Scarface: The World Is Yours Video Game Mixed With Hollywood-Quality Sound Effects From Skywalker Sound

Scarface: The World Is Yours Video Game Mixed With Hollywood-Quality Sound Effects From Skywalker Sound

Academy Award-Winning Sound Designer Randy Thom Creates In-Game Audio; Entire Game Mixed On-Site at Skywalker Ranch

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing the effort to bring Hollywood-level quality to the Scarface: The World Is Yours video game, Vivendi Games' Sierra Entertainment division has partnered with Skywalker Sound and Oscar-winner Randy Thom to ensure the game boasts audio effects that are unparalleled in the video game industry. The game was mixed in the same way the biggest Hollywood blockbuster movies are mixed -- on-site at Skywalker Ranch -- and promises to deliver a fully immersive audio experience throughout all of Tony Montana's new exploits.

Scarface: The World Is Yours is licensed by Universal Studios and will be available at retail stores in North America on October 8.

"Scarface is an icon of American cinema and the game needs to live up to not only the film's enduring legacy but also quality level of today's best blockbuster films," said Cindy Cook, chief strategy and marketing officer for Vivendi Games. "Our goal from the very beginning was to deliver the best possible experience as Tony Montana. By partnering with the best sound studio in the world and working with a Hollywood legend like Randy Thom, we have ensured that the sound quality in Scarface: The World Is Yours will be second-to-none."

Scarface: The World Is Yours will deliver a Hollywood-quality experience in a video game, effectively bringing Tony Montana to life through unprecedented casting, leading technology and renowned Hollywood partners. The game has already secured a AAA voice cast of more than 50 Hollywood heavyweights, including Robert Loggia, Elliott Gould, Steven Bauer, Jason Mewes, Wilmer Valderrama, Jerry Ferrara and many others. In addition, the game boasts a soundtrack of more than seven hours of licensed music from the 80s and today, as well as the original motion picture score by Georgio Moroder.

Unlike sound development in other video games the entire audio production for Scarface: The World Is Yours was brought on-site to Skywalker Ranch for several weeks to replicate motion picture post production. All audio effects in the game were reviewed and re-designed from the bottom up, ensuring that playing as Tony Montana will be a powerful, cinematic and immersive experience.

The game spent five weeks being mixed in the same way that a Hollywood motion picture is mixed: balancing dialogue, sound effects and music on a THX-calibrated sound stage at Skywalker -- something that has never been achieved before in video game production and ensuring every sound will be heard as the developers intended it.

Academy Award winner Randy Thom ("Apocalypse Now," "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi," "The Right Stuff," "The Incredibles") served as lead sound designer, in his first work in the video game space.

"Scarface: The World Is Yours will deliver a surprising audio experience that will add life and power to the experience of playing as the one-and-only Tony Montana," said Randy Thom. "By bringing the game and its developers to Skywalker Sound and remixing the game on-site, we were able to create a more detailed and engaging audio experience that goes beyond what other games have achieved."

Scarface: The World Is Yours will plunge players deep into the seedy underbelly of 1980s Miami as they become Tony Montana and rebuild his fallen empire while seeking vengeance on his enemies.

Scarface: The World Is Yours is expected to be available in North American retail stores October 8 for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, Xbox(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC for an estimated retail price of $49.99. The "Collector's Edition" version for PlayStation 2 will ship at the same time for an estimated retail price of $59.99. Sierra Entertainment will also release Scarface: Money. Power. Respect., a unique game designed specifically for the PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system that combines turn-based strategy gameplay with real-time combat, this October 8 for an estimated retail price of $39.99.

For more information about Scarface: The World Is Yours, please visit the game's official Web site at www.scarfacegame.com.

About Universal Studios Consumer Products Group

Universal Studios Consumer Products Group (USCPG) is responsible for global licensing and retail strategies as well as building brand recognition of the extensive catalogue of NBC Universal properties. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi.

About Skywalker Sound

Skywalker Sound is a Lucasfilm Ltd. company serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for audio post-production. Skywalker Sound has been honored with 18 Academy Awards for Best Sound and Best Sound Effects Editing.

About Vivendi Games

Vivendi Games (www.vivendigames.com) is a global developer, publisher and distributor of multi-platform interactive entertainment. The company is the leader in the subscription-based massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPG) category, holds leading positions in the PC, console, handheld and mobile games markets, and is an emerging player in casual online games. Vivendi Games' two principal studios and publishing labels include Blizzard Entertainment, headquartered in Irvine, CA, the creator of World of Warcraft(R), Diablo(R), StarCraft(R), and Warcraft(R); and Sierra Entertainment, headquartered in Los Angeles, which includes Radical Entertainment, Swordfish Studios, High Moon Studios, and Massive Entertainment. Sierra's IPs include Crash Bandicoot(R), Spyro The Dragon(R), Empire Earth(R), SWAT(R), Darkwatch(TM), Timeshift(TM), Ground Control(R) and Leisure Suit Larry(R). Vivendi Games is also home to Vivendi Mobile Games, publishing games for the emerging mobile market, and Sierra Online, dedicated to publishing casual games for online play and distribution on all platforms. Vivendi Games maintains strategic relationships with industry leading content partners, including Universal Music Group, NBC Universal, Twentieth Century Fox, and Ludlum Entertainment. The company has 16 offices around the world conducting business in 75 countries.

"Scarface: The World Is Yours" interactive game (C) 2006 Vivendi Games, Inc. Scarface is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All Rights Reserved. "PlayStation," "PS" Family logo and "PSP" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Memory Stick Duo(TM) may be required (sold separately). Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or in other countries and are used under license from Microsoft.

Source: Sierra Entertainment

CONTACT: Matt Frary of Vivendi Games, +1-310-431-4531,
matt.frary@vugames.com

Web site: http://www.vivendigames.com/
http://www.scarfacegame.com/

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