SEGA RELEASES TEZUKA'S ASTRO BOY ON PLAYSTATION 2, GAME BOY ADVANCE

Anime Sensation Gives Home Console and Handheld Gamers a 100,000 Horsepower Kick in the Pants

SAN FRANCISCO (August 17, 2004) - Dubbed "One of our favorite games on GBA" by IGN and touted as "the number-one icon in platform gaming this summer" by GameSpy, SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced the launch of Astro Boy(tm) for Sony PlayStation®2 and Astro Boy(tm): Omega Factor for Game Boy® Advance. Both highly anticipated titles are based on Osamu Tezuka's flagship character Astro (Tetsum Atom in Japan) - a robotic superhero with a human mind - who embarks on a jet-fueled adventure to reunite the robotic race with humans.

Astro Boy for PlayStation 2 was developed by SONICTEAM, from the creators responsible for Rez(tm), Space Channel 5(tm), and Sonic Heroes(tm); while Astro Boy: Omega Factor, the Game Boy Advance title, was developed by Hitmaker, a SEGA development studio, in conjunction with Treasure, the studio behind such 2D classics as Gunstar Heroes(tm) and Guardian Heroes(tm).

"We are excited to bring the most recognizable anime character to video game consoles for the very first time," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president of Entertainment Marketing, SEGA of America. "Having grown up with Astro Boy, SEGA developers have achieved an action-adventure title that remains true to the character; engaging a younger audience with great gameplay and one of the most innovative flight mechanics of all time."

Astro Boy (PlayStation 2) allows gamers to use Astro's Jet-powered Feet, Arm Cannon, 100,000-Horsepower Strength, Searchlight eyes with X-Ray Vision and other special abilities to help save Metro City. With each case solved, Astro's skills develop; preparing him to face off against the strengths of Atlas, Acheron, the Blue Knight and more!

Astro Boy: Omega Factor (Game Boy Advance) brings classic 2D gaming to the GBA along with an original seven-episode story crafted from previous versions of the Astro Boy animated series. Gamers learn about justice, compassion, evil, courage and the history of the landmark character - all while building Astro's Omega Factor and strengthening his character and super-human abilities.

Osamu Tezuka, who is known as the pioneer of Japanese animation and the "father of manga," created Astro Boy in 1952. Since then, Astro Boy has become one of the most recognized characters in Japanese animation and was the first Japanese animated television show shown in America. Airing in more than 40 countries and selling more than 80 million comic books and $3 billion in merchandise in Japan, the beloved character has amassed a global following that borders on cult status.

Astro Boy (PS2; priced at $39.99) and Astro Boy Omega Factor (GBA; priced at $29.99) are both rated 'E' for Everyone and are available at retailers nationwide.

About SEGA
SEGA® of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA Corporation, a $3.5 billion corporation by market capitalization, recognized as a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home.  The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  SEGA of America's Web site is located at www.sega.com/usa.

About Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP)
Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP), based in Los Angeles and London, handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television and, through Spider-Man Merchandising, L.P., a limited partnership with Marvel Enterprises, the upcoming motion picture Spider-Man 2(tm).  SPCP properties include such titles as the Academy Award-winning short, The ChubbChubbs(tm), currently in development as an animated series and feature film, television properties such as Astro Boy(tm), Jackie Chan Adventures(tm), and classic favorites such as Bewitchedä and I Dream of Jeannieä, both in development for feature films.
 
SPCP is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE).  SPE is a division of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation.  SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries.  Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

# # #
 
SEGA is a registered trademarks of SEGA Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

del.icio.us | Digg This | Glink It

---