MAD DOC® SOFTWARE UNVEILS EMPIRE EARTH® II “THE NEW KING OF REAL-TIME STRATEGY GAMING”

With PC Gamer and IGN.com Editor’s Choice nods, Empire Earth® II ships to retail stores with critical acclaim. PC Gamer Magazine declares: “Empire Earth® II is the
New King of Real-Time Strategy Gaming.”

BOSTON, MA – MAY 2, 2005 – Mad Doc® Software, LLC (Mad Doc), an emerging force in game development, is proud to announce that Empire Earth® II, developed by Mad Doc for Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games), has shipped to retail stores in the US and is available for purchase. The game carries a suggested retail price of $49.99 for the PC and has been rated “T” for Teen audiences by the ESRB.

Fans can expect a new age of epic conquest in Empire Earth II. Already winning accolades from gaming publications, Empire Earth II has garnered the coveted Editor’s Choice award from PC Gamer, receiving an incredible 94% review score from the world's best-selling PC game magazine. Their review, to be published in the June 2005 issue, proclaims: "Empire Earth II is the new king of real-time strategy," and adds: “This is rip-roaring strategy for gamers that love the RTS genre and have been waiting for it to get on with growing up.”

Empire Earth II’s great reception doesn’t end there. IGN.com, one of the Internet's largest entertainment news destinations, has awarded Empire Earth II their prestigious Editor's Choice award, hailing the game as a "truly deep and enjoyable real-time strategy experience on all levels.” Audiences abroad agree: Spain’s Micromania Magazine gave Empire Earth II “Game of the Month” honors, with review scores of 95 and 96 for single and multiplayer.

“Our team has put their heart and soul into this game, and through countless hours of the development cycle, we’ve had one clear goal in mind: to make the absolute best RTS game experience possible, to deliver a truly exceptional gameplay experience for fans,” notes Dr. Ian Davis, Mad Doc CEO and Creative Director on Empire Earth II. “We’re thrilled that the game is being so well received. It’s just wonderful to have the game publications recognize the tremendous effort we’ve put in over the last few years and the innovation we’ve brought to the table with this one.”

Building upon the success of its predecessor (GameSpy's 2001 PC Game of the Year), Empire Earth II delivers on its promise to be an “Epic. Conquest. Evolved.” Mad Doc has added a host of innovative features; smart, core streamlining features that make the gameplay experience quite exceptional. Pushing the envelope, the team has delivered non-cheating, cutting-edge AI, and with innovative features like the Diplomacy System, the Crown System, Territories, the Citizen Manager, the Picture-In-Picture, and the War Planner – fans can expect this game to deliver hundreds of hours of fresh gameplay.

“I’ve been saying all along that once fans get their hands on this game, once they really wrap themselves in what we’ve done here, they’ll be blown away by all that’s going on in the game,” Dr. Davis continues. “That day is here, and I’m just going to sit back and watch the fun unfold.”

For more information on Empire Earth II, please visit the game’s official site at: http://www.empireearth2.com. To learn more about Mad Doc Software and its games, check out: www.maddocsoftware.com.

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For More Information, Please Contact:
Sandy O’Toole, Mad Doc Software PR
[email protected]
978.687.8024 x108

Mad Doc Software, LLC (Mad Doc)
Headquartered in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Mad Doc â Software, LLC (Mad Doc) consists of game industry veterans with experience in every aspect of game development and an unmatched expertise in Artificial Intelligence. An emerging force in the industry, Mad Doc â was founded in 1999 with the goal of developing AAA titles that expand the game playing experience and broaden the market. Collectively, Mad Doc® team members are responsible for over eight million units in the game market worldwide, earning the acclaim of players, critics, and publishers alike. Mad Doc®'s development credits include Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest™, Star Trek®: Armada™, Star Trek®: Armada II™, Jane's® Attack Squadron, Dungeon Siege®: Legends of Aranna™ (an Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences 2003 Computer Role Playing Game of the Year finalist), and the critically acclaimed Empire Earth® II.Empire Earth® II uses the Mad3D (TM) Game Engine and MadAI (TM) Technology. Copyright 2005 Mad Doc Software, LLC. All rights reserved. Mad3D and MadAI are trademarks of Mad Doc Software, LLC. All rights reserved. For more information on Mad Doc â , please visit www.maddocsoftware.com.

Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games)
Vivendi Universal Games (www.vugames.com) is a global developer, publisher and distributor of multi-platform interactive entertainment. The company is a leader in the subscription-based massively multi-player online (MMO) games category, and also holds leading positions in the PC, console and handheld games markets. Its development studios and publishing labels include Blizzard® Entertainment, Radical Entertainment™, Sierra® Entertainment and Massive Entertainment™. VU Games’ library of over 700 titles features owned intellectual properties including WarCraft®, StarCraft®, Diablo® and World of WarCraft® from Blizzard; Crash Bandicoot®, Spyro™ The Dragon, Empire Earth®, Leisure Suit Larry™, Ground Control® and Tribes®. VU Games also maintains strategic relationships with industry leading content partners, including NBC Universal and Twentieth Century Fox.

© 2005 Sierra Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Empire Earth, Sierra and the Sierra logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sierra Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Vivendi Universal Games is a trademark of Vivendi Universal Games, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.