Press release: 2001-01-02: Acclaim's Ducati World Racing Challenge for the Sega Dreamcast and PlayStation game Console Rolls Into Stores January 2nd

From Sega Retro

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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 third-party
Original source: The Free Library


GLEN COVE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 2, 2001

Current and Classic Ducati Motorcycles Bring High Energy Arcade

Style Motorbike Racing Excitement Home

Acclaim Entertainment (NASDAQ: AKLM), a leading worldwide interactive entertainment company, announced today that Ducati World Racing Challenge for the Sega Dreamcast(TM) and the PlayStation(R) game console will be in nationwide retail outlets on Tuesday, January 2, 2001. Developed by Attention To Detail (ATD), the game is focused on the bikes, lifestyle and great tradition of Ducati, the world's premium motorcycle brand.

"This game offers a great racing experience for the both the casual arcade-style racing fan and the serious bike enthusiast," said Evan Stein, Brand Director at Acclaim Entertainment. "It's got great physics, and the attention to detail in terms of handling and styling is remarkable. If you know something about the rich history of Ducati motorcycles, you'll recognize some of the real classic bikes here, and they're great fun to race on. If you're new to Ducati motorcycles, then get ready for romance, because you're going to fall in love with them."

Ducati World Racing Challenge was developed by Attention To Detail (ATD) in close collaboration with Ducati. Part of the challenge in creating the game was bringing the full world of the Ducati experience to life. To meet it, the developer decided to create two games in one: Ducati Quick Race and Ducati Life. In the Quick Race mode, single players earn better bikes as they progress through the eight initial tracks. There are three levels of difficulty.

Ducati Life mode offers the single player realistic simulations of the entire range of Ducati bikes, and a taste of some harsh realities. Players prove their racing skill and are rewarded with cash that can be used to enter more races and to upgrade to better bikes. Players tune their bikes up until they are at peak performance level, then risk it all by entering a challenge race against another player. The winner takes home both bikes, while the loser ends up sobbing in an empty garage. Ducati World Racing Challenge also lets players purchase their bikes from either a Classic Showroom featuring Ducati bikes from the 50s to today, or from the Ducati Showroom (offering modern bikes), or from the Used Showroom, where bikers on a budget can still lay claim to an affordable Ducati.

"Both Acclaim and ATD worked hard with Ducati to ensure that the gameplay and styling accurately projects the revolutionary and desirable Ducati feel," said James Sewell, Assistant Product Manager at Acclaim Entertainment. "Designed with both the average gamer and die-hard Ducati enthusiast in mind, the sophisticated game physics allow the player to get a feel for the different handling characteristics of Ducati's bikes throughout the classic Italian motorcycle company's fifty-year-old history."

Ducati World Racing Challenge is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB

Acclaim Entertainment Background Information

Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and mass marketer of software for use with interactive entertainment platforms including Nintendo, Sony Computer Entertainment and Sega hardware systems, and PCs. Acclaim owns and operates studios located in the United States and the United Kingdom, and publishes and distributes its software directly in North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Australia. Acclaim also distributes entertainment software for other publishers worldwide, and publishes comic books and software strategy guides. Acclaim's headquarters are in Glen Cove, New York and Acclaim's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ Small Cap market under the symbol AKLM. For more information please visit our web site at http://www.acclaim.com.

Attention To Detail Background Information

ATD (Attention to Detail) Ltd., a veteran British game developer with over 70 staff based in rural Warwickshire, England. It joined the GBH Group in 1997, changing the firm from a small independent studio into part of the largest development group in the UK. ATD has created games for many respected publishers, including Psygnosis, Activision, Lucas Arts Games, Atari, SEGA and US Gold. ATD's Saracen engine is the fastest rendering system designed specifically for the racing game genre. ATD has recently completed the development of Rollcage Stage 2 for PlayStation and PC, the follow up to the highly acclaimed Rollcage. They are currently working on the official video game for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Corporation.

Editor's Note: For artwork and screenshots of Ducati World Racing Challenge, please visit the Acclaim FTP site at: ftp://38.240.105.53 (under Action & Racing/Acclaim Racing/Ducati).

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