For Release 6 a.m. PST
Jan. 8, 1996
Microsoft Games for Windows 95 CD Coming Soon to Retail Outlets
Thirty-Nine Playable Trial-Version Games and Demos Allow Users to Experience
The Cutting-Edge Performance and Stunning Realism of Gaming on Windows 95
LAS VEGAS — Jan. 8, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that the Games for Windows® 95 CD is scheduled to be available at retail outlets Jan. 15, 1996, priced at approximately $9.95. Microsoft has allied with leading game makers to give users a taste of the power, ease and excitement of gaming under the Microsoft® Windows 95 operating system. The CD features 39 playable trial-version games and demonstrations developed specifically for Windows 95 and offers a state-of-the-art, interactive 3-D graphical interface.
Games developed for Windows 95, including all the titles on the Games for Windows 95 CD, take advantage of AutoPlay technology, which makes installation of games on Windows 95 as easy as inserting a CD into a computer. New games designed for Windows 95 exploit the operating system’s power and features to surpass MS-DOS® operating system-based games and deliver fast, high-resolution graphics, high-fidelity sound, great multiplayer connectivity and digitally precise, responsive joystick control — all without installation hassles. Only games designed specifically for Windows 95 offers this combination of great game performance and ease of installation.
“Finally, users don’t need to worry about installing new games on their PCs,” said Brad Silverberg, senior vice president of the personal systems division at Microsoft. “Windows 95 offers users everything that an MS-DOS-based or game-machine game does, plus automatic installation, a broad spectrum of titles, unparalleled quality of game play, and access to advanced technology such as multiplayer gaming. The Games for Windows 95 CD is a great way for anyone interested in gaming to try hot new titles and experience the benefits that Windows 95 offers as a leading game platform.”
Thirty-Nine Windows 95-Based Games Featured
The Games for Windows 95 CD offers user hours of exciting game play, featuring the hottest games developed for Windows 95. The CD includes fully playable samples of the following titles:
Al Unser Jr. Arcade Racing (Mindscape Inc.)
Arcade America (7th Level)
Atari 2600 Action Pack (Activision Inc.)
Battle Beast (7th Level)
Beavis and Butthead in Virtual Stupidity (Viacom New Media)
Commodore 64 15-Pack (Activision)
DogZ (PF. Magic)
DOOM for Windows 95 (id Software)
Double Switch (Digital Pictures)
Endorfun (Time Warner Interactive Inc.)
Full Tilt! Pinball (Maxis)
Fury3 (Microsoft)
Havoc (Reality Bytes)
The Hive (Trimark Interactive)
Ice & Fire (Zombie)
Locus (Zombie)
MechWarrior 2 (Activision)
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (Activision)
Pressure Drop (Starhill Productions)
Return Fire (Time Warner)
Shanghai: Great Moments (Activision)
SU-27 Flanker (Strategic Simulations Inc.)
TriTryst (Virgin Interactive Entertainment)
Under Pressure (Starhill Productions)
Zork: Nemisis (Activision)
Also included are demonstrations of 13 other game titles for Windows 95.
Windows 95 Is the PC Platform of Choice for the Game Industry
The game industry strongly supports Windows 95. Forty of the game industry’s leading companies are shipping more than 75 games and accessories specifically designed to exploit the power and features of Windows 95. Commercial availability of game titles and the Games for Windows 95 CD are the latest steps in the game industry’s move to Windows 95. Microsoft announced enhanced gaming support in Windows 95 at the Computer Game Developers Conference in April 1995 and delivered the final Windows 95 Game Development Kit in September 1995. Leading game manufacturers joined Microsoft in launching Windows 95 as a game platform in a special industry event on Oct. 30, 1995.
Leading third-party developers worked aggressively to deliver new Windows 95-based game titles in time for the holiday season and are committed to Windows 95 as the platform of choice for new games in 1996.
“Our first original Windows 95-based title, Full Tilt! Pinball, is selling very well, as is the native Windows 95-based version of SimCity 2000,” said Robin Harper, vice president of marketing at Maxis. “Since consumers have exhibited such enthusiasm for both new games and adaptations of existing games on Windows 95, all future Maxis entertainment software will be developed for this platform.”
Windows 95 offers features that make it the platform of choice for gaming, including AutoPlay for automatic game installation; the new DirectX APIs for enhanced graphics, sound, joystick control and multi-player connectivity; and Plug and Play to simplify hardware setup.
“Windows 95 is the showcase for unparalleled game play through faster, enhanced graphics and increased sound capabilities,” said Bobby Kotick, chairman and CEO of Activision Inc. “Whether running an action, adventure or mystery title, Windows 95 maximizes the potential to bring consumers the most cutting-edge gaming experience available.”
“The tidal wave of new titles for Windows 95 and the release of the Games for
Windows 95 CD are the latest evidence of the gaming industry’s shift to Windows 95 as the primary PC platform for game play,” said Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies Research. “By the 1996 holiday season, I expect that most new game titles will be designed specifically to take advantage of the impressive gaming capabilities of Windows 95.”
System Requirements
To play the Games for Windows 95 CD, users need a Windows 95-compatible PC, 8 MB of memory and a compatible sound card. A compatible joystick is optional.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
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