Press release: 2002-01-31: Athletes and Stars Converge at the 2nd Annual Sega Sports NBA 2K2 All-Star Celebrity Challenge

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

SAN FRANCISCO--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Jan. 31, 2002

Celebrities Compete to be the Sega Sports NBA 2K2 Video Game Champion During the NBA All-Star Weekend in Philadelphia

Sega Sports(TM), the brand that continues to set new standards in sports gaming, today announced that on Friday, February 8, from noon to 3 p.m., it will be hosting the 2nd Annual Sega Sports NBA 2K2 All-Star Celebrity Challenge. Hosted by Philadelphia native and Portland Trail Blazer Rasheed Wallace, this event will take place during the 2002 NBA All-Star Weekend at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, PA. Last year's NBA 2K1 All-Star Celebrity Challenge Champion and award winning rapper-producer, Jermaine Dupri, will be this year's celebrity referee -- calling the play-by-play action on center court.

Right on the heels of the launch of "Sega Sports NBA 2K2" for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, Sega Sports has invited the hottest celebrities in town -- from R&B musical group Boyz II Men to Detroit Pistons' "hoop hustler" Damon Jones -- to compete on this acclaimed basketball simulation video game for a chance to win a $5,000 donation toward their favorite charity.

"The NBA All-Star Weekend is the perfect backdrop for the 2nd Annual Sega Sports NBA 2K2 All-Star Celebrity Challenge," said Tom Nichols, group director of sports marketing, Sega of America. "It gives fans the opportunity to witness the realism of `Sega Sports NBA 2K2' and see that our developers really are at the pinnacle of creating the most life-like sports simulations in the industry."

Twelve kiosks on center court will be locked and loaded with "Sega Sports NBA 2K2" for the PlayStation 2, where celebrities will challenge each other in pulse-pumping one-on-one action. Superstars competing will include musicians Boyz II Men, Kurupt, Xzibit, Mobb Deep, Killarmy and Fat Joe; pro athletes Jacksonville Jaguars' Keenan McArdle, Seattle Seahawks' Ike Charlton, Houston Rockets' Cuttino Mobley and Eddie Griffin, Washington Wizards' Kwame Brown, and former World Welterweight Champion Meldrick Taylor; and actors Anthony Anderson (Exit Wounds, Big Momma's House) and HBO Def Comedy Jam's Tommy Too Smooth. Musicians from the Wu-Tang Clan, Houston Astros' Brian Hunter and many other celebrities will also be watching the drama unfold to see who walks away with bragging rights and the gift money for their selected charity.

In addition to the celebrity charity donation, a separate contribution will be made to the Rasheed A. Wallace Foundation on behalf of Sega Sports to help promote social and cultural programs that assist in the recreational and educational development of youth in Philadelphia.

Developed by Visual Concepts, a member of the Sega group and the development house behind the sports video game revolution, "Sega Sports NBA 2K2" is the basketball game to play this year, offering improved player models with emotion-based facial expressions, new animations including cross-over moves that are player specific and enhanced player physics with improved collision detection. "Sega Sports NBA 2K2" also keeps current with updated rosters, arenas and team uniforms.

Endorsed by Philadelphia 76ers' guard Allen Iverson, who appears on the game's cover, "Sega Sports NBA 2K2" is currently available on Sega Dreamcast(TM) and the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. It will soon be launching on the Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft(R) and the Nintendo GameCube(TM). The game is rated "E" for everyone.

This is a private event for guests of Sega Sports. Media interested in attending should contact Cori Barrett at Access Communications 415/844-6263 for credentials.

About Sega

SEGA(R) of America is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA Corporation, a 3.5 billion corporation by market capitalization, recognized as a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. SEGA of America's Web site is located at www.sega.com.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America markets the PlayStation(R) game console and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PlayStation game console and the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

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 North America at the suggested retail price of $299.99.

About Nintendo

As the worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co. Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home video game systems. The systems include Game Boy(R), Nintendo(R) 64, Game Boy Advance and NINTENDO GAMECUBE. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 1.4 billion video games worldwide, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario(tm) and Donkey Kong(R) and launching such franchises as Zelda(tm) and Pokemon(R). As a wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America, Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operation in the Western Hemisphere.

The NBA and individual NBA member team identifications used on or in this product are trademarks, copyrighted designs and other forms of intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams and may not be used, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of NBA Properties, Inc. (c) 2002 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights reserved.
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