WarCraft II: Tides of Darkness

A REAL-TIME, FANTASY STRATEGY GAME

Return to the world of WarCraft, where the battle between the evil Orcs and the noble Humans rages on. With powerful new allies, terrifying creatures and ingenious weaponry, the struggle for the domination of Azeroth continues.

• MULTIPLAYER MODE (UP TO 8 PLAYERS VIA NETWORK) SUPPORTED VIA NETWORK, MODEM OR DIRECT LINK

• 28 CAMPAIGN SCENARIOS WITHIN TWO SEPARATE STORY LINES

• UNIQUE "SPAWNING" TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS HEAD-TO-HEAD PLAY BY INSTALLING MULTIPLE COPIES FROM THE ORIGINAL CD-ROM

• COMMAND UNIQUE WEAPONS OF WAR INCLUDING DRAGONS, SUBMARINES, ELVEN ARCHERS, GRYPHONS, ZEPPELINS, BATTLESHIPS, AND DEATH KNIGHTS

• MAP BUILDER FOR CREATING YOUR OWN SCENARIOS (REQUIRES WINDOWS 95)

• COMBINED-ARMS TACTICAL COMBAT ON LAND, SEA AND AIR

• ENHANCED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROVIDES INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE BY LEARNING, ADAPTING, AND RESPONDING TO YOUR ACTIONS

Source:

From the back of the box

1995's GAME OF THE YEAR PASSES THE 500,000 SALES MARK

IRVINE, Calif., March 18, 1996 -- Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness has sold half a million copies worldwide, according to information from PC Data and key domestic and international retail accounts. The blockbuster fantasy-strategy game reached the 500,000 milestone in just three months and continues to sell record numbers worldwide.

"The popularity of entertainment software has exploded in the past year -- top-notch computer games like Warcraft II are now selling as many copies as hit records," says Allen Adham, president and founder of Blizzard Entertainment. "Warcraft II's success demonstrates the unlimited potential that exists for high-quality titles which combine the latest technology with addictive game play."

Since shipping in December, the game has enjoyed record sales around the world and continues to be one of the best-selling titles in many countries, including the U.S., France, Germany and Canada. According to PC Data's January report, Warcraft II is the best-selling new release.

Said, Chuck Whitaker, NeoStar Divisional Merchandise Manager for 850 Software Etc. and Babbages stores, "Ever since Warcraft II began selling in my stores, it has been one of the best sellers that I have seen in the last five years. Its sales momentum and incredible popularity are phenomenal. Warcraft II continues to be one of our top five sellers and shows no signs of letting up."

Additionally, Warcraft II has received numerous accolades from industry press. The product recently won Game of the Year and Best Multiplayer Game from PC Gamer. The game has also earned high ratings and praise from leading gaming magazines including Computer Gaming World, Computer Game Review, PC Entertainment and Computer Games Strategy Plus.

Warcraft II is available immediately in DOS CD-ROM format at most computer and software retail chains nationwide for approximately $50. The game is also offered directly from Blizzard at (800) 953-SNOW. A DOS expansion set entitled Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal is due out in April, and a Macintosh version of the full retail version is scheduled for release this fall.

Blizzard Entertainment is a premier publisher of next-generation entertainment software. The company's blockbuster hits Warcraft and Warcraft II have earned top industry honors including Game of the Year and Best Multiplayer Game, as well as high ratings and rave reviews from numerous gaming magazines. Soon to be released titles include Diablo, a role-playing game, and Pax Imperia 2, a galactic empire simulator. Blizzard is a division of Davidson & Associates, Inc., a leading multimedia studio for educational and entertainment software.

Source:

Press Release

WARCRAFT II: TIDES OF DARKNESS RAGES ONTO GAMESTORM

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia August 5, 1998 -- Kesmai Corporation and ENGAGE games online, two leaders in the massively multiplayer online games industry, today announced the availability of Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness on Kesmai's online games service, GameStorm. The acclaimed real-time strategy game is the fourth title from ENGAGE to become available on GameStorm, the world's premier online destination for massively multiplayer games.

Developed by Blizzard Entertainment, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness continues the saga of Warcraft, with Humans and Orcs utilizing strategic arms tactics in a battle to become the true ruler of Azeroth. Players command an arsenal of weapons including Dragons, Ogres, Battleships, Elven Archers, Zeppelins, Juggernauts and Death Knights, and must master line-of-sight and scouting tactics to penetrate the blinding Fog of War.

Named 1995 Game of the Year and Multiplayer Game of the Year by PC Gamer magazine, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness also allows players to create their own unique battlefields for personalized warfare.

GameStorm will soon feature fourteen titles from ENGAGE including: Rolemaster: Magestorm, Darkness Falls, Splatterball, Claw, Virtual Pool, Diablo, Descent, Castles II, Rolemaster: Bladelands, Caesar's Palace Casino, U.S. Chess Federation, and Improv Trivia. GameStorm's basic monthly fee of $9.95 includes unlimited play of these games.

System requirements for Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness include: Windows 95, Pentium 60MHZ, 16MB RAM, 30MB hard disk space, DirectX 3.0, 256 colors, VESA 1.2 or higher compatible SuperSVGA monitor card, sound card, 14,400 baud modem and a valid GameStorm account.

ABOUT GAMESTORM

GameStorm is the first "end-to-end gaming nirvana," pulling together the leading massively multiplayer games, the best fast-action service, and award-winning editorial content all in one convenient, easy-to-use package.

Unique partnerships with SegaSoft's HEAT.NET, ENGAGE games online and GameSpot allow GameStorm members to enjoy the largest collection of online games ever assembled in cyberspace, along with the most robust player communities and the most comprehensive collections of downloads, reviews, and Web content. The entire package is offered at the breakthrough price of $9.95 per month for unlimited play.

ABOUT KESMAI

Kesmai, a News Corporation company headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, is comprised of three operating units: Kesmai Studios (developer), Aries Online Games (platform technology and third party publishing), and GameStorm (web-based retail games service). Kesmai is known for a variety of immersive, large-scale, persistent-universe games such as Air Warrior® III, MultiPlayer BattleTech®, Casino Poker™, and Legends of Kesmai®.

In addition to the GameStorm service, Kesmai games can be found on AOL, CompuServe, Prodigy, AT&T WorldNet, Concentric Network, EarthLink Network, Delphi Internet, LineOne (UK), Fujitsu (Japan) and numerous major Web sites such as Fox Broadcasting, Fox Home Entertainment, Fox Sports Online, 20th Century Fox Film, Toronto Star, Golf Web and TV Guide Entertainment Network.

ABOUT ENGAGE GAMES ONLINE

ENGAGE enabled games offer the finest online multiplayer experience available. Access to ENGAGE games online is provided via the Internet through GameStorm (North America), ICL's GamesZone (Europe), and Pacific Internet (Asia) and on America Online through WorldPlay Entertainment. Titles include: Claw, Descent, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, Rolemaster: Magestorm, Splatterball, Darkness Falls, Virtual Pool, Castles II, Billboard Live! Trivia, Rolemaster: Bladelands, and many more.

ENGAGE is more than just an online games service, providing chat, bulletin boards, leaderboards and many other features designed to create the ultimate online multiplayer gaming experience. ENGAGE has a dedicated community of the industry's most experienced online GameMasters to help novice players sharpen their skills quickly, and to provide the veteran players with the most competitive environment available online. ENGAGE's relationships with the industry's top game companies such as Blizzard Entertainment, Interplay Productions, Mythic Entertainment, and Monolith Productions (to name a few), assures online gamers around the world a constant stream of the best content available anywhere online.

ENGAGE games can be accessed on the Internet through GameStorm at, GamesZone, Pacific Internet and through WorldPlay Entertainment on America Online at Keyword:ENGAGE.

Source:

Press Release

WARCRAFT II

TIDES OF DARKNESS

Strategie-Action in Echtzeit und SVGA-Grafik.

Komplett in Deutsch

Die Schlacht um Azeroth geht weiter.

Zu Land, Wasser und in der Luft!

Ab November auf CD-ROM.

Läuft unter DOS, Win 3.1 und Win 95.

Source:

Print advertisement - PC Player 11/1995

WARCRAFT II

TIDES OF DARKNESS

**Strategie-Action in Echtzeit und SVGA-Grafik.

Komplett in Deutsch**

„Den Strategen brennt eine Frage auf den Lippen: Ist WarCraft 2 so gut wie (...)? Die Antwort: Es ist noch besser. Es hat sich wahrlich die Bezeichnung Strategiespiel verdient und unterhält trotzdem mit dichter Atmosphäre, rasanter Action und zünftigem Humor.“

Frank Heukemes, PowerPlay

„Besser geht's nicht: WarCraft 2 hat all das, was wir uns eigentlich von (...) erhofft hatten (...) liebevoll überesetzte und synchronisierte deutsche Version (...) Für mich das kompletteste und schönste Echtzeit-Strategiespiel!“

Petra Maueröder, PC Games

Die Schlacht um Azeroth geht weiter.

Zu Land, Wasser und in der Luft!

Source:

Print advertisement 03/1996

WARCRAFT II

TIDES OF DARKNESS

„eines der besten PC-Strategiespiele aller Zeiten (...) wertvoll: atmosphärische Fantasy-Action“

(PC Player 2/96)

„Die Vorteile liegen klar auf der Hand und machen WarCraft 2 zu DEM Strategiespiel für Genrefremde, Einsteiger und Fortgeschrittene. (...) schlichtweg der bislang beste Strategie-Action-Mix.“

(PowerPlay 2/96)

„Nur selten fllt einem in bezug auf Computerspiele das Prädikat ‘perfekt’ ein. (...) Suchtfördernd dürfte die treffendste Bezeichnung für dieses Kleinod der PC-Spielbranche sein.“

(EntertainmentMarkt, 1-2/96)

„bringt viel Freude noch in die kleinste Feldherrnhütte!“

(PC Joker 2/96)

„Besser geht's nicht: (...) Für mich das kompletteste und schönste Echtzeit-Strategiespiel!“

(PC Games 2/96)

**Strategie-Action in Echtzeit und SVGA-Grafik.

Komplett in Deutsch Nummer 1 in Deutschland*

Spiel des Jahres in den USA****

Die Schlacht um Azeroth geht weiter.

Zu Land, Wasser und in der Luft!

*Verkaufscharts für CD-ROM-Spiele von media control, Baden-Baden, 1.-15.1.96 und 16.-31.1.96

**„Game Of The Year“ und „Best Multiplayer Game“, PC GAMER, März 1996

Source:

Print advertisement - PC Player 04/1996