World-Renowned Fantasy/Sci-Fi Illustrator Rodney Matthews Creates Artwork for Midway's Haven: Call of the King
Posted by benadmin on Wednesday, October 23 2002

CHICAGO, Oct. 23, 2002 - Midway Games Inc. (NYSE:MWY), a leading software industry publisher and developer, announced today that Rodney Matthews, a world-renowned fantasy and science fiction illustrator, has created artwork and concepts for Midway's groundbreaking action and fantasy console videogame, Haven: Call Of The King(TM), which is scheduled to ship Nov. 18 for the PlayStation(R) 2 computer entertainment system. Haven: Call Of The King is also scheduled to ship for the Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft and Nintendo GameCube(TM) in 2003. Haven: Call Of The King is being developed by acclaimed U.K.-based developer, Traveller's Tales.

"The concept and gameplay of Haven: Call Of The King was so unique, we wanted the art direction to be equally original," said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway. "Having Rodney Matthews create the images for the game was a coup for us."

Matthews has worked as a freelance designer and illustrator in the genre of fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tale for 30 years, creating a wide range of art for record covers, book jackets, books, TV series, and videogames. His originals have been exhibited at England's foremost gallery for illustrators, the Chris Beetles Gallery in London's West End, and in other shows across Europe. Having found a niche in designing record covers, Matthews provided artwork for more than 70 musical artists including Thin Lizzy, Nazareth, Asia, and the Scorpions. His designs have been published as posters, postcards, jigsaw puzzles, and in anthology books, selling in the millions worldwide.

"I was extremely excited to create the artwork for Haven: Call Of The King," said Matthews. "The game's fantasy elements provided a rich template for me to create the visuals."

About Haven: Call of the King

The Revolutionary Technology

Utilizing FreeFormer(TM) gameplay - which allows the player to experience multiple gameplay mechanics blended together in a virtually limitless world -- a variety of genres are smoothly integrated into one game. In the game, players have total freedom to move anywhere in the world on foot or by vehicle with smooth gameplay transitions between turret-based shooting, boat racing, bike battles, plane fighting, gladiator arena combat and space exploration. In addition, the groundbreaking technology allows players to seamlessly travel from the earth, through the atmosphere, into outer space, and back again.

The gameplay in Haven: Call Of The King projects a cinematic-type quality with visually stunning worlds and environments. Like scenes from a movie, all of the levels in Haven: Call Of The King perfectly link together the character-driven story, which directs the gameplay and unfolds against a backdrop of the many enchanting worlds.

The Epic Story

Haven: Call Of The King unveils a remarkable tale of exploration and intrigue. Players embark on an epic quest as Haven, a heroic young man haunted by dreams that awaken him to the legend of the "Golden Voice." A bell that can be rung in times of need, the "Golden Voice" is the only way Haven can free his people from slavery and imminent death at the hands of the evil Lord Vetch.

To emancipate his people and complete his galactic crusade, Haven must prove his mettle in the warrior training grounds and navigate untold dangers to recover the relic that will guide him to the "Golden Voice."

Traveller's Tales is an independent, UK-based developer of interactive entertainment. During thirteen years of development, they have worked with publishers like Sega, Nintendo, Activision, Sony, Universal and Disney and have worked on games such as Sonic R, Toy Story (1 and 2), Bug's Life and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex. To date, titles developed by Traveller's Tales have sold millions of units worldwide. You can find more information on Traveller's Tales at the company's website: www.t-tales.com.

Midway Games Inc. is a leading developer, publisher and marketer of interactive entertainment software. Midway videogames are available for play on all major videogame platforms including the PlayStation(R) 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube(TM) and Game Boy(R) Advance.

For more information about Midway Games visit www.midway.com.

MIDWAY is a registered trademark of Midway Amusement Games, LLC. HAVEN: CALL OF THE KING and FREEFORMER are trademarks of Midway Home Entertainment Inc.

Xbox and Microsoft are trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. Nintendo GameCube, the Nintendo GameCube logo and Game Boy Advance are trademarks of Nintendo. (c)2001 Nintendo. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

Midway has provided the www.t-tales.com link solely as a convenience for you. The information on this site has been prepared by a third party, and Midway does not monitor, endorse or accept responsibility for the content on non-Midway sites.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business conditions and the outlook for Midway Games Inc. (the "Company") based on currently available information that involve risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the financial strength of the interactive entertainment industry, dependence on new product introductions and the ability to maintain the scheduling of such introductions, technological changes, dependence on major platform manufacturers and other risks more fully described under "Item 1. Business - Risk Factors" in the Company's current Transition Report on Form 10-K and the other filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.