Press release: 1998-05-19: Sega Entertainment and Yoot Entertainment "Build" On the Classic SimTower With Yoot's Tower for Mac, PC

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: The Free Library

Sega Entertainment and Yoot Entertainment "Build" On the Classic SimTower With Yoot's Tower for Mac, PC; Sega To Show First Demo At Electronic Entertainment Expo.

 REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 1998--Sega(R) Entertainment, Inc. (SEI), a company best known for its PC conversions of Sega arcade and character-based games, today announced an agreement with Yoot Entertainment, the U.S. affiliate of OPeN BooK9003, to co-publish the strategy/simulation game "Yoot's Tower(TM)" for PC and Mac. Created by Yoot Saito, the mastermind behind "SimTower(TM)," "Yoot's Tower" will be shown for the first time at the Electronic Entertainment Expo at the end of May at booth No. 5346.

Building on the legendary "SimTower(TM)" by EA/Maxis, which won the 1995 Software Publisher's Association (SPA) Codie award for "best simulation game" and sold nearly 1 million copies worldwide, "Yoot's Tower" takes the simulation building genre to the next level with all-new enhancements. "Yoot's Tower" gives gamers an entirely "remodeled" experience, with two original locations: Waikiki and Tokyo. For the first time in the series, "Yoot's Tower" gives gamers an added bonus with special "plug-in modules" that provide additional locations and game components. These modules provide gamers with a fresh set of challenges and require new property management strategies. The first plug-in module is an original resort location -- Kegon Falls -- which will be packed-in with the game when it ships in October of this year.

Increasing the level of challenge in the game, "Yoot's Tower" includes highly detailed game options -- enough to keep expert gamers on their toes. Despite the new challenges, first time gamers will find "Yoot's Tower" easy to pick up and play. Players can not only choose the type of restaurant to include in their building, but the menu and prices as well. The people are smarter too. A vastly improved artificial intelligence gives them realistic emotions, making them more difficult to please.

Strategy plays a key role in "Yoot's Tower," and gamers' abilities are challenged down to the last detail. For example, it's not just about fun and sun in Waikiki. Gamers need to think seriously about exactly what they choose to build, considering that hotels, not office buildings, will attract vacationing people. Restaurants built into the hotels must be diversified for all types of people, and players must choose appealing menus and reasonable prices, otherwise they will get annoyed and leave.

"With the simulation category booming on the PC and Mac, we see this as an opportunity to align our products with one of the biggest segments in the PC gaming market," said Shinobu Toyoda, chairman and chief executive officer, SEI. "Developing `Yoot's Tower' with Yoot Entertainment brings together the creative talents of two leaders in interactive entertainment to deliver a totally new simulation experience."

Both Sega and Yoot Entertainment are bringing their key assets to the table with "Yoot's Tower" -- Sega with its strong gaming heritage and development teams, and Yoot Entertainment with its expertise in the simulation game category. Under a joint agreement, SEI will provide design and technical input on the product and will manage packaging, sales, distribution and marketing efforts.

"Yoot Entertainment was looking for the most solid partner to take our renowned series to the next level, and Sega completely fit the bill," said Yoot Saito, co-founder and game designer, Yoot Entertainment. "Sega is a company with the expertise and experience to deliver this game to the masses."

Yoot Entertainment is the U.S. affiliate of OPenBook9003. OPeNBooK was founded in February 1994 by Yoot Saito, and released several diverse CD-ROM titles including: "Moments of Truth(TM)," a documentary CD-ROM of a big air crash in 1985; "Macintosh Legends(TM)," which includes interviews with inventors of Apple Macintosh originally done by Yoot Saito for Mac World Magazine Japan; "Tower(TM)," which nearly one million units worldwide under the name of "SimTower(TM)" in the United States and Europe. OPeNBooK9003 inc. was formed as a merger of OPeNBooK and 9003 Inc.

CONTACT: Sega Entertainment

Dan Stevens, 650/802-3996

or

Access Communications

Jennifer Walker, 415/904-7070 ext. 283

[email protected]
COPYRIGHT 1998 Business Wire
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 1998, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.