Bullfrog Productions Announces the Launch of Populous: The Beginning; New PC Strategy Game Offers Players Chance to Wield the Powers of a God, Unique 3-D Technology.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE0--Nov. 17, 1998--Bullfrog Productions Ltd.(tm), a subsidiary of Electronic Arts(tm) (Nasdaq: ERTS), the world's largest interactive entertainment software company, today announced the release of its highly anticipated strategy game, Populous(tm): The Beginning.

Populous casts the player as The Shaman, a mystical priestess who must use her divine powers to protect and lead her tribe of followers and ultimately become a god. Populous lets players feel what it's like to have god-like control over a world -- enabling them to shape the land, build mysterious cities, command armies, convert followers and wield a host of powerful spells. Players can inflict untold damage on unbelievers by calling lightening from the sky, raising lava-spewing volcanoes, conjuring up plagues of insects, bringing forth village-swallowing earthquakes and more.

Populous features a wholly unique 3-D engine that allows players to smoothly scroll and rotate over a true globe, not a flat map as in other strategy games. The powerful engine permits the player to view the action from almost any angle and zoom back-and-forth from a ground level view to a cosmic view of the world as a whole. The revolutionary 3-D technology also brings earth-shattering spells to life with real-time terrain morphing effects. Players will see their volcanoes "grow" out of the ground, mountains shrink to the size of molehills and entire villages erode into the seas. Populous also supports Creative Labs' Environmental Audio(tm) technology that provides players with a truly immersive sound experience.

"You can really feel the power flowing through your fingertips, as you unleash the forces of nature on your foe," said Richard Leinfellner, Populous' Executive Producer. "Our powerful 'Geomorphic' 3-D engine allows would-be gods to shape and mold the world to their liking. Populous: The Beginning is truly a divine taste of power."

Populous offers multiplayer support for up to four players over the Internet, a LAN or modem connection. Bullfrog has launched an easy to use multiplayer-matching service on the official Populous web site at http://www.populous.net. Also available from this site are product information and a free downloadable demo of the game.

Populous is available for the PC for a MSRP of US $49.95. Consumers may purchase the game directly from Electronic Arts by dialing [phone] or [phone]. A version for the PlayStation(R) is expected in 1999.

Bullfrog Productions Ltd. develops and publishes games that offer original, deep and challenging gameplay. Concentrating on a small number of unique titles, Bullfrog has delighted game-players with hit after hit including Populous, Populous II, Theme Park(tm), Magic Carpet(tm), Syndicate and Dungeon Keeper(tm). Bullfrog is based in Guildford, England. More information in Bullfrog titles is available at http://www.bullfrog.ea.com.

Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of $909 million for fiscal 1998. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems. Electronic Arts markets its products under seven brand names: Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS(tm), Maxis(tm), Origin Systems(tm) Inc., Bullfrog Productions Ltd., Westwood Studios(tm) and Jane's(R) Combat Simulations. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.

Note to Editors: Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, Maxis, ORIGIN Systems, Bullfrog Productions Ltd., Westwood Studios, Populous, Theme Park, Magic Carpet, and Dungeon Keeper are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.

Jane's is a registered trademark of Jane's Information Group, Ltd. Environmental Audio is a registered trademark of Creative Technology in North America and other countries. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.