmoryIT’S ON ROUTE 57!!!(actual address)3520 Grove AvenueLorain, Ohio 44055-2048(On Route 57, going North of I-90/Route 2)

IT’S FREE!Both vendors and attendees!Computer User Groups and vendors inside, flea market outside!

5,000 square feet of indoor space and an additional 5,000 square feet of outdoor space is available along with ample parking.

 Setup: 29th, June, 20016PM-10PMPlease Call Ahead for Reservations:Jim W. Krych jwkrych@n2net.net440-979-9295Fred M. Horvat fmh@netzero.net440-286-2566And these other CCAG 2001 organizers:Thomas J. McLaren sirthomas@uk2.net

Please visit this site:http://tomheroes.com/ccag.htmAs of 06/16/2001User Groups:Erie PA Atari GroupTI ChipsCleveland Classic Atari Group Vendors:1632 Systems-From the UK!!!C.S. Vintage GamesL.R.O. ComputersTomorrow’s HeroesRetropolisSongbird ProductionsVideo Game ConnectionRamcharged Computers

People/Organizations:John Legg-From the UK!!!Chuck AmiconeDavid S. BrainFred WagamanHarry DodgsonAlan HewstonThomas MclarenMichael White(Bally/Astrocade)Classic Gamer MagazineJohn Litva

Special Guest!!!Pitfall Harry We are looking to do a “Classic Game Experience” this year!One room is going to be set up for playing classic computer and video game cartoons and commercials. The other room is going to be an emulator room-MAME, etc.

We already have one person bringing a Crazy Climber cocktail arcade game, John Litva. And, another vendor has promised to bring several arcade games as well. Please email us if you wish to bring an arcade game to the show.

We have a food service this year! The wife of one of our organizers, will be providing food, soda, and such! Attention Atari ST/Falcon/TT users!!!If you want anything from 1632 Systems, please contact:Nick Harlow
http://www.1632systems.co.uk/http://catalog.zen.co.uk/actinic/1632Systems/See ya at the CCAG!

3/6/01: SONGBIRD ANNOUNCES PROTECTOR SECOND EDITION AND JAGUAR CD ENCRYPTION BYPASS PROJECT:Carl Forhan of Songbird Productions announced March 5th on JFPN chat that Songbird was going to release a second edition of the Jaguar game Protector containing a digital picture of attendees of Jagfest 2001 in the credits.  The game would also include minor enhancements such as new waves.  Also in the chat, Carl announced that Songbird is developing “a ‘CD Bypass’ cartridge for the Jaguar, which will allow new, unencrypted CDs to play on a regular Jaguar..”  Although details are not finalized, the bypass cartridge may be multifunctional and include BJL support or demos of one or two games. The bypass cartridge will encourage hobby development of Jaguar CD’s, thus cutting out the need to pay royalties, by eliminating the encryption requirement.  This project should translate into cheap demos and lower game prices.  The cartridge could be released in Summer, but fall is more realistic.  However, the bypass cartridge won’t be released until there are one or two hobby Jaguar CD games available.In a March 6th post on Judicial Interactive, Carl elaborated on the cartridge bypass project stating that “Songbird is planning on releasing a CD Bypass cartridge later this year, which will allow current and aspiring Jaguar developers the option of publishing new games on CD media. Some ‘Underground’ developers have already verified they can make new CDs in this fashion that work on consumer Jaguars.”Carl went on to state that the CD encryption key is unique to each game and is related to the content of the disc.  The new bypass cart allows the Jaguar to boot from the cart and once done the CD will work without using an encryption key.1/27/00: JAGUAR AND LYNX ENCRYPTION KEYS FOUND AND AVAILABLE:Classic Gaming Expo has just announced on Judicial Interactive that the Jaguar and Lynx Encryption keys have been found and are available for download.  Posted on the Classic Gaming Expo website are both encryption keys ready for download. Carl Forhan transfered the Lynx files to the PC and wrote instructions on their use. Glen Bruner, discovered the Jaguar encryption key when a friend bought some old Atari disks at a surplus store in Silicon Valley.  Glenn described the discovery on Judicial Interactive (Posted January 27, 2001 at 17:21:59:) as follows:I’m from Silicon Valley and still have a friend from High School who I have
keep an eye out for stuff in surplus shops.He found a obscure 88meg Syquest cartridge for me recently. It took me a little
while to find a Syquest drive to read it on. I only had a 44meg drive. I managed
to find one on Ebay for $14 (200Meg drive).Well, I used an old Centris 660AV Macintosh running MagicMac to read the disk. Talk
about a round about way to read a ST disk. But my 1040STFM doesn’t do SCSI and this was a method I used to read some Syquest disks that were pulled out of Atari’s dumpsters when they closed down in ’96.After careful picking through of the files on the disk I found a file called TYPEAB.XXX.
Didn’t think much of it. Open it up with a hex editor. I noticed something very familar
about the file. I’ve looked at enough Jaguar cart images with a hex editor trying to hack the ROM encryption code several years ago. Since I have an Alpine board now, I fired it up and did the test that I described in the README file. I was amazed at the results I got.I didn’t mention this in the README because I didn’t expect people to really care how it was found. Boy have I been wrong!!The interesting thing about the file name mentioned above is TYPE AB. Universal blood donor type! Pretty sneaky cover name for a file.Told John Hardie about it and that’s when he mentioned that Lynx Encryption was also found. He asked me if we could announce this on the CG Expo page. I agreed since it would get more exposure that way.That’s it. Just glad I was able to give a fine contribution to the Jaguar community.
It is too early to say what this discovery will mean in the long run to the Jaguar and Lynx systems.  However, it has the potential to spur more development on both platforms.  In order for games to be played on the Jaguar or Lynx they must first be encrypted.  The lack of the encryption key delayed the release of the Jaguar game Battlesphere developed by Scatologic, who had to employ a brute force method to get around the encryption issue. 1/19/01: NEW BATTLESPHERE LEVEL 92 PATCH RELEASED:Previously Scatologic, the maker of BattleSphere for the Jaguar, released a level 92 patch that would fix a bug that prevented one from moving from level 91 to level 92 in the Guantlet mode.  Now an updated patch has been released that will enable you to jump directly to Level 92, no matter the level that you have previously reached!  You can download it at www.buyjugs.com and it can only be used with the JUGS Server. 1/19/01: ARKANNA DEMO 2 RELEASED:The second demo for the upcoming Jaguar game Arkanna has just been released.  This myst type game from Storm Works Interactive.  According to their site, the game will not have a 3d realtime engine, but will play like Myst only that you will use the d-pad to move.  The new demo features bug fixes and added restart options.  The demo comes in two options – one for bjl and one for those with flash rom.  As of yet, I have not been able to use the demo with JUGS.1/15/01: BATTLESPHERE IS SOLD OUT – AGAIN:According to the Battlesphere site, the wildly popular Battlesphere cartridge game for the Atari Jaguar has sold out again, this time on its second run.  According to the site:Thanks to all of our many supporters, the entire production run of BattleSphere Cartridges were SOLD OUT within a few weeks of it’s introduction!Due to the incredibly volatile semiconductor industry, there is a very severe shortage of programmable memory chips of the type which are required for BattleSphere production. We were able to secure a quantity of chips for a second production run, which also SOLD OUT rapidly.Persons still wishing to purchase a copy have very few options left until such time as the memory chips become available at affordable prices. We ask that you remain patient, and watch this site for any announcements. We are deeply saddened that we have been unable to keep up with demand.The extreme demand and quick sell outs are a testament to what a great game Battlesphere really is and one can only hope that more carts can be made in the future especially considering the fact that the Jugs program is embedded within Battlesphere.1/15/01: BADCODER RELEASES BADCODE 4:BadCoder, the distributor of several free demos for use with JUGS and other underground Jaguar servers such as BJL, has released BadCode 4.  BadCode 4 contains a fun 1 to 2 player squash game.  As of this time, BadCode 4 works with JUGS, however BadCode 4c which contains some Bug fixes does not seem to work with JUGS. BadCode 5 is suppose to include game instructions and other improvements. This development shows how such underground Jaguar Servers have the potential to expand the Jaguar beyond its traditional restraints.

1/14/01: WIN FREE LYNX GOODIES FROM LYNXUK:LynxUK, a web site devoted to the Atari hand held is now holding a competiton for free Lynx merchandise. You must correctly answer a Lynk trivia question and then have your answer choosen randomly.  Closing date is Friday, January 19th, 2001. Winners receive the following: 1st Prize – Lynx Comlynx Cable and choice of 2 Lynx games, 2nd Prize – 1st choice of 2 remaining games, and 3rd Prize – Remaining Lynx game.

1/12/01: JAGUAR DEVELOPER OMC IS BACK ON THE SCENE:OMC Games, the one time developer of The Assassin and Age of Darkness CD games for the Jaguar, appears to be back on the scene.  James Garvin of OMC posted the following on Friday, January 12th, 2001 on the OMC site: It’s been a long time since I’ve done an update. I guess life can have a way of kicking your butt to the point you just don’t want to do anything at all. I’ve been down this road lately and it saps your will, your drive to continue. The freaky part is that I was really unaware of this until a friend of mine pointed it out the other day. I guess sometimes you really don’t look at yourself, even though you think you are. During these past few months I’ve done a lot to hurt one person who I care about the most and now it looks as if our paths will split. Possibly forever. It’s the only regret I’ve ever had in life and one that I wish I could fix.So I start my new life with a new beginning of HeiroGraphix Game Journal and the continuation of the projects I’ve been working on for the past few years. They said I’d never get them done, and at one point they were right, but my goal now is to prove them wrong. I’m still kind of experimenting with a new format, which could take a while to get working properly. When I’m done, I hope to have a site that is easy to navigate and works for everyone. If anyone has any suggestions or comments, please send them to omcinfo@omcgames.com. All comments, good and bad, are appreciated. Expect normal updates starting next week.If you would like to sign up for the HieroGraphix weekly e-mail newsletter send a request to newsletter@omcgames.com. Newsletters go out via e-mail on Mondays anytime before 7pm CST. It’s good to be back. Jaa. (Garvin)Furthermore, James Garvin posted on Judicial Interactive II (January 12th, 2001) and stated that “The game we’re working on now is called: Eternal Darkness: Scent Of the Spider. It’s going to be put on cartridge, though in light of some interesting developments, a CD version is likely. At some point in the future we’ll be releasing some sort of demo for those who have flash carts.”

1/12/01: ATARI TO GO TO INFOGRAMES:
Hasbro, Inc., owner of the Atari name, patents, and properties, announced that they will be selling Atari along within its Hasbro Interactive division to Infogrames Entertainment. The official press release is as follows:News Release – 12/6/2000
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Infogrames Entertainment to Acquire Hasbro Interactive and Games.comLYON, France & PAWTUCKET, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dec. 6, 2000–Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext 5257) and Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS) jointly announced today that they have entered into a strategic agreement, creating one of the foremost powerhouses in the mass market digital interactive entertainment world. The agreement is comprised of three main elements, including the Infogrames acquisition of Hasbro Interactive; a long-term licensing agreement giving Infogrames exclusive rights to develop and publish digital interactive games based on current and future Hasbro properties on all existing and future digital interactive formats; and the acquisition of Games.com.Infogrames will purchase 100% of the common stock of Hasbro Interactive and Games.com for $100 million – comprised of $95 million in Infogrames Entertainment SA securities (approximately 4.5 million common shares) and $5 million in cash. In addition, Hasbro will receive an annual guarantee from Infogrames based on sales generated from the licensing agreement. The agreements are subject to the approval of the shareholders of Infogrames, regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. The companies expect the deal to close early in the first calendar quarter of 2001.”Infogrames and Hasbro are truly poised to become worldwide leaders in the digital entertainment market,” said Bruno Bonnell, Chairman and CEO of Infogrames. “Infogrames’ external growth strategy consists of three requirements: a willingness of the prospective partner’s management to share our strategic vision, a complementary set of skills and products, and finally, value for our shareholders. The Hasbro Interactive and Games.com acquisition meets these criteria,” said Mr. Bonnell. “Infogrames’ access to Hasbro’s long list of well-known properties fits perfectly with our long-term publishing strategy to become the leader in family entertainment. The terms are beneficial for Infogrames Entertainment, since they have no direct impact on the company’s future investment capacity.””This arrangement with Infogrames is a very positive one for Hasbro on many different levels,” said Alan Hassenfeld, Hasbro’s Chairman and CEO. “First, we have aligned ourselves with a premier player in the interactive arena. Second, this strategic agreement with Infogrames meshes with our strategy of reducing costs as we focus on consistently delivering profits going forward. Third, this arrangement will provide a continuing revenue stream to Hasbro over the long-term through Infogrames’ expertise in leveraging our current and future properties.”The agreement is comprised of three main elements:Infogrames Entertainment’s acquisition of 100% of the common stock of Hasbro Interactive, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc.The acquisition gives Infogrames a catalog of titles based on well-known properties, including:The MICROPROSE brand and titles, including the international hit CIVILIZATION, FALCON, and ROLLER COASTER TYCOON, the number one selling PC game in the US according to PC DATA’S latest report.The legendary ATARI name and properties, such as CENTIPEDE, MISSILE COMMAND, and the historic PONG, which pioneered the video game revolution.The exclusive rights to develop and publish interactive games based on current and future Hasbro, Inc. properties, including:The interactive versions of popular Hasbro board games, which include MONOPOLY, SCRABBLE(1), CLUE, RISK, AND BOGGLE.The interactive versions of children’s games and toys, such as MR. POTATO HEAD, TONKA TRUCKS, ACTION MAN, MY LITTLE PONY, and CANDYLAND.The massively multi-player game DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS.Under the terms of the agreement, Infogrames gains the rights through a licensing agreement with Hasbro to develop games based on Hasbro properties for a period of 15 years plus an option for an additional 5 years based on performance, on all existing and future digital interactive formats. Terms of the licensing agreement are consistent with other traditional Infogrames’ Entertainment licensing agreements.These formats include: current and next-generation video game consoles such as Sony PlayStation2, Microsoft Xbox, Sega Dreamcast, and Nintendo GameBoy Advance and GameCube, personal computers, broadband networks, interactive television, cellular telephones, arcade, and hand-held devices (PDAs). In keeping with its global multi-platform strategy, Infogrames will leverage Hasbro’s unmatched content by developing titles on a variety of platforms that appeal to a global market.These Hasbro Interactive brands, together with Hasbro’s owned brands, make up a catalog of more than 200 family titles that are being managed by a team of mass market product experts who have helped Hasbro Interactive succeed in becoming the third largest PC publisher in the U.S.Additionally, approximately 60 titles are currently in development, including PlayStation2 and Xbox versions of franchises from HASBRO, MICROPROSE and ATARI: ZOO TYCOON, MONOPOLY, MICRO MACHINES, TWISTER, CIRCUS MAXIMUS, CIVILIZATION, AND GRAND PRIX 4.Infogrames will also seek out additional partnership opportunities with telecommunications providers, media companies and hardware manufacturers to bring these franchises to other platforms.The long term licensing agreement combines Hasbro’s expertise in developing successful mass-market properties and Infogrames’ expertise in bringing top properties to the digital interactive market.Hasbro’s catalog of games and toys will be strengthened by their digital interactive counterparts, published and globally distributed by Infogrames. In addition, Infogrames’ titles based on Hasbro properties will benefit from Hasbro’s powerful marketing programs for their games and toys.Acquisition of Games.comAs part of the agreement, Infogrames acquires Games.com, an online games portal launching in early 2001. Games.com has already attracted over four million visitors to its site, with more than one million people having already registered to receive information about its launch.At its launch, Games.com will allow visitors to play more than 30 online games based on Hasbro properties, some of which include MONOPOLY, CLUE, SCRABBLE(1), ASTEROIDS, and RISK. In addition, visitors to the site can find news, information, tips and hints about games featured on Games.com.Visitors to the site will also have the ability to chat with other players and participate in tournaments based on widely recognized games from the Hasbro catalog. Games.com’s revenue strategy includes e-commerce, sponsorships and individual subscriptions. Infogrames plans to extend Games.com to broadband users in the future.JP Morgan & Lazard Freres advised Infogrames and Salomon Smith Barney advised Hasbro in this financial transaction.For additional information, Infogrames has posted a detailed presentation on today’s announcement at http://www.infogrames.com and http://www.infogrames-corporate.com.Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext 5257) is a worldwide leader in the interactive entertainment software industry. Headquartered in France, the company publishes and distributes award-winning computer and video games for the PlayStation(R) game console, PlayStation(R) 2 computer entertainment system, Microsoft(R) Xbox, Nintendo(R) 64, Nintendo(R) Game Boy(R) Color, Sega(R) Dreamcast(TM), Macintosh(R), and personal computer platforms, as well as interactive digital television platforms, mobile smart devices (WAP, HDML) and in-flight entertainment systems. Founded in 1983 by chairman and CEO Bruno Bonnell, Infogrames has published many award-winning franchises in its 17-year history, such as Alone In The Dark(TM), Test Drive(R), Driver(TM), Deer Hunter(R), Oddworld(TM), Unreal(TM), and V-Rally(TM). The company is also known for its best-selling and award-winning line of children’s entertainment software from Humongous Entertainment(R) starring Putt-Putt(R), Freddi Fish(TM), Pajama Sam(R) and SPY Fox(TM), as well as its successful Macintosh publishing label, Macsoft, the number one publisher of Macintosh entertainment software. In addition, Infogrames has a number of key strategic licenses including Warner Bros. Looney Tunes(TM), Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues(TM), AM General Hummer(R), and Harley-Davidson(R). Infogrames distributes its games in approximately 60 different countries worldwide. For more information, visit Infogrames’ US Web site at http://www.us.infogrames.com.Based in New York, NY, Infogrames, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFGM) is a majority-owned subsidiary of Infogrames Entertainment SA and serves as the headquarters for the company’s operations in North America.Hasbro is a worldwide leader in children’s and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, SUPER SOAKER, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.SAFE HARBOR STATEMENTCertain statements contained in this release contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “planned”, “potential”, “should”, “will” and “would”. Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual actions or results may differ materially from those expected or anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Specific factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, third party actions or approvals that could delay or increase the cost of implementation of the strategic agreement or alter actions and reduce actual results; the risk that anticipated benefits of the strategic agreement may not occur or be delayed or reduced in their realization; and with respect to the online game site initiative, technical difficulties in adapting games to online format and establishing the online game site that could delay or increase the cost of the site becoming operational; the acceptance by consumers of the games and other products and services to be offered at the site; competition from other online game sites and other game playing formats; and the fact online game revenues may not be sufficient to cover the significant advertising and other expenditures required or the support, service and product enhancement demands of online users. There is no undertaking of an obligation to make any revisions to the forward-looking statements contained in this release or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this release.