Nancy Drew: Ransom of the Seven Ships

SUMMER VACATION TURNS INTO A HIGH-SEAS ADVENTURE AS HER INTERACTIVE REACHES MILESTONE WITH 'NANCY DREW: RANSOM OF THE SEVEN SHIPS'Company Ships 20th Installment of Award Winning PC Adventure Game Series

Bellevue, WA, July 16, 2009 - In an industry where licensed and original IPs flame out after a few years, one video game publisher has bucked that trend with an icon established almost 80 years ago. Today, nearly 15 years after they launched their first Nancy Drew PC game, Her Interactive, Inc., the designer, developer and publisher of the award-winning adventure game series, is still going strong and announces that the 20th installment, Nancy Drew: Ransom of the Seven Ships, is now available at retailers nationwide.

Lauded for its message of empowerment for girls, the Nancy Drew PC game series has surprised pundits by appealing to non-traditional audiences consisting of grandmothers, college students and working moms in addition to the primary girl audience. That mainstream appeal has lead to yearly sales growth for the series and ultimately a 40% market share within its category.

Adds Her Interactive CEO and president, Megan Gaiser: "I think the true power behind our games and the reason for their success lies in the ability to translate the positive traits of Nancy Drew - intelligence, determination, independence and resourcefulness - to the person playing the games. That is a very empowering feeling for our audience and when combined with thought-provoking gameplay, results in a series of games that are as unique as they are fun."

The new game, Nancy Drew: Ransom of the Seven Ships, hits at a time when Nancy Drew has never been more relevant as the character was recently cited as being an inspirational influence to several Supreme Court justices including Ruth Bader Ginsburg and recent nominee, Sonia Sotomayer, as well as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

In the game, Nancy, is joined by her best friend Bess and George, and the player gets to see them as animated characters for the first time in the series. When they all travel to the Bahamas for a fun-filled vacation Bess is suddenly kidnapped and held for ransom. Depending on the scene, players assume the role of either Nancy or George as they unlock treasure chests, decrypt a riddle book and explore dangerous underwater shipwrecks with the hope of finding the missing artifact needed to rescue Bess. During the quest for the lost treasure, players find themselves immersed in a variety of classic Bahamian activities such as diving, sailing and interacting with native wildlife.

Rated "E" for Everyone, Nancy Drew: Ransom of the Seven Ships is available now for purchase at retailers nationwide, and from the Her Interactive website for a suggested retail price at $19.99. More information about Her Interactive and the company's entire line of exciting Nancy Drew games, including the Nancy Drew Dossier casual hidden object puzzle series can be found online at www.HerInteractive.com.

About Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew debuted in 1930 and is still going strong in 2009. She is a smart, independent, gutsy and resourceful teen detective who can crack even the toughest case. Publishing in 22 languages and with more than 100 million copies in print worldwide, Nancy Drew has engaged readers and served as a role model globally for generations.

About Her Interactive

Her Interactive is the pioneer of fun and inspiring interactive adventure entertainment targeted to female play preferences. The company designs, develops and publishes high-quality, award-winning mystery adventure games. More information about the company and the Nancy Drew games can be found at www.HerInteractive.com.

Source:

Her Interactive Press Release

Nancy Drew®:

Ransom of the Seven Ships Dive into Danger to Rescue Bess from Kidnappers!

Your friend Bess Marvin is kidnapped and the only chance you have to save her is by solving a 300-year-old Bahamian mystery! Dangerous waters keep treasure hunters from exploring the reefs around Dread Isle, but this remote island might hide the riches of El Toro's lost fleet! Can you, as Nancy Drew, track down the treasure before time runs out? Learn more about Dread Isle at www.RansomoftheSevenShips.com

$19.99 (+shipping if applicable)

Key Features * Play as Nancy Drew and George - see her best friends, George Fayne and Bess Marvin, for the first time

• Immerse yourself in the Bahamas diving, sailing, and interacting with island wildlife

• Play mini-games with the monkeys at the research center to earn fun prizes

• Choose from Junior or Senior Detective difficulty levels

Source:

Her Interactive Product Page (2010)