Juiced

ACCLAIM ENTERTAINMENT, INC. GETS UNDER THE HOOD WITH JUICE GAMES FOR EXCLUSIVE GLOBAL PUBLISHING RIGHTS FOR 'JUICED'

**Next-Gen Street Racing Game to Launch in Fall, Featuring More than 50 Licensed Cars, Real-Time Modding; Sim, Arcade and Team-Based Play; and Online Head-to-Head Action

GLEN COVE, NY, January 22, 2004** – Getting under the hood and into the very heart of street racing, Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ.SC: AKLM), today announced that it has signed an exclusive global publishing agreement with Juice Games for their next-generation racing game, Juiced due this Autumn. Combining the best elements of simulation and arcade-style play, Juiced will feature more than 50 licensed vehicles; real-time modding with hundreds of authentic aftermarket parts; realistic car physics and damage; and online head-to-head play, including for the first time ever, "crew based" team racing.

"Juiced is not just another handsome racing game, it is a full extension of the culture that embodies street racing," said Rod Cousens, Chief Executive Officer of Acclaim. "Today's racing enthusiast wants more than just the control of the steering wheel; they want to fully personalize their experience, from the drivetrain to the decals. Juiced will give players the opportunity to go from artist to overdrive and test their mettle online in one of the best head-to-head racing experiences ever brought to the next-generation platforms. Gentlemen, start your engines!"

"Acclaim is renowned for their ability to launch exciting and successful new brands in a global marketplace," added Colin Bell, Juice Games' Managing Director. "Their proven expertise in the genre is perfectly matched with our technology and passion for game development. We're confident that this collaboration will continue to foster an ideal creative environment that will result in a world-class racing game."

Juiced, as in life, is all about the car. Style comes in a close second to speed, and Juiced offers thousands of real-time modding combinations that empower players to create their ultimate personality-infused street machines. But it takes more than a fresh coat of pearlescent paint to earn respect on the road; it takes the ball bearings to go up against the trash-talking, nitrous- burning faithful who want to strip everyone of their cash, cars and pride. Juiced lets players connect with their community and share the high-octane action by recruiting drivers to become part of their crew and race together as a team to put the brakes on the competition.

Juiced will offer many exciting features, including:* More than 50 licensed vehicles, including Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Dodge, Ford, Mazda Mitsubishi, Pontiac, Holden, Volkswagen, Fiat, Renault, Subaru, Peugeot and Chevrolet;

• Hundreds of authentic aftermarket parts from leading manufacturers such as A'PEXi, AEM, Bridgestone, Ferodo, Konig, Alpine and HKS that provide players with thousands of personalized vehicle customization combinations;

• Progressive, non-linear gameplay that enables players to build their characters and cars, and gain respect and notoriety by winning races and cash;

• Unique blending of simulation and the high-octane appeal of arcade-style racing;

• Ability to build custom racing crews that work together as a team to win races;

• Authentic car physics and damage;

• Online head-to-head play on all platforms.

Juiced will be available in the fall for Xbox™, PlayStation®2 and PC at suggested retail prices to be determined. The official Juiced Web site will be launched in the coming weeks.

Source:

Press release (22nd January 2004)

RAGE ANNOUNCES LICENSING AGREEMENT WITH 'LAMBORGHINI®'

Rage, one of the UK's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, is pleased to announce that is has entered into a three year licensing agreement with Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A ("Lamborghini"), one of the world's leading super car manufacturers, to produce an exclusive range of officially branded Lamborghini videogames across all next generation console formats.

Lamborghini, founded in 1963 and headquartered in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, was recently brought under full ownership of the Audi AG group and is widely considered to have produced some of the world's best super cars, including the 350 GT, Miura, Countach and Diablo.

Lamborghini also introduced its first new car in eleven years this year - the Murciélago – and the car has already established three International Automobile Federation ("FIA") speed records, including completing 100 miles in 30 minutes at an average speed of over 200mph. The Murciélago has also received numerous press and trade awards throughout the motor industry since its introduction.

The Lamborghini titles currently under development by Rage will be the only videogames to feature the entire range of Lamborghini cars past and present and the title has been developed with help and assistance from Lamborghini's chief designers and technicians.

The game will allow the player to join the 'Lamborghini Millionaires Club', founded by high-rolling millionaires with a passion for speed, risk and Lamborghini, and race in a series of leagues set in exotic locations around the world. Members can indulge in high stakes challenges to build up the ultimate collection of Lamborghini vehicles and can also obtain rare and collectable vehicles by entering special 'pink slip challenges' where large sums of money and cars may be won and lost.

As well as several single and multi-player gaming modes, Lamborghini will also be Rage's first broadband capable racing game designed for Xbox™ Live, the multiplayer functionality of the Xbox video game console from Microsoft, and the game will allow players to take their collection of cars online and compete with other drivers around the world.

The Lamborghini game will be officially unveiled by Rage at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) that takes place between the 22nd – 24th May, 2002 in Los Angeles, California, and is scheduled for release on the Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation®2 gaming platforms in Spring 2003 and Nintendo® GameCube™ in Winter 2003.

Source:

Press release (20th May 2002)

JUICED

Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment

Developer: Juice Games

Platform(s):

PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system

Xbox® video game system from Microsoft

PC

Shipping: Fall 2004

ESRB Rating: Rating Pending

Summary:

In the UK, Europe, the States, Japan and any country where you'll find young people and motors, customization of street cars - or modding - is on the increase. It used to be the realm of enthusiasts, but today it has spilled over into a much broader demographic. In fact, through a widely increasing obsession with speed and the desire to have a car that looks individual, it's become a clearly defined lifestyle category, witnessed by an explosion in magazines such as Max Power (with a circulation of 200,000 in the UK alone), Revs, Evo and Fast Car UK.

The internet and mobile phone are the de-facto communications of this growing community, and 'cruises' are the shadowy gatherings from which challenges emerge and enter into street legend. It's very much a young adult's scene, synonymous with clubbing.

The roots of modding can be traced back to the original US muscle car, the Pontiac GTO, but these days all types are ripe for treatment, from the least expensive car to supercars. Most importantly, the demographic for car modders is a reflection of our console audience.

While the street modding scene has been alluded to in driving games such as Auto Modellista and Midnight Club, it has never had the simulation touch of Gran Turismo. With the introduction of a team based structure, and our background in simulation, we will take the street racing scene to a detailed and personal level, where you feel that you're genuinely connecting with real characters and competing for credibility, not just a position in a league table. You'll develop an affinity with your cars; what they look like, how they perform and what it takes to keep it roadworthy all matter. In this game you control it all.

Performance adjustment is becoming commonplace in driving titles, but the real modding scene demands more than just invisible tweaks. Of course, to be the business, you'll need the big-bore HKS pipes, the Turbo-Technics blower. But to be seen you need highly visible improvements. Adding a set of 18" chrome-dipped Kahn wheels is not just about improving traction and grip; it's about looking cool... and without the lowered springs, Street weapon body kit, and pearlescent finish your chariot is still too OE (original equipment) and won't attract attention. Unless you create a worthy street monster, you won't get to race the serious racers, or haul in the serious cash.

Once you've turned your pride and joy into a low-flying babe-magnet, you need to convince the competition that you're not just a sheep in wolf's clothing. The final, touch - a healthy manifold injection of Nitrous Oxide.

Juiced is a PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Xbox® video game system from Microsoft and PC racing simulation that totally immerses the player in the lifestyle, community and risk-taking of the street modding scene in a unique and compelling way. Juiced doesn't pay lip-service to the modding scene, it takes you there and involves you in it culture, risk taking and unique creativity... the car as a personalized art-form.

It's not an arcade style game in the pure sense of the term, but it will deliver quick thrills and action. Most importantly, the depth of game play goes far beyond an arcade style racer, pitching you against a broad range of characters who aim to trash you by building the meanest looking, hardest driving street machines, then trouncing you in a series of increasingly risky challenges. They want your cash, your cars, and your pride.

Progression is not based on a scripted story, but evolves as your skills in modding and driving increase. You'll have to work hard to get to where the real petrol-heads and money lurk, building up a collection of nitrous burning, eye popping monsters for every type of challenge. And once you've maxed your cars, the stakes are maxed out too.

Features:

Serious racing simulations have made their mark in the driving genre, but none deal with the street modding scene quite like this:* Combines the driving and extreme-sports genres;

• Build up the most respected street racing crew;

• Collect and customize or 'mod' a wide variety of cars;

• Recruit and manage drivers;

• Compete for cash and cars;

• Interact with characters from other crews;

• Use team tactics to win races;

• Enjoy the 'home' track advantage;

• Progress by gaining respect and notoriety;

• Organized Street Races and Race Track Events;

• Highway Races and Special Challenges;

• Use of real brands and recognizable licenses to add believability to the game world;

• Use of actual auto manufacturers' blue prints for nearly 50 licensed in-game vehicles;

• Believable, but highly accessible physics and handling;

• Car and environment damage;

• Cutting edge next-generation graphics;

• Split-screen multiplayer gaming;

• Online play on PlayStation2 and Xbox.

Source:

Press release (13th May 2004)

JUICED IS THE PLACE TO 'SHOW-OFF'

"SHOW-OFF MODE"

You've just blown $50,000 uprating every nut, bolt and panel of a Nissan 300 ZX, transforming a moderately hot production sports coupe into the automobile equivalent of a fighter jet. Why? Simply because it will blow away anything that dares race you? Not quite! It's because it makes you look good, especially when you start pulling crazy maneuvers on the street, getting the crowd going wild as you donut and J-turn your way across town. It's good to 'Show-off' and it's only available in Juiced.

What every modder craves is attention and respect in equal measure, and the 'Show-off' event is exactly where to get both... or lose both! In Juiced, 'Show-off' is a totally unique mode providing a freestyle event against the clock. It's not racing, but you have a set amount of time to pull classy maneuvers and impress the crowd. What's more, 'Show- Off' mode is not only available in the single player game. It's available online too!

In Online Career mode, you get the chance to go head to head with up to six other petrol heads simultaneously, battling it out for the maximum points. You take online any of the cars you have bought and modded in your Career Collection, complete with personalized paint job.

Sophisticated physics are what make the 'Show-off' mode possible and so much fun. In the movies, we've all seen Bootleg turns (U-turns), J turns, donuts and other motorized madness. In Juiced you get to try them all, in over 45 different types of car. It takes real skill to master all the moves in every model... on the way you'll find that some cars are better than others for certain moves, and that's all part of the game.

How well you perform also depends very much on the way you have modified your car. For example, a four wheel drive Skyline kitted out with rock-solid suspension, full spoilers and the most expensive tires is probably not your best choice for drifting or pulling donuts. On the other hand, an old Nissan 300 ZX with rear wheel drive, up-rated power and a short ratio gear-box is just right. Take a look at the real-life example. Front wheel drives can be fun too, but you'll need to learn completely different ways of executing the same maneuvers.

In all there are nine distinct maneuvers to master in 'Show-off' mode, from donuts to high speed 360-degree turns, but that's just the start. By linking moves together successfully, you'll boost your score considerable. Make a mistake and you'll wipe out your hard earned points.

Once you have mastered each maneuver, your mission is to string them together to create high-speed ballet in cars. So start with a half dozen, smoking donuts, nitro your way to a maximum speed run, bleed off energy in a sweeping drift around a curve and get ready for the grand finale... a 180 degree turn that has you traveling backwards at high speed, ready to execute a classic J-Turn. And to put a cherry on top, another round of donuts followed by a handbrake turn as you dash to cross the line. Executed perfectly, this sequence will have the crowd screaming for more, and see your score multipliers go through the roof.

Because it takes skill to master the moves, it's quite easy to damage your vehicle getting it right, so it's best to start off in something that's not too expensive to repair. Once you feel confident, it's time to start taking your better cars out on the streets. The more 'Juiced' your ride, the more respect you'll earn in certain parts of town. Where you perform is key too. Some areas of the City are better suited to show-offs than others and only by gaining enough respect to enter any neighborhood will you get to see all the streets. And if you get it wrong, the crowd lets you know, heckling you and taunting you on poor performance.

The fine control of the maneuvers requires very careful balancing between throttle and brakes. Drifting is a good example, where you approach the bend and decelerate, then flip the steering wheel to get the back end out while accelerating to get the drift going. In the case of a 360 degree turn it's all about getting the timing right for braking and accelerating. If you don't get the braking right, you won't have enough momentum to approach 180 degrees, and if you don't accelerate at the right spot you won't pull the nose around to face the same direction as the one you started with. Getting it wrong in both cases will probably lead to damage because you need relatively high speed to execute a 360.

In the Career mode of Juiced, you'll need to compete in 'Show-offs' to gain enough respect to complete the game. And while it's not racing, it will teach you dozens of useful tricks for getting out of trouble when you lose it on the track. Of course, hi-scores in the 'Show-off' events' are recorded and stored on-line if you have the right broadband connections. On both PS2 and Xbox, you don't even have to be playing someone else to get your good results up on the global rankings. As long as you have an active online link, your scores are posted automatically.

Source:

Press release (12th July 2004)

THQ Announces Global Publishing Rights to "Juiced" Franchise

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. - Oct. 8, 2004 - THQ® Inc. (Nasdaq:THQI) today announced exclusive worldwide publishing rights to the "Juiced" franchise, the highly anticipated street racing property by Juice Games. THQ submitted the winning bid for the property, which was approved on October 6, 2004, by an order of the U.S. bankruptcy judge overseeing the Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings of Acclaim Entertainment. Acclaim Entertainment had previously held the rights to the "Juiced" property. Subject to final contract and certain closing conditions, THQ plans to release "Juiced" for the PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® videogame system from Microsoft and PC in summer 2005.

"We are very excited to have secured the rights to this strategic, highly sought after intellectual property," said Jack Sorensen, executive vice president of worldwide studios, THQ. "The team is off to a great start and now has the time to build `Juiced' into one of the premier brands in street racing."

Early critical praise for "Juiced" includes:

"`Juiced' has just as many options, goodies, and features as the highest-profile driving games do and, in several other ways, outperforms." - PSM, November 2004

"Racing fans have a lot to look forward to with `Juiced.' The racing is great, with extremely realistic physics, intelligent opponent AI, and controllable teammates. All of the cars are well represented, as well, and the game looks as good as any other racer in the foreseeable future. You've just gotta respect that." - gamespy.com

Source:

Press release (8th October 2004)

Juiced™ GETS TUNED UP FOR A MAY 2005 RELEASE

**Host of additions & enhancements being made to the highly anticipated street racer

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif., Dec. 9, 2004** – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that the hotly tipped street racer, Juiced, is anticipated for release in May 2005 on PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® videogame system from Microsoft and on PC.

Juiced received rave reviews earlier in the year, and since taking ownership of the rights, THQ has been working closely with Juice Games on a number of refinements to enhance the game.

"THQ is extremely excited to be entering into a long term relationship with Juice Games, as the global publisher for the keenly awaited street racer, Juiced," said Peter Dille, Senior Vice President, worldwide marketing, THQ. "With the additional time we've allocated to the title, we're certain that Juiced will excite gamers across the globe even more than originally anticipated."

"Every developer dreams of having a few months to polish their creation so that it truly matches the original vision they had for it", stated Colin Bell (founder of Juice Games). "That's exactly the opportunity we've been given by THQ. Racing game fans are very discerning, and we're keen to deliver something that far exceeds their expectations."

Along with additional cars and tracks, numerous gameplay and visual enhancements are planned for the May 2005 release. A full list of additions is available from THQ's press departments.

In support of the launch of the title, THQ plans to roll out a highly effective and significant global marketing and PR campaign, which is expected to be augmented by a playable demo on all three platforms, prior to the launch of the game.

Source:

Press release (9th December 2004)

THQ and Juice Games Fine Tune Juiced for May 2005 Release

**State-of-the-Art Street Racer to Feature New Additions and Upgrades

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif., Jan 27, 2005** - THQ Inc. (Nasdaq: THQI) today announced that substantial upgrades to the highly anticipated street racer, Juiced, will be completed for the games' release in May 2005 for the PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® videogame system from Microsoft and PC. Since acquiring the rights to Juiced in late 2004, THQ has worked closely with developer Juice Games to fine-tune game play elements such as handling and sense of speed, while dramatically enhancing the all-around racing experience with the introduction of arcade mode, a fully redesigned game interface and reworked audio.

"We are excited to be entering into a long-term relationship with Juice Games and look forward to providing racing fans with the attention to detail and high performance they deserve," said Peter Dille, Senior Vice President, worldwide marketing, THQ. "Taking the time to revamp Juiced's career mode and add an in-depth arcade mode will help establish the franchise as one of the leading street racers on the market."

Juiced will fully immerse players in the lifestyle and culture of the street scene. Drivers will start with the dream of building a crew of 'driving gods' and work towards domination of the established street-racing scene of Angel City. Showing off racing skills in show-off mode will help players gain 'respect' from rival crew chiefs, allowing them to attend other crew's events and eventually bet against them for cash as well as challenge drivers 'for pinks.' As a racer's notoriety grows, new drivers will ask to join the team, opening up never-before-seen 'crew races' where the players ability to manage a crew of drivers is key to beating rival crews.

Juiced will feature more than 50 real cars with more than 100 real mods for a total of 7.5 trillion car customization possibilities. The game will also offer a full on-line feature set complete with six player races and world leader boards.

In support of the launch of the title, THQ plans to roll out a significant global marketing and PR campaign, which is expected to be augmented by a playable demo on all three platforms, prior to the launch of the game.

Even before Juiced's recent upgrades press were excited about the title:

"Juiced has just as many options, goodies, and features as the highest-profile driving games do and, in several other ways, out performs them."

- PSM "When you get behind the wheel in Juiced, you get a contest packed with extensive challenge and game-play durability."

- Game Pro "Cram all the game-play elements together and we're looking at a game aiming to be the Grand Turismo of the tuning scene."

- IGN.com

Source:

Press release (27th January 2005)

Juiced™ gets ready to race with support from Highbury House

**Exclusive deal with Fast Car magazine publisher to target over 2 million 16 – 24 year old males.

WOKING, Surrey, 20th April, 2005** – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced an exclusive deal with Highbury House published Fast Car magazine to support the upcoming launch of THQ's highly acclaimed street racer – Juiced™ for PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft and PC CD-Rom.

The deal, which will total over 35 pages of coverage in Fast Car alone and additional support across the Highbury portfolio through email and SMS mobile phone promotions, will centre on a seven month, work–in-progress modification of a Mazda RX-7 reflecting the essence of Juiced and the UK car modification scene.

The culmination of the campaign will see one lucky reader walking away with the RX-7, valued at well over £50,000 through a text to win competition.

Jon Rooke, UK Product Marketing Manager for THQ, commented: "Juiced is all about real street racing so what better way to talk to people involved in the actual scene than via Fast Car. We're delighted with the level of support Highbury Leisure are able to give us for our first entry into the racing game genre."

In addition to editorial support, THQ has also signed up as the official show sponsor of Fast Car for the coming season which will see Juiced demos, goodie bags and spot prizes handed out at six of the UKs most high profile car shows – exposing the game to over 150,000 modified car fanatics.

Highbury House publisher Steve Ray said: "Because our promotions, editorial, advertising and publishing teams work so closely together it is possible for us to provide advertisers with a truly unique package that can precisely meet their brief. This deal shows how we are able to fully integrate a brand into the entire scene through Fast Car in addition to the usual techniques employed to reach a market."

The activity will start with the April edition of the magazine and is expected to run through 2005.

Ray added: "This is much more subtle way of influencing our massively brand aware young male readership."

For more information on Juiced and the rest of THQ's product line-up, please visit www.thq.co.uk.

Source:

Press release (20th April 2005)

Juiced™ Rolls Out of THQ Fine-Tuned, Tricked Out and Ready to Race

**Street Racer Blends Key Elements of Genre With Never-Before Seen Features, Allowing Drivers to Build Their Car, Build Their Crew and Put It All on the Line

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif., June 13, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/** - THQ Inc. (Nasdaq: THQI) today announced the release of the high-octane street racer Juiced™ for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft and Windows PC. The highly-anticipated release of Juiced delivers an all-encompassing street racing experience, bringing the culture of street racing to life through game-play elements like betting and earning respect, while also featuring an extensive modification system in which gamers and gear-heads alike can build entire fleets of tricked-out racing machines. Drivers can get to work under the hood for a suggested retail price of $49.99 on PlayStation 2 and Xbox and $39.99 on Windows PC.

"Spending the time to fine-tune key game-play elements and further develop features such as crew racing, pink slip racing and online play has resulted in one of the top street racing games available," said Philip Holt, senior vice president, product development, THQ. "We are extremely pleased with the well-rounded racing experience Juice Games has delivered and look forward to continuing to advance THQ's position in the street racing genre."

Juiced will fully immerse players in the lifestyle and culture of the street racing scene where they will show off racing skills, earn respect from different crew chiefs and bet against them for cash. Earning cash and respect will ultimately unlock more than 50 real cars with over 100 real after-market cosmetic and performance mods for a total of 7.5 trillion car customization possibilities. As a racer's notoriety grows, new drivers will approach them to join the team, opening up never-before-seen 'crew races' where the player's ability to manage a crew of drivers is key to beating rival crews.

The game will also offer a full on-line feature set, including 6 player races, crew races, world leader boards and crew and pink-slip competitions, where someone will lose the car they worked to customize.

Juiced has been winning critical acclaim from top gaming publications and was IGN's runner up for best PlayStation 2 racing game at E3 2005:

"The heart of Juiced is pedal-to-the-metal street racing. And that's where it shines like a freshly buffed coat of pearlescent paint."

• OXM

"Juiced has me hooked. The sophisticated progression scheme, the superb handling, the easy-to-modify cars, and the betting system are all excellent features, and the game is polished and smooth in every aspect."

• IGN.com

"Juiced successfully straddles the line between a car tuning sim and arcade style street racer, then adds extra intrigue in the form of a team-based system."

• PSM

Source:

Press release (13th June 2005)

Choose a ride, mod it into your ultimate racing machine, then form a crew and take to the
streets to earn respect in Acclaim's latest racer.

Speed and style take equal top billing in Juiced, a new arcade street racer that puts as
much emphasis on vehicular bling as it does car performance. With over fifty licensed
vehicles and thousands of customisation options, from drivetrain to decals, rims to spoilers,
no two cars need ever look identical in the world of Juiced.

And customisation doesn't end with the cars in this game; once you've created your dream
wheels, you can handpick your own 'racing crew' and work co-operatively with them to
win races.

Once you're out on the road, Juiced mixes up the best of the racing and extreme sports
genres.

The game's non-linear structure lets you build up both your car and your team, taking on
the events you want when you want. As well as hotly-contested Street Races, you can
take part in Showoff events, stringing together combos of tricks, such as Doughnuts and
U-Turns, and playing up to the assembled crowd.

Mastering manoeuvres like drifting will help give you the edge in the street race events and
gradually earn the respect of other racers. Work hard enough, and eventually your ride
and your racing crew will be the envy of the neighbourhood. That's when it's time to take
the action online and prove your worth against players all around the world...

• Over 50 licensed vehicles and hundreds of after-sales parts from leading manufacturers
  like AEM, Bridgestone and Alpine
• Form your own racing crew and work together to get results
• Race other Juiced players head-to-head via a Network Adaptor

Source:

uk.playstation.com

Juiced™ is the only racing simulation that totally immerses you in the lifestyle and culture of the real street modding scene. By showing off your modding and driving skills, you’ll gain ‘Respect’ from the rival crew chiefs, and will soon be invited to their race events, challenge them to race ‘for pinks’ and bet against them for cash. As your notoriety grows, new drivers will ask to join your crew, opening up the never before seen ‘crew races’ where your skills at managing your drivers while you race are key to beating your rival crews.

Source:

www.xbox.com