Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

EA’S HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE NOW AVAILABLE FOR NEXT-GEN CONSOLES Players Can Experience Harry’s First Year at Hogwarts with Updated Graphics and New Features

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – December 12, 2003 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ videogame for next-generation consoles has shipped to stores. Harry Potter’ fans can now experience the magic of Harry’s first year at Hogwarts’ with next-gen graphics and updated gameplay, including features, spells, and creatures new to this adventure.

Continuing the successful game design style first used in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’, the graphics and gameplay for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone—previously available for the PlayStation® game console, PC, Game Boy® Advance, and Game Boy Color—are updated for next-generation consoles for an even richer experience. Making the most of new technology, the locations throughout Hogwarts and Diagon Alley’ are displayed in spectacular 3D graphics, with faster loading times for game levels. Players can explore exciting new locations in and around Hogwarts and Diagon Alley, such as Hagrid’s Garden, Ollivanders Wand Shop, the Restricted Section of the library, and more, and encounter strange new creatures such as the Venemous Tentacula, Devil’s Snare, and Mutated Gytrash. Wizarding powers are now enhanced with exciting spell challenges, and a compelling ending to the game adds an entirely different twist—prepare for an all-new climactic showdown with the dreaded You-Know-Who!

Developed by EA’s UK Studio, the team behind the worldwide success of EA’s library of Harry Potter titles, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is available on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo GameCube’, and the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft. The game is rated "E" (Everyone) by the ESRB and carries an MSRP of $29.95.

About Electronic Arts Electronic Arts (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of $2.5 billion for fiscal 2003. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTS’, EA GAMES’, and EA SPORTS BIG’. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

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Press Release - PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube

A MAGICAL NEW FIRST YEAR ADVENTURE

Help Harry uncover the secret of the Sorcerer's Stone in this brand-new game for the PlayStation 2 - Encounter strange creatures such as the Venemous Tentacula, Devil's Snare, and Mutated Gytrash.

• Enhance your wizarding powers with the Spongify spell challenge.

• Explore even more exciting locations, including Ollivanders Wand Shop and Hagrid's Garden.

• Prepare for an extraordinary, climactic final encounter with the dreaded You-Know-Who!

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Back of Case - PlayStation 2

No Muggle will dare call you "Four Eyes".

Leave the nonmagical world of behind and enroll in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone.

To Hogwarts you will go in this first-rate adventure that perfectly captures the wondrous enchantment of J.K. Rowling's amazing creation.

Features

• Faithful representation of the magical world created in J.K. Rowling's best-selling novels
• Bring the world of Harry Potter home in one small, portable package
• Turn-based battle sequences reward thoughtful use of more than thirty spells and potions
• Adventure game with an emphasis on puzzle solving and interaction with other characters
• Interact with over one hundred unforgettable characters from the book, including Professor Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid, and Draco Malfoy

Be Harry Potter, learning to master all things magical in a world filled with wizardry, fun, and danger. Overcome adversity and challenges and encounter unforgettable characters from J.K. Rowling's worldwide bestseller.

Players will hone their magical skills and advance through three terms of study during Harry's first year at Hogwarts. Each term will challenge players to meet a number of objectives, such as collecting and mixing potions with Professor Snape or piloting a flying broom through the Forbidden Forest in search of Neville Longbottom's Remembrall. In order to pass the first year of study, players must complete over twenty-nine different objectives, while avoiding enemies and obstacles.

As Harry Potter, players hone their magical skills and advance through three terms of study during Harry's first year at Hogwarts. Each term will challenge players to meet a number of objectives, such as collecting and mixing potions with Professor Snape or piloting a flying broom through the Forbidden Forest in search of Neville Longbottom's Remembrall. In order to pass the first year of study, players must complete over twenty-nine different objectives, while avoiding enemies and obstacles.

Bottom Line

Only a morose Muggle would quibble with the great fun offered by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

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www.nintendo.com - Nintendo GameCube

EA conjures up another PS2 title based on the mind-bendingly popular kiddie book franchise, featuring more of the boy wizard's adventures...

Fans of the phenomenon that is Harry Potter will no doubt be eagerly awaiting the next instalment of the videogame version of wizardry and witchcraft, and luckily for them, EA never rests on its laurels. After the storming success of The Chamber of Secrets, the publisher has teamed up with Warthog Games to bring PS one classic Harry Potter and the Philosipher's Stone to PS2, complete with all of the graphical advantages afforded by the world's favourite console. Following the storyline of the original game, Harry Potter and the Philosipher's Stone sees the bespectacled spell-caster returning to his educational origins at Hogwart's for another bout of magical high-jinks.

Take up the wonder-boy's wand in a tale of spells and sorcery, closely tied in with JK Rowling's book of the same name, and encounter familiar characters along the way. Harry's friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are on hand to help the apprentice alchemist out, Professor Dumbledore and Hagrid both make appearances, and arch-enemy Draco Malfoy attempts to thwart the young wizard at every turn. Attend classes to learn how to create potions and cast spells, jump on your broomstick and lead the home team to glory in Quidditch, and explore the school's many cavernous corridors and secret passageways in search of the fabled Philosopher's Stone.

• Interact with over 20 characters from the book
• Cast spells and create potions to use against Harry's enemies
• Lead your home team to victory in Quidditch

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uk.playstation.com