Electronic Arts ships Need For Speed II for the PlayStation; Sequel to best-selling Need For Speed delivers new supercars, international tracks, immersive 3-D world, and multiplayer capabilities.

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 1997--Electronic Arts(R) (NASDAQ: ERTS), a leading global interactive entertainment software company, announced it has begun shipping Need For Speed(TM) II for the PlayStation(TM), a sequel to the chart-topping Road & Track(R) Presents: Need For Speed title.

Need For Speed II is a realistic racing simulation with a variety of new key features such as: eight new authentically modeled supercars based on manufacturers specifications, an immersive 3-D world, new international tracks, and multiplayer capabilities.

For the first time, Need For Speed II brings together some of the fastest cars on the road and replicates them on screen in precise detail. The car manufacturers provided Electronic Arts with supercar performance statistics, detailed measurements, exact manufacturer specifications and guidance throughout the development process. This ensured that the cars in the game are representative of their real life counterparts in every detail -- appearance, sound and performance. Players racing on their PlayStation are able to feel the different speeds, handling and unique characteristics inherent in each of the supercars.

Measured by both price and performance, Need For Speed II allows players to race a dream lineup of untouchable supercars:

-- Ferrari F-50(TM) -- This is Ferrari's premier road car. A tribute to their 50th anniversary, this low-slung Italian supercar has a price tag of $500,000 and delivers a 202 mph top speed from its 513 bhp engine.

-- Ford GT90 -- Innovative modular technology allows the fusing of two separate engines in Ford's GT90 concept car, producing a hybrid V12 with an amazing 720 bhp.

-- ISDERA(TM) Commendatore 112i(TM) - This gull-winged, finely tuned, 212 mph supercar is hand-built in a workshop in Leonberg, Germany.

-- Italdesign(TM) Cala (TM) -- This V-10 powered concept car was designed for on of Italy's leading supercar manufacturers.

-- Jaguar XJ220 - Jaguar's stylish and bold entry into the supercar market offers top speeds of 213 mph from its 542 bhp engine.

-- Lotus Esprit V8(TM) -- This reworked Lotus is equipped with the same twin turbo-charged V8 as Lotus' GT1.

-- Lotus GT1(TM) - This soon to be released exotic road car version of Lotus' new LeMans(TM) race car is complete with a lightweight carbon fiber body, a 350 bhp engine and an acceleration rate of 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds.

-- McLaren F1(TM) -- This is the fastest and most expensive ($900,000) production car in the world with a top speed of 231 mph, a 627 bhp engine, and an acceleration rate of 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds.

In addition to the new cars available in the game, Need For Speed II's 3-D engine gives the player a more detailed, beautiful and realistic driving experience on the new international tracks located in places like Norway, Nepal, Greece, Australia, and Vancouver, Canada. These roads feature varying terrain such as coastline, urban, alpine, lakes and deserts, and challenging road surfaces of pavement, snow, cobblestone and gravel.

Need For Speed II gives players a more immersive experience than its predecessors via a totally 3-D environment. Cars can now be driven in any direction as well as off-road, so that players can take a grassy shortcut to beat an opponent. The camera view players select also adds to the game's realism. There are four racing views: in-car, tail-, heli- and road-cam, and nine replay cameras. If players choose the realistic car (dashboard) view, they can remain in-car at all times whether power sliding around corners, spinning out or flipping in a crash. Novel, 3-D animated objects such as windmills and news kiosks are found on tracks, many of which can be hit or knocked into an opponent's path. This 3-D world is made more dramatic with the inclusion of an interactive, performance-based music system, where the music keeps pace with the onscreen action.

Other new features in Need For Speed II include car setup options for greater control over the cars such as: downforce, gear ratios, steering controls and color choices. For more variety, a new arcade mode has been added to deliver a faster racing experience. There are also more than 15 new vehicles, which constitute traffic, on the road. Some of those vehicles include: a tractor trailer cab, a school bus, pick up trucks, and a variety of traditional cars.

Need For Speed II also allows players to compete one-on-one with a split screen option. In addition, the game sports a multimedia reference section where players learn more about each car. This includes videos, slide shows as well as narrated history and performance statistics. Video of the cars in action were filmed in Italy and the UK and are included to give car enthusiasts the chance to see them live.

Need For Speed II has a suggested retail price of $49.95 for the PlayStation. More information on the game is available on EA's home page at http://www.nfs2.com .

Electronic Arts, headquartered in San Mateo, California, is a leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues over $530 million for fiscal 1996. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems such as the PlayStation(TM) and Sega Saturn(TM). Electronic Arts markets its products worldwide under five brand names: Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS(TM), ORIGIN Systems(R) Inc., Bullfrog Productions(TM) Ltd. and Jane's(R) Combat Simulations. Electronic Arts has international subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and US development operations in San Mateo, Calif.; Baltimore, Maryland; Austin, Texas; and Seattle, Washington. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com . -0-

Note to Editors: Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, ORIGIN Systems, Bullfrog Productions Ltd, Need For Speed are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts or its wholly owned subsidiaries. PlayStation is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Jane's and Road & Traack are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are used under license. Ford GT90, Ford, ISDERA, Commendatore 112i, ITALDESIGN, Cala, Jaguar, XJ220, Lotus, Lotus Esprit V8, Lotus GT1, McLaren, McLaren F1, Ferrari, and Ferrari F50 are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are used under license. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Electronic Arts

Dany Brooks, 415/513-7436

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