Microsoft to Digitally Distribute PC Games

Microsoft and Exent Technologies have issued a press release announcing a partnership to digitally distribute PC Games, including Dungeon Siege, Mechwarrior, and Age of Mythology.

Microsoft Selects Exent Technologies As Worldwide Digital Distribution Partner for PC Games

BETHESDA, MD — August 15, 2005 Microsoft has signed Exent Technologies, the global market leader in secure digital delivery of games on-demand, to be Microsoft’s first worldwide aggregation partner for digital distribution.

Microsoft has granted Exent the right to aggregate and distribute Microsoft PC games, including titles from the popular Age of Empires®, Age of Mythology®, Dungeon Siege®, Mechwarrior®, Rise of Nations® and Zoo Tycoon® product lines, making some of the most popular game properties available worldwide for the first time over broadband through Exent’s network of Games-on-Demand service providers.

)Microsoft is committed to helping expand the PC game industry. By making our titles available through Games-on-Demand services, we can broaden our reach to new audiences and monetize additional release windows.) said Ed Ventura, Director of Franchise Development, Xbox Worldwide Content and Marketing at Microsoft. (Exent’s distribution channels help us to extend the lifecycle of our game catalog and to build a firm foundation for the future.)

“The addition of Microsoft to our growing line-up of game publisher partners is a leap forward in the evolution of digital game distribution,” said Zvi Levgoren, CEO, Exent. “Customers will be pleased with the richness of our expanded content offering, augmented by the unique suite of usability features provided as part of our services. We’re delivering the very best user experience, which in turn maximizes end-user acquisition and retention for our customers.”

Exent-powered Games-on-Demand services enable gamers to quickly obtain full-version games without the need to fully download them to their machines. The EXEtenderâ„¢ technology solution helps players to enjoy a console-like gaming experience on the PC platform.

About Exent Technologies

Exent is the market leader in technology and service solutions for secure digital delivery of gaming and application software for service providers seeking to digitally distribute, manage and monetize a digital, on-demand games and applications service. Exent delivers products and solutions that support video game publishers, broadband service providers, hardware manufacturers, media companies, brand owners, consumer portals, retailers and others.

Exent technology enables all standard business models purchases, subscriptions, rentals, try-before-you-buy for applications of any size. Exent Digital Rights Management solution dramatically lowers software piracy and ensures enforcement of licensing restrictions. Exent’s EXEtenderâ„¢-based products and services are currently in commercial use by Comcast, Yahoo!, Bell Canada, RCN, Atari, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Telefonica, KPN, Telenet, Telenor, Fujitsu, Swisscom and other leading service providers worldwide.

Major shareholders of Exent include Time Warner, Comcast, Concord Ventures and New Enterprise Associates. The company has offices in Bethesda, Maryland and Tel-Aviv, Israel. For more information visit http://www.exent.com

About Microsoft Game Studios

Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the Xbox® video game system and Windows and online platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse games for Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/games/), including such franchises as “Age of Empires®,” “Flight Simulator” and “Zoo Tycoon”; Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/), including such franchises as “Halo®,” “Project Gotham Racing®” and “MechAssault®”; and Zone.com (http://www.zone.com/), the official games channel for the MSN® network and home to such hits as “Bejeweled” and “OutSmart®.”

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.