Aztech New Media Signs Contract With Microsoft Corp. for Urban Assault Enhancement Package.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 1998--Aztech New Media Corp. (ASE:ANM) has signed a contract with Microsoft Corporation for the release of the first authorized expansion product for Urban Assault(TM) Microsoft's strategy/arcade action game released in mid-September, 1998.

The third in a recent series of add-on and expansion product publishing relationships with major international game publishers, Aztech's Microsoft contract reflects a new and expanding direction for the Company. Aztech's Insurrection(TM), Campaigns for StarCraft(TM), based on Blizzard Entertainment's bestselling game, has sold 75,000 copies across North America since June 1, 1998. The Activision deal covers a title yet to be announced.

"Microsoft believes that expansion products like Aztech's, extend the franchise of the original game while providing additional creativity and excitement for the game players," said Peter Bergstrom, Microsoft's Product Planner for Urban Assault. "We look forward to providing our game's audience with Aztech's unique look at maximizing the original Microsoft game."

"We anticipate similar success with our Urban Assault enhancement as we have enjoyed with Insurrection," said Christopher Seepe, Aztech New Media CEO. "Add-ons achieve upwards of 20 to 25 per cent sell-through of the original game's sales, which is a conservative figure but one which is supported by actual sales."

Aztech's Urban Assault enhancement product is entitled "Metropolis Down(TM)," and will include new units and weaponry, new campaign and multi-player maps and the ability to direct either side's armies, which is not possible in the original game. "Metropolis Down" is slated to be shipped in the first quarter of 1999.

"We are honoured that Microsoft, the world's premiere software company, has selected Aztech New Media as the only company currently authorized to create enhancements for Urban Assault," Seepe added. "Our quality game development skills, sales and marketing abilities and established distribution network enabled us to create a new and important relationship."

At the end of September, Aztech also released Conquests of the Ages(TM), a fully integrated plot scenario add-on product, for Microsoft's Age of Empires(TM) million plus-selling game. Blessed by Microsoft, it offers four campaigns comprising eight scenarios; each contains an additional 36 multi-player maps, all rendered to Microsoft standards. As an added bonus, Conquests of the Ages also contains an exclusive Age of Empires II preview.

Aztech New Media publishes consumer software focusing on entertainment and games. In addition to developing original content, the company publishes best-selling CD ROM compilations of licensed, third party software.