ATARI SHIPS DRAGON BALL Z®:
SAGAS™
Top-Selling Franchise Introduces
First-Ever DBZ® Action-Adventure Game
BEVERLY, MA – MARCH, 22, 2005 –
Expanding on its successful Dragon Ball Z® brand of interactive games, Atari (Nasdaq:
ATAR) today announced that Dragon Ball Z®: Sagas™, the first-ever DBZ®
action-adventure game, has shipped to retail outlets nationwide. Sagas is
available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo GameCube™,
and the Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft; it is the first-ever DBZ® game
for the Xbox™. Dragon Ball Z®: Sagas™ allows fans to play some of the most
exciting aspects of the popular animated series, from its origins in the Saiyan
Saga through the climactic Cell Games. Players will be able to explore huge
levels, defeat boss enemies, collect Dragon Balls, and journey through the DBZ®
universe, including places never fully unveiled in the animated series. Sagas
joins Atari’s lineup of successful Dragon Ball Z® games, which cumulatively have
sold more than eight million units* since the introduction of Atari’s first DBZ®
title in May 2002.
“Atari’s Dragon Ball Z® games have
succeeded because of their ability to authentically capture the distinct
characteristics and exciting action of the series,” said Matt Collins, Director
of Brand Marketing for Atari. “We are thrilled to offer fans, especially those
who may not have seen the very beginning of DBZ®, a new spin on the franchise by
allowing players to journey virtually anywhere in the DBZ® universe, from the
Saiyan Saga to the Cell Games. With its intense action and expansive
environments, Dragon Ball Z®: Sagas™ gives fans the DBZ® adventure they’ve been
waiting for.”
Featuring the greatest Z-Warriors,
including Goku®, Vegeta®, Trunks®, Piccolo® and Gohan®, Dragon Ball Z®: Sagas™
spans six different story arcs that pit players against such infamous DBZ® boss
enemies as Frieza®, Cell®, Nappa®, Captain Ginyu®, and Raditz®. With fully
destructible environments, the ability to upgrade characters’ superhero skills
and a wide variety of exciting missions, Dragon Ball Z®: Sagas™ offers fans the
most authentic interactive DBZ experience yet.
“This is an exciting time for Dragon
Ball Z,” said Gen Fukunaga, president of FUNimation Productions, Ltd. “The
launch of DBZ Sagas gives fans their first-ever DBZ action-adventure game and
Atari has again done a great job enhancing the interactive DBZ universe.”
In addition to Atari’s release of
DBZ Sagas, FUNimation is launching the DBZ Ultimate Uncut Special Editions in
April, which gives fans their first chance to see the beginning of Dragon Ball Z
uncut and Cartoon Network is reintroducing DBZ in May.
Rated ‘T’ for Teen, Dragon Ball Z®:
Sagas™ retails for a suggested price of $49.99 on PlayStation 2 and Xbox, and
$39.99 on Nintendo GameCube. All three versions should be available for purchase
at retail stores on March 25. For more information, please visit
www.atari.com/dragonballz.
*According to the NPD Group, Inc.
About FUNimation Productions, Ltd.
FUNimation Productions, Ltd. is a
brand management company and one of the nation’s leading independent home video
entertainment companies. FUNimation often manages all aspects of its brands
including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales
and distribution.
FUNimation is known for its brand
management and home video distribution success with brands primarily targeted to
children and young adults. These brands include Dragon Ball Z®, Fullmetal
Alchemist™, Yu-Gi-Oh! ™, Code Lyoko™, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles®, Dragon
Booster®, Arthur®, Case Closed™, Yu Yu Hakusho™, Degrassi: The Next Generation™,
Beyblade™, Braceface™, Cabbage Patch Kids™, Sonic X™, Shaman King™, Time Warp
Trio™, Fruits Basket™, Tenchi Muyo! GXP™, Blue Gender™ and Lupin the 3rd®.
The Company has a proven formula for
launching and advancing brands, and has become one of the leading brand
management companies in the industry.
About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq:
ATAR) develops interactive games for all platforms and is one of the largest
third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The
Company’s 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining games such as DRIV3R™,
Enter the Matrix™, Neverwinter Nights™, Stuntman™, Test Drive®, Unreal®
Tournament 2004, and Unreal® Championship; and mass-market and children’s games
such as Backyard Sports™, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues™ and Dora the Explorer™,
Dragon Ball Z® and RollerCoaster Tycoon®. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned
subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext – ISIN:
FR-0000052573), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more
information, visit www.atari.com.
2005 Atari, Inc. All rights
reserved.
2005 BIRD STUDIO/SHUEISHA, TOEI
ANIMATION. Licensed by FUNimation Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon
Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and all logos, character names and distinctive
likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION.
"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family
logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
™, ® and Nintendo GameCube are
trademarks of Nintendo. 2001 Nintendo.
Xbox is a registered trademark of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
