Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War

"THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT ITS GREATNESS, FROM START TO FINISH IT'S A GRIPPING, EPIC, CINEMATIC ADVENTURE." - Official Xbox Magazine

You are B.J. Blazkowicz, a US Army Ranger recruited by the OSA and the Allies' top specialist in covert operations, heavy weapons and assassination. Hitler's head of the SS, Heinrich Himmler, is twisting science and the occult into an army capable of annihilating the Allies. The balance of victory is in your hands.

"Five out of Five Stars"

- Maxim

Engage in an epic, stroy-driven, single-player campaign across over 30 levels - from forests and war-torn cities to Egyptian villiages and crypts.

Battle through the entire single-player campaign as B.J. and Agent One in intense split-screen co-op action.

Take on up to 15 others via Xbox Live, fighting as 1 of 4 interdependent characters. Use heavy weaponry, blow-up structures and call in air strikes.

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Back of Case

id Software's Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War Hits Stores Nationwide

Santa Monica, CA - May 6, 2003 - Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) has announced that id Software's Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft is now available at retail outlets nationwide. id's new hit for Xbox features the definitive multiplayer experience, including squad-based warfare over Xbox Live or System Link, along with an action-packed storyline for single player and two-player split-screen cooperative action. The title has already received critical acclaim including a 9.2 rating and "Editor's Choice" award from Official Xbox Magazine, and "five out of five stars" from Maxim and FHM. Developed by Nerve Software, Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War carries a suggested retail price of $49.99 and is rated "M" for mature by the ESRB.

"It just doesn't get any better than the intense single-player, cooperative and multiplayer action in Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War," said Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software. "With an epic single player and co-op campaign, as well as squad-based multiplayer warfare, full support for all of the Xbox Live features like buddy lists, the Xbox Live Communicator, and downloadable maps, RTCW: Tides of War is the ultimate action title for every Xbox owner."

"Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War has been created from the start with one goal in mind, to be the best first-person action game on Xbox," said Larry Goldberg, executive vice president, Activision Worldwide Studios. "With RTCW: Tides of War's breathtaking campaigns and new prologue missions, whether in single-player or two-player co-op, gamers will have a blast right out of the box. But nothing will prepare them for the instant action and overall rush of Tides of War's multiplayer warfare that will keep players glued to their Xbox."

Set against the backdrop of WWII, Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War enlists players into a whirlwind of action, espionage and covert operations. Taking the role of badass Army Ranger, B.J. Blazkowicz, players are tasked with infiltrating the heart of Nazi Germany and stopping the darkest plans of the Third Reich. Throughout the game, players are locked in combat against hordes of Nazi storm troopers, undead Teutonic knights and the twisted products of genetic experimentation in campaigns that stretch from the deserts of Egypt and forests of Germany to icy compounds in Norway. Delivering Dolby 5.1 audio, 480p High Definition television support, new monsters, weapons and useable items, Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War further draws the player into the Occult-filled Nazi nightmare with an unfolding story that plays out like a heart-stopping action movie.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War also includes an all-new Egyptian campaign, where players meet with Agent One, the OSA's most senior operative. In the game's exclusive cooperative mode, gamers partner together as B.J. and Agent One to kick Nazi ass as WWII's toughest duo - battling through the entire single-player campaign in exciting split-screen action.

With battlefields designed specifically for Xbox, Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War players can wreak multiplayer havoc in teams of up to eight versus eight for fast and furious 16-player combat. The title features four distinct character classes that must coordinate their individual skills to be victorious in the numerous gameplay modes including objective, elimination and checkpoint. Xbox Live players can utilize their Friends list or Xbox Live matchmaking for instant action. The warfare really heats up with the use of the Xbox Live Communicator, with full voice-masking capabilities, allowing combatants to verbally coordinate attacks, communicate enemy positions, scream for a medic or simply taunt their fallen opponents.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War is developed by Nerve Software and is executive produced by id Software. The Xbox game is based on the award winning PC title, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, originally developed by Gray Matter Interactive studios, and Nerve Software.

About id Software

id - Freud's primal part of the human psyche and one of the hottest game shops on Earth - has been rocking the gaming world from Mesquite, Texas since 1991. As a renowned leader in the industry, id Software forged such frenetic titles as Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, DOOM II, QUAKE and QUAKE II. With intense graphics and mind-blowing action, id's games have helped redefine the modern video game, continually setting industry standards for technology and gameplay. And, in keeping with tradition, id Software has amplified the world of adrenaline pumping 3-D gaming with the release of their latest action titles, QUAKE III Arena, QUAKE III: Team Arena and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. id's advanced DOOM III engine is leading the next revolution in 3-D interactive games with both single and multiplayer technology. Check out more about id Software at www.idsoftware.com.

About Activision

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Founded in 1979, Activision posted revenues of $786 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Scandinavia and the Netherlands. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's World Wide Web site, which is located at www.activision.com.

About Xbox

Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/) is Microsoft's future-generation video game system that delivers the most powerful games experiences ever. Xbox empowers game artists by giving them the technology to fulfill their creative visions as never before, creating games that blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Xbox is now available in the continents of North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

About Xbox Live

Xbox Live, which launched in the United States Nov. 15, 2002, allows gamers to play multiplayer Xbox games with other gamers everywhere via a broadband connection. With a built-in hard drive and Ethernet port, the Xbox console is the only video game system built from the ground up for online gaming, negating the need to buy additional, costly peripherals or upgrades. Xbox Live enables gamers to easily find their friends; talk to other players during game play through the Xbox Communicator headset; download current statistics, new levels and characters to their Xbox hard drive; and play online-all exclusive features to Xbox Live.

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Press Release

Fusing epic World War II battles with heart-stopping covert operations and tactical combat, Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War™ uncovers Hitler's horrific obsession with the occult, living dead, and genetic mutations. As B.J. Blazkowicz, an Army Ranger recruited into the Office of Secret Actions (OSA), players infiltrate deep into the twisted bowels of the Third Reich to battle the unearthly super-soldiers, zombies, and mutants forged in the experiments of Heinrich Himmler.

With both two player co-op and full Xbox Live and System Link multiplayer support—for the ultimate in team warfare—Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War delivers a frightening and action-packed adventure, teeming with shocking paranormal experiments, perverted, flesh-chewing SS weaponry, and bone chilling encounters with the Fuhrer's unrelenting henchmen.

• Mission mode: Assume the role of B. J. Blazkowicz, an Army Ranger tasked with infiltrating the deepest realms of the Third Reich to thwart Himmler's occult and genetic experiments. Initially teamed with another OSA operative, Agent One, Blazkowicz begins his journey in Egypt, where he'll uncover the early stages of Himmler's plans. After being grounded by anti-aircraft artillery fire, he must overcome capture and the death of his new partner as he battles throngs of the Fuhrer's brainwashed soldiers and hordes of zombies in an epic campaign that spans the globe—from Egypt to Norway to the heart of Nazi Germany.
• Twisted and frightening enemies: Including SS guards patrolling forests and secret military installations, zombies unleashed in ancient crypts, mutant X-creatures (products of the hideous, secret X-lab facilities), and the terrifying Occult Priest.
• Co-op action: The Allies' only remaining hope in the battle against the insidious Reich lies in the hands of two men, B. J. Blazkowicz and his new partner Agent One. The Xbox-exclusive, split-screen Co-op mode allows two friends to work together through the entire single-player campaign.
• Multiplayer warfare: Using Xbox Liveor System Link, the game's Multiplayer modes pit players in a team-based Axis-vs.-Allies contest for front-line domination, where multiple player classes must mobilise and work together to accomplish mission objectives. Styles of play range from Objective mode all the way to a team-based Elimination mode. With battlefields designed specifically for play on the Xbox, players can enlist up to eight vs. eight for fast and furious combat. XboxLive players can invite other gamers from their list of friendsto their game or jump straight into the action, using Xbox Live Matchmaking to find a favourite style of gameplay. With the Xbox Live Communicator and full voice-masking capabilities, players can verbally coordinate attacks, communicate enemy positions, or scream for a medic.
• Made for the Xbox: Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War delivers Dolby Digital 5.1 audio; new monsters, weapons, and useable items; an expanded story line, including new missions, co-op play, and full Xbox Live; and System Link multiplayer support for the definitive Xbox experience.
• Tactical combat: Every situation is different, and players must survey each potential combat situation and decide how best to approach the combat, by either using stealth or overwhelming firepower. With a robust scripting system and life-like A.I. and animation systems, tactical combat reaches all-new levels.

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www.xbox.com