Press release: 1996-01-21: Sega PC'S Panzer Dragoon to be Bundled with Diamond EDGE 3D Multimedia Accelerators for Personal Computers

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 PC'S Panzer Dragoon to be Bundled with Diamond EDGE 3D Multimedia Accelerators for Personal Computers -- Sega and Diamond Continue to Push the Envelope of PC Gaming with Hit Titles for Diamond EDGE 3D and Stealth Accelerator Lines

 SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 24, 1996--Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DIMD) today announced that the Sega PC title Panzer Dragoon is now shipping with its new Diamond EDGE 3D line of multimedia accelerators, underscoring both companies' commitment to deliver the hottest titles for arcade-style action gaming on PCs running the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system.

In addition to Panzer Dragoon and Virtua Fighter Remix, Diamond and Sega expect to deliver more Sega Saturn titles for the Diamond EDGE 3D in the coming months. Diamond also is bundling Sega PC's Ecco the Dolphin, Comix Zone and a sample version of Tomcat Alley with its Stealth64 Video 2001XLe multimedia accelerator for PCs by the end of this month.

Panzer Dragoon is a surreal, action-adventure game that thrusts players into a futuristic fantasy where they soar through seven intricate levels of breathtaking landscapes, battling evil giant dragon flies and man-sized killer wasps from the back of their armored blue dragon. The Diamond EDGE 3D version of Panzer Dragoon runs at high resolutions and high color depths under Windows 95, resulting in crisper, cleaner graphics that bring the Dark Dragon and his legions of genetically altered enemies to life as they assail players from 360 degrees.

Using the Diamond EDGE 3D board on a Pentium-based computer, Panzer Dragoon players will experience faster, smoother gameplay than ever before. The advanced video game ports on the Diamond EDGE 3D board allow gamers to use genuine Sega Saturn controllers for the ultimate PC gaming experience.

"By bundling Panzer Dragoon with the Diamond EDGE 3D board, Diamond is fulfilling the promise of bringing the premier arcade gaming experience to the PC," said Ken Wirt, vice president of marketing for Diamond Multimedia. "Diamond EDGE 3D owners can look forward to more hot new titles like Panzer Dragoon throughout the year."

"The real-time 3D perspectives, fluid flying movement and intense air battles in Panzer Dragoon all showcase features of the type of PC gaming only available from the Sega/Diamond EDGE 3D partnership," said Bill White, vice president, general manager for Sega PC, Sega of America. "Our relationship with Diamond will allow us to fully leverage the Sega arcade heritage in the computer gaming market."

Diamond's EDGE 3D line of multimedia accelerators provides an integrated solution with fast, true-color 2D graphics, smooth, full motion digital video and hardware wavetable audio, plus the additional feature of 3D acceleration. Several leading PC game developers are working with Diamond to deliver a new generation of titles that leverage the power of the Diamond EDGE 3D board.

With the Diamond EDGE 3D, games can be played in resolutions as high as 1024X768. Games for the Diamond EDGE 3D can feature up to one billion colors and use double-buffered 3D to achieve the fast, realistic arcade action gamers demand. The dedicated 3D engine on the Diamond EDGE 3D accelerator supports fast polygon rendering, texture-mapping for photo-realism, quadratic texture-mapping for perspective correction and rendering of curved surfaces, as well as special effects including diffused lighting, specular highlights, reflection mapping and alpha blending for fog, smoke and transparency.

Prices for the Diamond EDGE 3D line, bundled with Panzer Dragoon, Virtua Fighter Remix and NASCAR Racing from Papyrus, start at $299. The Diamond EDGE 3D is available through Diamond's domestic and international distributors and at many major computer retail outlets throughout North America. Selected OEM customers of Diamond are also offering systems incorporating the Diamond EDGE 3D.

Sega of America

Sega of America is the arm of Tokyo-based Sega Enterprises, Ltd., responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega products in the Americas. Sega Enterprises Ltd. is a known leader in interactive digital entertainment media with operations on five continents. Sega PC is the division within Sega of America responsible for marketing and distributing Sega's PC games.

Diamond Multimedia

Diamond Multimedia designs, markets and supports high-performance multimedia solutions for the PC and Macintosh markets. Products include Stealth and Viper graphics and multimedia accelerators, EDGE 3D animation accelerators and Supra fax/modems. Diamond also markets Internet kits including ISDN adapters, and sound cards and multimedia upgrade kits. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Diamond has marketing and technical support facilities in Vancouver (Wash.), Tokyo, Starnberg (Germany), Paris and Slough (U.K.) Diamond's products are sold through regional, national and international distributors as well as to major computer retailers, mass merchants and OEMs worldwide. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol DIMD.

How to Contact Diamond Multimedia

There are many ways to reach Diamond for sales support, technical assistance, driver updates and general information:

The Main Phone Number: 408-325-7000; Fax: 408-325-7070 Supra Communications Division Main Phone Number: 360-604-1400; Fax: 360-604-1401 SPEA Division Main Phone Number (Germany): +49-8151-2660 Product Support: 408-325-7100; Supra: 1-800-774-4965 For information on Diamond products: 1-800-468-5846; Supra: 1-800-727-8772 24-Hour Fax On Demand Service: 1-800-380-0030; Supra 541-967-0072 America Online (Keyword: DIAMOND; Supra Keyword: SUPRACORP2) CompuServe (GO DMNDONLINE or GO GRAPHBVEN) [75300,3673]; Supra: (GO SUPRA); SPEA (GO SPEA) Microsoft Network: Find DIAMOND FTP site: ftp.diamondmm.com, or Supra: ftp.supra.com Internet Web site: http://www.diamondmm.com or Supra: http://www.supra.com BBS numbers at 408-325-7080 (to 14.4 baud) or 408-325-7175 (to 28.8 baud) Supra BBS: 541-967-2444 SPEA BBS at +49-8151-266241 (to 14.4 baud) or +49-8151-12921 (to 28.8 baud) or +49-8151-78001 (ISDN) -0-

Note to Editors: EDGE is a registered trademark of The EDGE Interactive Media, Inc. and is used under license. Sega PC, Panzer Dragoon and Virtual Fighter are all trademarks of Sega Corp. All other trademarks referenced are the service mark, trademark or registered trademark of their respective manufacturers.

CONTACT: Diamond Multimedia

Kim Stowe, 408/325-7204

[email protected]

or

Faiola Davis Public Relations

Heidi Davis/Sara Faiola, 213/933-4959

or

Sega of America

Dan Stevens, 415/802-3996

[email protected]
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