Announcing the "Asheron’s Call 2 Name That Monster Contest"

Announcing the "Asheron’s
Call 2 Name That Monster Contest"

Winner Invited to
Participate in AC2 Beta

Microsoft Game Studios and Turbine
Entertainment Software Corp. today announced that "Asheron’s Call 2" fans will have the chance to
participate in the making of their next massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG)
through the "Asheron’s Call 2 Name That Monster Contest." Those who enter will be able to submit
name proposals for one of the game’s boss monsters. In addition to having their name selection
edged into the lore of "Asheron’s Call 2," the winner will receive a beta account. The crew at
Turbine will judge and choose the winning name, which will be announced at a later date.

The boss monster is based upon the Ero-bal, a unique creature
race in the game. The Ero-bal are Tumerok undead who have
lived on Dereth in secret for millennia. They continue to accrue new members, either through
appealing to the individual’s greed or vanity, or through compulsion. The Ero-bal (a Tumerok
spiritual term roughly meaning "prolonged grief") are also sometimes created when the graves of
Tumerok are disturbed. There are Ero-bal for each caste of Tumerok as described in "Asheron’s
Call Dark Majesty," such as Rea-bal hunters, Awaro-bal
warriors, and even mighty Tahro-bal chiefs.

To see what this race looks like, and to enter the contest,
visit the "Asheron’s Call 2" Insider site at:
http://zone.msn.com/asheronscall2/.

"Asheron’s Call 2," the sequel to the popular massively
multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) "Asheron’s Call," will advance the MMORPG genre with
the advanced Turbine Engine G2 graphics engine, providing some of the most sophisticated graphics
available on a PC. Scheduled for U.S. release this winter, "Asheron’s Call 2" features a dynamic,
evolving fantasy world that reacts to players’ behavior and actions. Developed by Turbine
Entertainment Software Corp., the game includes features such as a revamped combat system and new
in-depth crafting system that gives players a chance to pursue noncombative skills.

Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the PC, Xbox
video game system and online platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game
Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse game portfolios for PC (http://www.microsoft.com/games/),
including such franchises as "Age of Empires®," "Flight Simulator"
and "Zoo Tycoon"; Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/), including such
franchises as "Halo," "Project Gotham Racing" and "NFL Fever"; and Zone.com (http://zone.msn.com/),
the official games channel for the MSN® network and home to such hits as "Bejeweled" and "Outsmart."