Sid Meier's Civilization IV Now Shipping To Retail Stores Across North America

All-new Features Include New Ways to Play and Win, New Tools to Manage and Expand Civilizations, All-new Mod Capabilities and Intense Multiplayer Modes and Options

New York, NY - October 25, 2005 - 2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), and FIRAXIS Games, the world renowned video game developer, today announced that Sid Meier's Civilization IV for the PC has shipped to retail stores in North America. Sid Meier's Civilization IV will be in retail stores in Europe on November 4. Sid Meier's Civilization IV comes-to-life like never before in a beautifully detailed, living 3D world that expands the gameplay experience. This latest installment takes the franchise to new heights with the addition of new ways to play and win, new tools to manage and expand your civilization, all-new easy to use mod capabilities and various multiplayer modes and options.

"With more than six million units sold, the Sid Meier's Civilization franchise is recognized as one of the greatest PC game franchises of all-time," said Christoph Hartmann, Managing Director of 2K Games. "Sid Meier's Civilization IV expands on the popular gameplay in the Civilization series with new features including religion, some of history's most influential people and for the first time in the Civilization series, a full 3D engine."

"The Civilization series is very close to our hearts," said Jeff Briggs, Founder, President and CEO of FIRAXIS Games. "We've worked diligently to make Civilization IV even better than its worthy predecessors, and are really proud of the end result."

"Each new Civilization is a major undertaking," added Sid Meier, Director of Creative Development at FIRAXIS Games. "Creating Civilization IV was a monumental task, but everyone at FIRAXIS was determined to create the best Civ experience yet, and I think we succeeded. Fans will absolutely love this game and folks new to the series won't be able to resist."

Key Features: * Faster-Paced Fun - Gameplay has been streamlined for a tighter, faster, and more compelling experience. * Greater Accessibility and Ease of Play - An easy-to-use interface will be immediately familiar to RTS and action game players, and newcomers to the series will be able to jump in and play. * Tech Tree - Flexible Tech tree allows players more strategic choices for developing their civilizations along unique paths. * Grow Bigger Empires - More Civilizations, Units, and Improvements to enhance and grow your empire. * Multiplayer - LAN, Internet, Play-By-Email, and Hotseat offer players all-new strategies and ways to play when competing or cooperating with live opponents. * Team Play - Whether playing multiplayer or single player, team play offers a new way of setting locked alliances that result in shared wonder effects, visibility, unit trading, and shared territory that delivers a plethora of new strategic and tactical options. * Beautiful 3D world - Sid Meier's Civilization IV comes to life with a beautiful 3D world, dozens of fully animated units (including culturally unique units), and totally customizable armies. Cities and wonders will appear on the map. Wonder movies are back! * Mods and Community Tools - Designed from the ground up for modability, the game contains a powerful map editor with XML and Python support. * Choose Your Leader - Most Civilizations now have two leaders from which to choose, with each Leader having traits that provide various bonuses to the player. * Civics - With the discovery of new techs, civic options can become available. Freedom of speech or slavery? Hereditary rule or open elections? This creates endless government choices and possibilities! * Religion - Now there are seven religions in the game that are unlocked through researching. When unlocked, the religion spreads through a player's empire allowing them to use the religion to help manage happiness, gain gold and create Great Prophets. * Great People - As the player uses specialists they gain Great People points in the city that is utilizing the specialists. Great People include the Artist, Tycoon, Prophet, Engineer, & Scientist. They can be used to get free techs, start Golden Ages, or join a city to increase its output. * Promotions - Each unit has a promotion path that emphasizes specific unit traits. Promotions include bonuses to Attack/Defend on specific terrains/features, movement bonuses, sight/visibility bonuses, and increased withdrawal chances. * In-Game Cinematics - Sid Meier's Civilization IV has over 40 in-game cinematics.

Here's what the press is saying about Sid Meier's Civilization IV:

"The only reason to stop playing Civilization IV is to tell other people just how good the game is." - IGN

"This marks a turning point in the franchise that should blow away both new players and long-time fans."
- GameSpy.com

"The PC's most acclaimed strategy franchise returns with a horde of new features to make it easier than ever to shape your world." - PC Gamer

"Prolific strategy mastermind Sid Meier has yet another opus on the way in the form of Civilization IV."
- Game Informer

Sid Meier's Civilization IV is rated E10+ for Everyone ages 10 and older, and will be available in North American retail stores at a suggested retail price of $49.99. For more information please visit www.CivIV.com

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an integrated global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation® game console, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP™ (PlayStation&regPortable) system, the Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K Games, 2K Sports and Global Star Software; and distributes products in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region through its Joytech subsidiary.

The Company maintains sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Vienna, Milan, Sydney, Breda (Netherlands) and Auckland. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO.

Sid Meier's Civilization, Civilization, and CIV are all registered trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

About FIRAXIS Games

FIRAXIS Games, founded in 1996 by veteran gaming executive Jeff Briggs, is one of the world's premier independent game development studios, and home of legendary designer Sid Meier. FIRAXIS has created some of the most successful and award-winning computer and video games on the market. The company's most recent hit titles include: Sid Meier's Pirates! (PC and Xbox), the blockbuster Sid Meier's Civilization III series, and Sid Meier's SimGolf. Firaxis legacy titles include Sid Meier's Civil War Series!, and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri series.

Sid Meier's Gettysburg, SimGolf, Pirates, and Firaxis are all registered trademarks of Firaxis Games.

Source:

Press Release

WITH SID MEIER'S CIVILIZATION IV, HISTORY AS YOU KNOW IT, IS HISTORY.

Rule throughout time and create your own legacy as you guide your civilisation from the dawn of man through the space age and beyond. Implement new technologies, conduct diplomacy or wage war to grow your society and become the most powerful leader the world has ever known.

Cinematic Wonder Movies

NEW FEATURES

Introducing religion, Great People, Holy Cities, missionaries, variable scale games, new land, sea and air units and loads of new civic options: Imagine a communist regime with freedom of press - or a republic without it.

Play At Your Own Pace

3D LIVING WORLD

Detailed environments set in a vibrant and colourful world.

MULTIPLAYER

The best multiplayer Civ experience ever developed. With Era Starts, variable game speeds, hot join, team play and a bevy of connectivity options: Internet, LAN, Play By Email (PBEM), hot seat and more.

OVERHAULED INTERFACE

RTS style, intuitive interface allows you to manipulate units and cities with greater control and faster speed.

Original Music Compositions

CUSTOMIZATION

An unprecedented level of modding, power allows you to customize the units, environments and gameplay to meet your vision, including: a World Builder editor, XML and Python scripting language editing and the Civilization IV Software Developers Kit (SDK)*

Narration by Leonard Nimoy

*SDK available for download Early 2006

Source:

Back of Box - Windows (Australia)

Mit über sechs Millionen verkauften Einheiten und überragenden Bewertungen von Fachmagazinen und Fans auf der ganzen Welt ist Sid Meier’s Civilization-Reihe eine der größten Serien, die jemals für den PC erschaffen wurden. Jetzt verbessern Sid Meier und Firaxis dieses unglaublich unterhaltsame und süchtig machende Spiel mit Inhalten, Werkzeugen und Spielmöglichkeiten, um das Spiel zu neuen Höhen zu führen. Managen und vergrößern Sie Ihre Zivilisation mit komplett neuen und leicht zu bedienenden Features. Ein intensiver Multiplayer- Modus und eine detaillierte, atmende 3D-Welt werden das Spielgefühl entscheidend weiter verbessern. Civilization IV ist schon jetzt eines der am meisten erwartenden Spiele im Jahr 2005 und ein Muss für jeden Spieler rund um den Globus.

Features:

• Civilization IV wird lebendig – eine wunderschöne 3D-Welt mit dutzenden, voll animierten Einheiten (inklusive kulturell einzigartigen Völkern) und frei konfigurierbaren Armeen. Städte und Weltwunder erscheinen auf der Karte – und die Weltwunder-Filmsequenzen sind wieder da!
• Schnelleres Spielvergnügen – das Gameplay wurde vereinfacht und durch eine noch intuitiver zu bedienende Strategieoberfläche schneller, griffiger und abwechslungsreicher gestaltet.
• Der Mehrspieler-Modus unterstützt LAN, Internet, PBEM und Persistent Turn-Based Server (PTBS) und eröffnet dem Spieler ganz neue Strategien im Kampf gegen menschliche Spieler. Auch kooperatives Spiel ist möglich.
• Teamspiel – ob im Einzel- oder Mehrspielermodus – offeriert dem Spieler neue Wege bei Allianzen, welche in geteilten Weltwundern, Sichtbarkeit, Einheiten-Handel und Gebietsteilungen resultieren. Dies führt zu einer Vielzahl an strategischen und taktischen Optionen.
• Modifikationen und Community-Werkzeuge, die voll modular und frei veränderbar sind, stehen genauso zur Verfügung, wie ein Karteneditor mit XML und Python Unterstützung.
• Civilization IV wird über 70 Filmsequenzen bieten.

Entwickler

Firaxis

Alterseinstufung

Freigegeben ab 6 Jahren gemäß § 14 JuSchG.

Empfohlener Preis

49.95 €

Erhältlich von

2K Games für PC.

Source:

www.take2.de (German)

Civ IV update fixes performance, more

Aspyr Media on Monday announced the release of Civilization IV 1.61 Rev A, an update that fixes several previously noted problems with the Mac game. It is recommended for all users.

The new release, offered following a public beta test, provides better performance on certain Macs — most notably G5s — that exhibited excessive CPU use. The game should no longer run dual CPU-based Macs to 100 percent capacity, according to Aspyr.

Also fixes are sound issues, including missing sounds, stuttering, 3D sound positioning and movie soundtracks.

Globe graphical corruption at “Low” quality setting has been fixed, and bugs exposed by installing the “Big Blue Marble” mod in CustomAssets have also been corrected.

Aspyr instructs Intel Mac users experiencing kernel panics while playing the game to install the latest version of the Mac OS X v10.4.7 Combo update. If problems persist, Aspyr advises users to turn off Full Scene Anti Aliasing (FSAA) options or run the game in a window.

Source:

Macworld (July 31, 2006)

Civilization IV wird lebendig - eine wunderschöne 3D-Welt mit dutzenden, voll animierten Einheiten (inklusive kulturell einzigartigen Völkern) und frei konfigurierbaren Armeen. Städte und Weltwunder erscheinen auf der Karte - und die Weltwunder-Filmsequenzen sind wieder da! Schnelleres Spielvergnügen - das Gameplay wurde vereinfacht und durch eine noch intuitiver zu bedienende Strategieoberfläche schneller, griffiger und abwechslungsreicher gestaltet. Der Mehrspieler-Modus unterstützt LAN, Internet, PBEM und Persistent Turn-Based Server (PTBS) und eröffnet dem Spieler ganz neue Strategien im Kampf gegen menschliche Spieler.

Source:

www.software-pyramide.com - Windows (German)

На заре своей истории люди часто устремляли свой взгляд в небо — туда, где льдисто сияют далекие звезды. И однажды та сила, что спит до поры до времени внутри человека, пообещала, что доставит его в этот заоблачный мир. Но для осуществления мечты людям предстоит пройти долгий путь длиною в тысячи лет — из гулкой сырости каменных пещер в ладно скроенный уют бревенчатых деревушек, а после — в холод высотных гигантов из бетона, стекла и стали. Человеку предстоит научиться говорить на многих языках, творить культуру и низвергать богов. Преграды не удержат его. Сомнений не останется. Цивилизация наступает.

• Sid Meier’s Civilization 4 — продолжение культовой серии Сида Мейера, демиурга стратегического жанра.
• Решайте судьбу наций, творите державу, будущее которой полностью в ваших руках — выбирайте государственный строй, религию и экономическую модель.
• Познайте все приемы и нюансы развития страны: вас ждут тончайшие дипломатические игры, научные достижения, кровопролитные сражения и блистательные победы.
• Встроенная Цивилопедия легко и доступно разъяснит внутреннюю механику, Sid Meier’s Civilization 4 сама расскажет обо всем, что нужно знать игроку.

Source:

games.1c.ru (Publisher's website)

MIT SID MEIER'S CIVILIZATION IV

SCHREIBEN SIE IHRE EIGENE GESCHICHTE

Regieren Sie über die Zeiten hinweg und hinterlassen Sie Ihr persönliches Vermächtnis. Führen sie Ihre Zivilisation vom Anbeginn der Menschheit bis in die Ära der Raumfahrt und darüber hinaus. Setzten Sie neuartige Technologien ein, lassen Sie Diplomatie walten oder führen Sie Krieg, um Ihr Reich erblühen zu lassen und zum mächtigsten Herrscher aller Zeiten zu werden.

VIELE NEUE FEATURES

Erleben Sie Religion, Große Persönlichkeiten, Heilige Städte, Missionare, skalierbare Weltgröße, neue Land-, See- und Lufteinheiten und jede Menge neue Staatsform-Optionen: Wie wäre es mit einem kommunistischen Regime mit Pressefreiheit - oder eine Demokratie, in der sie fehlt?

MULTIPLAYER

Das beste Civ-Multiplayer-Erlebnis, das es je gab! mit wählbaren Epochen, anpassbarer Spielgeschwindigkeit, Einstieg in laufende Einzelspieler-Partien, Teamspiel und zahlreiche Verbindungsoptionen: Internet, LAN, E-Mail (PBEM), Heißer Stuhl und mehr.

LEBENDIGE 3D-WELT

Detaillierte Umgebung in einer farbenfrohen Welt voller Leben.

NEUE, VERBESSERTE STEUERUNG

Das intuitive Interace im Echtzeit-Strategie-Stil ermöglicht es Ihnen, Einheiten und Städte schneller und mit mehr Möglichkeiten zu kontrollieren.

EDITIRFÄHIGKEIT

Nie zuvor hatten Sie vo viele Modifikationsmöglichkeiten. Sie können die Einheiten, Umgebungen und das Gameplay an Ihre Vorstellungen anpassen: mit dem Weltenbauer-Editor, XML- and Python-Skripts und dem Civilization-IV-Software-Developers-Kit (SDK)*.

[captions]:

WELTWUNDER-FILME IN KINOQUALITÄT

SIE BESTIMMEN DIE SPIELGESCHWINDIGKEIT

NEUER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

GESPROCHEN VON THOMAS FRITSCH

Source:

Back of Keep Case - Windows (Germany)