The Bard’s Tale Ships to Retail

The full press release:

THE BARD’S TALE FOR THE PLAYSTATION®2 AND XBOX® SHIPS TO RETAIL STORES

inXile entertainment’s Critically Acclaimed, Action Role-Playing Game Ships to Retail Outlets

NEWPORT BEACH, CA – October 27, 2004 Interactive entertainment developer and publisher inXile entertainment today announced that The Bard’s Taleâ„¢, its eagerly anticipated action role-playing game (RPG) for the PlayStation®2 and Xbox® video game system, is shipping to retail outlets in North America today. The title is being distributed by Vivendi Universal Games.

(Official PlayStation Magazine gave The Bard’s Tale 4.5 out of 5 because of ‘˜the content, the script and the wit’ and we think gamers are waiting for an intelligently funny game,) said Brian Fargo, CEO and founder of inXile entertainment. (I’m 100% confident that in the medieval/top down/action RPG/musical/comedy genre we will achieve #1 status. And if you are going to buy a game on October 27th. it will probably be GTA: San Andreas BUT if you are going to buy two. The Bard’s Tale is the obvious 2nd choice).

The Bard’s Tale was recently chosen as (Pick of the Month) for October and noted for having (.more humor than the entire Xbox library combined.) by Official Xbox Magazine; given a 4.5 out of 5 review by Official PlayStation Magazine; and called (.one of the funniest games we’ve ever played) by IGN.

The Bard’s Tale is an action-RPG where the player takes on the role of the Bard a sardonic and opportunistic musician and adventurer, driven by carnal rather than noble pursuits. The Bard, voiced by actor Cary Elwes of (The Princess Bride) and (Robin Hood: Men in Tights) fame, is not interested in saving the world, his humble motivations are strictly (coin and cleavage). A truly non-linear game, the player chooses the Bard’s responses towards other characters he encounters with either ‘˜snarky’ or ‘˜nice’ dialogue. Each choice changes the course of events in the game. The action takes place in medieval times in a land based on the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland the inspiration for many of the classic fantasy stories. Details and images of the game are available for viewing at inXile’s website, www.thebardstale.com.

The Bard’s Tale game carries a suggested retail prices of $49.95 for PlayStation 2 & Xbox and has been rated (T) for Teen by the ESRB with descriptors for blood, language, suggestive themes, use of alcohol and violence. The Bard’s Tale is being published by inXile entertainment and distributed by Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) in North America. For additional information please go to www.thebardstale.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 Vivendi Universal Games
Headquartered in Los Angeles, VU Games is a leading global developer, publisher and distributor of multi-platform interactive entertainment. Its development studios and publishing labels include Blizzard Entertainment, Sierra Entertainment, Fox Interactive and Massive Entertainment. VU Games’ library of over 700 titles features multi-million unit selling properties such as Warcraft®, StarCraft®, Diablo® and World of Warcraft® from Blizzard Entertainment®; Crash Bandicoot®, Spyro The Dragonâ„¢, Empire Earth®, Leisure Suit Larryâ„¢, Ground Control® and Tribes®.

About inXile
Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, inXile entertainment was founded in 2002 by industry veteran Brian Fargo, who turned one of the first small game developers from the early 1980s into one of the top 5 PC game publishers of the 1990s. Development focus is on producing Role-Playing Games (RPGs) from a legacy of creating and releasing iconoclastic RPGs to market like Wasteland, Dragon Wars, Fallout, Neuromancer, and Baldur’s Gate. For more information, visit www.inxile-entertainment.com.