Framed for the Deaths of His Comrades, Mace Griffin is in Search of Answers... and Revenge.

As a gun-slinging bounty hunter, track your prey between space and land. Wield brute force, advanced weaponry, and covert tactics to destroy space stations, infiltrate organizations, and protect crime lords - while unraveling the dangerous mystery of your frame-up.* Seamless transition between first-person land combat and space-action fighting * 17 unique player and spaceship weapons such as pulse lasers and sonic shock cannons * Pilot 4 different ships, from powerful alien fighters to massive cruise liners * Immersive storyline with lifelike NPCs that react based on their intelligence, bravery, and health * 13 expansive missions

FEATURING HENRY ROLLINS AS THE VOICE OF MACE GRIFFIN

Source:

Back of Case (US)

WANTED: MACE GRIFFIN BOUNTY HUNTER

**Crave's Presentation of First Person Shooter/Adventure So Good It's Almost Criminal

LOS ANGELES, CA – February 12th , 2002** – Crave Entertainment today released details regarding its future generation title, Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter. Mace Griffin, a former government ranger, seeks revenge on land and in space. Melding both the first person shooter genre and vehicular combat on land and space, the game reaches far beyond any game currently available.

"The focused story combines with our proprietary engine technology to provide gamers an experience they could only dream about until now," said Mark Burke, Senior Vice President, Development at Crave Entertainment. "Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter presents the leap forward the current generation of gamers has been anticipating. With deep and varied gameplay and a rich story, this title fully reflects Crave's dedication to creating cutting-edge entertainment."

"Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter" is scheduled to ship in Autumn 2002 on Xbox and PC. Both products will be co-published with Electronic Arts. Both games are being developed by Warthog Entertainment.

Backstory

Hundreds of years in the future, several dominant races (Human, Jaldari, and Velleakan) occupy a host of solar systems and discover new planets on a regular basis. Huge conglomerates vie for rich resources on every new world, resulting in fighting, smuggling and the emergence of pirate clans. To combat this growing trend towards war, the government sets up a group of highly elite Rangers, who are quickly brought down by an unknown traitor. Mace Griffin, the only surviving ranger, becomes a bounty hunter and sets out to discover the truth behind his team's ruin.

Technology Behind "Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter"

"Given its ground breaking capabilities and architecture the Xbox game system is the ideal platform to enable this type of advanced game technology. With sprawling space landscapes and vast indoor environments, we are creating immense new worlds for this game," said Paul Chapman, Producer at Warthog.

To make this possible, Warthog developed the Tusk engine. The new engine allows two key gameplay innovations. Tusk employs scene-graph principles that allow movement within and between different types of environments - currently impossible in other games. Additionally the advanced portal technology will allow gamers, for the first time ever, to be able to seamlessly transition between first person combat and space flight action.

Features

"Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter" offers a wealth of innovative features, including the following:* Seamless transitions between first person combat and space flight action * Bespoke animation system allows motion blending and animation of detached parts of objects ("Motion Blending") * Consistent flight control and weapons management systems in both space and on the ground * Modular player vehicle system with a vast array of equipment and upgrades * The ability to pilot a wide range of ships * Lifelike NPC reaction depending on their intelligence, bravery, health, etc. and in combat will adjust their strategy based on their numbers, types of weapons, available cover, and numerous other conditions * Diverse missions, some story driven, some incidental create a dynamic, realistic universe for an immersive experience * Large number of player weapons from low to high tech, many unique to this game * A huge variety of walk-around environments with different physics, obstacles, inhabitants and creatures * High level of visual effects, lighting and sound, utilizing high-spec, optimized Xbox/PC capabilities * Multiple weighted skinned animation system * Per polygon collision systems * Skinned deformable skeletal characters, Skeletal snapping * Pixel shading for stunning graphical effects such as phong lighting, dynamic reflections and refractive transparency (Xbox Only) * Vertex shaders will be used for skinning and dynamic level-of-detail (Xbox Only)

Source:

Press release (12th February 2002)

EXTENSIVE MACE GRIFFIN BOUNTY HUNTER WEBSITE LAUNCHES

**Futuristic World Comes Alive Inside this Unique Site

LOS ANGELES, CA – March 27th 2002** – Crave Entertainment, a leading publisher of videogame entertainment, announced today the official Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter website, www.huntthemdown.com, dedicated to its game being launched autumn 2002. Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter, an original title from Crave, offers a compelling combination of first person action and arcade space combat, as Mace Griffin unravels a deep, and dangerous, mystery.

"This website has been specially designed to immerse gamers in the dynamic, futuristic universe in which Mace operates," said Mark Gersh, Product Manager at Crave Entertainment. "The game's backdrop is one of corporate, political and religious intrigue and this site provides an opportunity to explore this new, and very elaborate, universe."

Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter is set hundred of years in the future, where Mace Griffin an elite government ranger, becomes a bounty hunter and sets out to discover the truth behind his team's ruin. The game utilizes the proprietary "Tusk" engine which allows two key gameplay innovations: the movement within and between different types of environments, and seamless transitions between first person action and arcade space combat.

Many of the species, weapons, locations, ships and characters from the game will be introduced in the context of the universe through news stories and sub-sites posted on the Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter website. The anticipated release for both the Xbox and PC platforms is third quarter 2002. Both products will be co-published in Europe with Electronic Arts.

Source:

Press release (27th March 2002)

First-Person Shooter/Space Action Adventure Represents Studio's Second Original Property Release

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. and LONDON, Aug. 29 - Vivendi Universal Games' Black Label Games has acquired the worldwide console rights from Crave Entertainment for "Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter™," the eagerly anticipated first-person shooter about a former government ranger seeking revenge. "Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter" immerses players in a universe of huge corporations and futuristic gunslingers as Mace seamlessly moves between first-person action into space flight combat tracking quarry and unraveling a deep and very dangerous mystery. The title is being published for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo GameCube™ and Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft with a scheduled release in March 2003. According to the agreement, Electronic Arts will publish the PC version worldwide.

"'Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter' is representative of the league of premium games featuring compelling content and characters that we are aligning under the Black Label Games brand," said Torrie Dorrell, general manager of Black Label Games. "A first person shooter with an engaging storyline and seamless transitions between first-person shooter combat on land and in space, the game reaches beyond any product in its category." Both the console and PC versions of the game are being developed by Warthog Entertainment, producers of the highly-acclaimed "Starlancer" and "Star Trek Invasion" games.

Backstory
"Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter" takes place hundreds of years in the future, where both human and alien settlers are rapidly colonizing the galaxy. The player will assume the role of an ex-Special Ops officer, Mace Griffin. Against a backdrop of corporate, political and religious intrigue, Mace Griffin is framed for being involved in his comrades' deaths. After spending time in prison, he becomes a bounty hunter, a vocation that gives him access to classified information and a means to aggressively pursue his search for the people who framed him.

Features
"Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter" offers a wealth of innovative features, including the following:* Seamless transition between first-person combat and space flight action * An epic story with the pacing and drama of a blockbuster movie * Consistent flight control and weapons management systems in both space and on the ground * The ability to pilot six different ships from alien fighters to massive carriers * Lifelike Non-Player Characters (Artificial Intelligence) react depending on their intelligence, bravery, health and weapons * Diverse missions that may be story-driven or incidental creating a dynamic and realistic universe * 10 different player weapons and 11 different spaceship weapons * An array of diverse environments offering different physics, obstacles, inhabitants and creatures. Examples include gas refineries, alien cattle ranches and temples located on planetoids, space stations and ships.

"Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter" has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

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Press release (29th August 2002)

VIVENDI UNIVERSAL GAMES SIGNS ROCKER HENRY ROLLINS AS VOICE OF MACE GRIFFIN

Leader of Rollins Band Deemed Perfect For Tough Lead Character In Upcoming Sci-Fi Action Shooter

LOS ANGELES, Calif.– April 8th, 2003 – Vivendi Universal Games announced today that hard rock front man (Black Flag, Rollins Band), actor ("The Chase," "Johnny Mnemonic") and spoken word artist Henry Rollins has signed on to voice the role of Mace Griffin in the upcoming video game "Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter." The sci-fi action game will be available second quarter 2003 for the Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Nintendo GameCube™.

"Henry Rollins is the ideal cast for Mace Griffin, a futuristic frontier lawman who is rough around the edges but possesses a keen sense of right and wrong," said Philip O'Neil, SVP Sales & Marketing, Vivendi Universal Games. "Vivendi Universal Games identified Rollins' voice and talents as perfectly in line with its vision for Mace and specifically targeted him for this role."

Outspoken artist Henry Rollins made his onstage debut in the 1980s as lead singer for LA hardcore band Black Flag. After the band's breakup in 1986, Rollins started a new musical outfit, the Rollins Band, which has released nearly a dozen records. Over the past decade, Rollins' career has branched out from music to include spoken word tours, including an upcoming Spoken Word DVD out this fall, the authoring of numerous books and journals for his own 2.13.61 publishing label, and appearances in a diverse array of TV and film productions, from hosting MTV specials to his upcoming movie "Bad Boys 2."

"Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter" takes place hundreds of years in the future, where both human and alien settlers are rapidly colonizing the galaxy. The player will assume the role of an ex-Special Ops officer, Mace Griffin. Against a backdrop of corporate, political and religious intrigue, Mace Griffin is framed for being involved in his comrades' deaths. After spending time in prison, he becomes a bounty hunter, a vocation that gives him access to classified information and a means to aggressively pursue his search for the people who framed him. The game itself is a mixture of first-person action set on alien worlds and intense combat in the depths of space.

"Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter," developed by Warthog, will have a suggested retail price of $49.99 and an ESRB rating of "M" for Mature.

Source:

Press release (8th April 2003)

MACE GRIFFIN BOUNTY HUNTER PLANS THREE-WAY ASSAULT ON SEPTEMBER 26TH

**Vivendi Universal Games International announces simultaneous release for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC CD-ROM versions

August 20th, 2003** - Vivendi Universal Games International announced today that the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC CD-ROM versions of its eagerly awaited 3D action title "Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter" will have a simultaneous street date of September 26th 2003.

Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter takes place hundreds of years in the future, where both human and alien settlers are rapidly colonizing the galaxy. The player assumes the role of an ex-Special Ops officer, Mace Griffin - voiced by renowned actor Henry Rollins - who is framed for the murder of his comrades. After spending time in prison, Griffin becomes a bounty hunter, a vocation that gives him access to classified information and a means to aggressively pursue his search for the people who framed him.

Developed by Warthog Studios, Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter seamlessly blends together fast paced first person shooter action with intense space combat. The game has already enjoyed a succession of strong reviews amongst PlayStation2 and Xbox media, with XboxWorld magazine placing the game 'alongside Halo in the list of Xbox shooters you simply must own.' Similarly, PSW enthused 'Mace Griffin is Halo for PlayStation 2. It's that good.'

Additional praise for "Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter":

'Exceptional!'
9/10, PSi2, UK 'Mace Griffin is subject to more polish than Mr Sheen's very own marble floor'
8.4, Official Xbox Magazine, UK 'Something of a treasure...'
8/10, Official PlayStation 2 Magazine, UK

Source:

Press release (20th August 2003)

Ex-special Ops officer Mace Griffin heads up Warthog's unique first person shooter, which seamlessly melds trigger squeezing action with space flight combat

In a crazy modern twist on the classic Spaghetti western genre, Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter takes all the gun-slinging action into outer space, and steps nonchalantly into the spurs of the strong, silent anti-hero, hell-bent on justice.

After being framed for the death of his space-cruising compadres and wrongly imprisoned for ten years, Griffin emerges from maximum security prison feeling, understandably, a little piqued. The lone space ranger decides the only way to clear his name and vent his anger is to go into the bounty hunting business, and locate the people responsible for putting him behind bars. This is where you come in, taking on the role of Griffin, scouring the universe in search of bad guys, and generally looking mean 'n' moody - ace!

The action is largely mission-based, so you'll be charged with completing a variety of tasks that require a combination of stealth, skill and big guns. There are ten different weapons to get acquainted with, and you'll find yourself wielding some spectacularly heavy artillery on your travels. Amongst the ballistic goodies on offer are Mace's trusty shotgun, which you'll find useful for close quarter encounters, and an assault rifle that doubles as a grenade launcher - always handy.

The missions are based both on land and in space, so you'll use all your FPS expertise when tackling evil-types on terra firma, and your superior flying skills when the action goes intergalactic. Speaking of which, there's the opportunity to pilot six different ships along the way, with everything from alien fighters to massive carriers there for the flying.

Featuring solid, no-messing shoot 'em up action, seamlessly spliced with flight-based manouevres, Mace Griffin manages to blend two great genres in an entirely convincing and effective way. Oh, and adding to the general authenticity of proceedings are the gravelly tones of rock-god Henry Rollins, who voices Mace himself. Hurrah!

• Pilot six different spacecraft, from alien fighters to massive carriers
• Seamless transitions from FPS to fly-and-shoot action
• Take out the opposition with more than ten different weapons, including a rocket launcher
• Features the voice talent of Black Flag singer Henry Rollins

Source:

uk.playstation.com

IN SPACE OR ON LAND,HUNT THEM DOWN!

As a gun-slinging bounty hunter,

track your prey across space and

land. Wield brute force, advanced

weaponry, and covert tactics to

destroy space stations. Infiltrate

organisations, and protect crime

Lords - whilst unravelling the

dangerous mystery of why you

were set-up.

• Seamless transition between

first-person land combat and

space-action fighting * 17 unique player and spaceship

weapons such as pulse lasers

and sonic shock cannons * Pilot 6 different ships, from

powerful align fighters to

massive cruise liners * Immersive storyline with

lifelike NPCs that react based

on their intelligence, bravery,

and health * 13 expansive missions

Source:

Back of Case (UK)

Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter immerses players in a universe of huge corporations and futuristic gun-slingers as Mace seamlessly travels from the ground, to the air, to space tracking quarry and unravelling a deep, and very dangerous mystery. Against a backdrop of corporate, political and religious intrigue, Mace is framed for being involved in the deaths of his comrades. After a stretch in prison he becomes a Bounty Hunter, a vocation which gives him access to classified information and a means to aggressively pursue his search for the people who framed him.

Source:

www.xbox.com