LOS ANGELES – Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) – (May 12, 2003) – SEGA® will showcase four show-stopping games as part of its lineup of nearly 20 titles at E3 2003. SEGA’s game lineup includes two new titles from SEGA’s legendary SONICTEAM™, LTD., "Sonic Heroes™" and "Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg™," plus stunning new versions of the critically-acclaimed 2K series with "NFL 2K4" and "NBA 2K4" from Visual Concepts Entertainment, SEGA’s sports center.

"With Sonic The Hedgehog making his historic PlayStation 2 and Xbox debut and an all-new SONICTEAM platform game in the works, 2003 is shaping up to be the year of the hedgehog," said Mike Fischer, vice president of marketing, SEGA of America, Inc.

"This year we have completely redesigned the entire 2K4 lineup including a new interface, enhanced ESPN integration, new gameplay mechanics and revolutionary features that will set our games apart from the competition," said Greg Thomas, president, Visual Concepts Entertainment.

SEGA’s AAA lineup features titles for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft and the Nintendo GameCube™, including:

• "Sonic Heroes™" (PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox): SEGA’s legendary mascot Sonic The Hedgehog® makes his historic PlayStation 2 and Xbox debut! In "Sonic Heroes," Sonic embarks on his biggest adventure ever, with his trademark blazing speed and a new gameplay twist. Sonic and his friends have evolved, adopting a configuration feature that allows gamers to control three playable characters simultaneously, using Sonic’s speed, Knuckles’ power, and Tails’ ability to fly, to conquer massive worlds. This team-based gameplay marks the next evolution in Sonic’s gaming career, taking platform gaming to a completely new level. Using the three formations and the powerful moves that each team member has, Sonic and his friends combine forces to battle the ultimate evil.

• "Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg™" (Nintendo GameCube): Sonic The Hedgehog® creator Yuji Naka and SONICTEAM return with their first all-new platform game since the SEGA Saturn™ era! Darkness has fallen upon a once-magical land. An evil King who seeks to rule with an everlasting night has captured the creatures that inhabit this realm. Now, a young boy must use the powers of a legendary suit to control special eggs in order to restore light to the land. Gamers will collect magical eggs, use them to solve puzzles and nurture them with items found by exploring the world. Gamers will be able to hatch the eggs and discover magical creatures with a variety of skills, introducing a strategic planning element to the combat and puzzles. It’s up to Billy Hatcher to return light to the land!

• "NFL 2K4" (PlayStation 2, Xbox): "NFL 2K4" hits the line hard, challenging the conventions of football video gaming once again, with a fresh new experience that will put gamers right into the action. Enter a new world of ESPN integration, bringing you behind the scenes and into a captivating environment of new presentation schemes. A new play calling system makes it easy for gamers to navigate through menus while the more than 1,000 new animations and enhanced moves gives "NFL 2K4" a new level of realism that is unmatched. Playable online and ready for the season to begin, "NFL 2K4" is destined for greatness.

• "NBA 2K4" (PlayStation 2, Xbox): "NBA 2K4" advances to the next level of the game with a blowout of new and innovative gameplay improvements. Replicating the quickness and athleticism of the NBA like no other basketball video game, "NBA 2K4" rises to the top with online play, an all-new franchise mode, redesigned player models and arenas and hundreds of new animations including highlight-reel dunks. An unrivaled telecast presentation brings this all to life with a more dynamic production that only ESPN can deliver.

Other games being featured in the SEGA booth at E3 include: "NHL® 2K4," "NCAA® College Basketball 2K4," "Vectorman™," "Headhunter™: Redemption," "Otogi™ - Myth of Demons," "Sega GT Online™," "Phantasy Star Online™ Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution," "Virtua Fighter 4™ Evolution Greatest Hits," "Altered Beast™," "Virtual On Marz™," "Dororo (working title)," "Kunoichi (working title)," "Sonic Adventure™ DX Director’s Cut," "Sonic Battle™" and "Sonic Pinball Party™." ["Vectorman," "Headhunter," "Altered Beast," "Dororo" and "Kunoichi" are not yet concept approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America]

SEGA’s 2K4 series will debut from Visual Concepts Entertainment, SEGA’s sports center, which has taken on an expanded role including full development and marketing responsibilities for all of SEGA’s sports titles. In doing so, Visual Concepts Entertainment has also formed key alliances with other leading development houses, Kush Games and Blue Shift, Inc.

ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is a multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia assets in sports marketing with over 40 business entities. The company is comprised of seven domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes (launching 2003), ESPN Now, ESPN Today), ESPN HD (high-definition simulcast service of ESPN launching April 2003), ESPN International (25 international networks and syndication), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Regional Television, SportsTicker and ESPN Enterprises, overseeing brand extensions such as ESPN Zone, an interactive sports-themed dining and entertainment experience. Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc, which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

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