Contact Information: Contacts: Amanda Collins Warner Music Group 212/275-2213 Email Contact David Jun Acclaim Games 310/728-6563 Email Contact
Acclaim Games Launches DANCE! Online Game Featuring Music and Artists From Warner Music Group
Game Features Online Participation by Music Artists
| Source: Warner Music Group
LOS ANGELES, CA and NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- April 12, 2007 -- Acclaim Games today
announced the launch of the online game DANCE! Online, a free-to-play
multiplayer online dancing game. In an industry first, DANCE! Online will
feature top talent and master recordings from Warner Music Group Corp.
(NYSE : WMG ), making it the first free multiplayer online dance game to
feature major label content and artists. With the start of "Open Beta"
testing this week, thousands of U.S. PC users will have the opportunity to
dance virtually to songs from select WMG artists.
"This is by far the closest collaboration any major music label has ever
had with an online game," said Howard Marks, CEO of Acclaim Games.
"DANCE! Online has started the music-based game revolution which has
captured the minds of hundreds of millions of players in Asia," said David
Perry, the game's director and industry superstar designer.
In making the announcement, George White, Senior Vice President, Strategy
and Product Development, WMG said, "With the enormous popularity of
dance-based games in Asia and other parts of the world, we're excited that
our artists and music have the opportunity to reach the millions of fans
who are participating in this growing phenomenon."
In another video game industry first, Atlantic Records recording artist
Cupid, with his hit single "Cupid Shuffle," will make a personal virtual
appearance in the game. Other artist-related announcements will follow
where the artists will create their own avatar and play the game live
online and chat with fans. The game will feature some of the latest music
from select artists and personalized virtual items including artist-branded
clothing, accessories and more. Upon the game's full launch later this
year, players can compete to win autographed merchandise and other
artist-branded products.
Players of DANCE! Online can create their own avatar and use either the
keyboard or most PC compatible dance pads to match the beat of the song and
to make their character perform choreographed dance steps. The game
features up to 6 players dancing together and includes a variety of game
modes and options. Players will be able to purchase optional items from the
game shop to customize their virtual characters with clothing and various
accessories. Players can also purchase "song packs" to dance to even more
songs from WMG's catalog. The game is free and will be supported by in-game
advertising provided by IGA Worldwide.
DANCE! Online is directed by video game industry veteran David Perry. The
game is in Beta testing beginning this week, which means that anyone who
registers for an account can immediately play for free. For more
information, please visit www.acclaim.com.
About Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group became the only stand-alone music company to be publicly
traded in the United States in May 2005. With its broad roster of new stars
and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the
best-known record labels in the music industry including Asylum, Atlantic,
Bad Boy, Cordless, East West, Elektra, Lava, Maverick, Nonesuch, Reprise,
Rhino, Roadrunner, Rykodisc, Sire, Warner Bros. and Word. Warner Music
International, a leading company in national and international repertoire,
operates through numerous international affiliates and licensees in more
than 50 countries. Warner Music Group also includes Warner/Chappell Music,
one of the world's leading music publishers, with a catalog of more than
one million copyrights worldwide.
About Acclaim Games
Based in Beverly Hills, California, Acclaim Games is a revolutionary
company with over 1 million registered players worldwide. CEO Howard Marks,
a cofounder of Activision, has established Acclaim as one of America's top
online game brands. Today, Acclaim Games offers only the finest online
games with a focus on accessibility, playability and most importantly fun.
Acclaim's free massively multiplayer games include BOTS!! (futuristic robot
fighting action game), 9Dragons (Martial Arts MMORPG), 2Moons (Extreme
Action MMORPG), DANCE! Online (hit music dancing game), and Top Secret (a
fan developed online game). To learn more, please visit www.acclaim.com.
About David Perry
David Perry - CEO of Gameconsultants Inc. and Acclaim's Chief Creative
Officer is a 24-year video game industry veteran, Perry launched his
professional career at just 15 years of age by writing video game
programming books in his native Northern Ireland. Since then, Perry/Shiny
has developed numerous games (including The Terminator, Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles, McDonald's Global Gladiators, 7-Up's Cool Spot, Disney's
Aladdin, Earthworm Jim, MDK, Sacrifice, etc.) his most recent games have
sold over $300M, based on the "Matrix" franchise. Perry sits on the
Advisory Boards of the Game Developers Conference, the Hollywood and Games
Conference, the Gamers Expo & Westwood College. He is a regular speaker at
key industry events like E3, and has represented the video game industry
speaking at conferences like TED.