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Seven Titles Compete for Game of the Year

Intel, Microsoft, Imagine Media, and GamesBusiness
Named as Awards Show Sponsors

Banjo-Kazooie, Grim Fandango, Half-Life, Metal Gear Solid, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, and Zelda: Ocarina of Time will all contend for the prestigious honor of Game of the Year.

"The Interactive Achievement Awards are now in their second year.  The high caliber of nominees, finalists, and sponsors shows the Awards program enjoys widespread industry support," said Jim Charne, President and Executive Director of the Academy.  "Academy peer review committees who conducted preliminary round judging faced an enormously difficult task of determining finalists from among a strong field of nominees.  Peer committee members, all leaders in their respective areas of personal computer, game console, and online, were up to the task.  They have selected a list of finalists that assures Academy members will be faced with difficult voting decisions as they step up to determine recipients of the 1999 Interactive Achievement Awards."

The awards are designed to recognize outstanding interactive content and individual or team technical and creative achievement in the personal computer, game console and online platforms.  Heading into its second year, the Academy has expanded the categories from those in 1998 and will present Interactive Achievement Awards in 30 craft, online, computer and console categories.  The event will be highlighted by the presentation a Console Game of the Year, Computer Game of the Year, and single overall Game of the Year award. In addition to 24 content categories and the Game of the Year, the Academy will present five crafts awards to individuals or teams, for outstanding achievement in art/graphics, interactive design, sound and music, software engineering, and story or character development.

Additionally, the Academy will honor Sid Meier, creator of acclaimed computer games including Sid Meier's Civilizationâ, Civilizationâ II, Gettysburgâ and the recently released Sid Meier's Alpha CentauriÔ, as this year's recipient of the Hall of Fame award. The award will be presented to Mr. Meier by the Academy's inaugural Hall of Fame inductee, Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Donkey Kong, Mario, and the most successful entertainment product this past Christmas season, Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time.

Peer panel review boards made up of individual Academy members with specific expertise in each of the categories were established to determine the finalists for each of the awards with the exception of Game of the Year which was determined by the ballots of voting members of the Academy.  Each Academy committee considered the nominees and cast their votes in a secret ballot supervised by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Membership in AIAS is open to all qualified individuals working in the interactive industry.  The Academy is supported by many of the industry's leading companies and counts among its board of directors representatives from Creative Capers Entertainment, DreamWorks Interactive, Electronic Arts, Hasbro Interactive Worldwide, Interactive Digital Software Association, The Learning Company/Brøderbund, Microsoft, Nintendo of America, Sega of America, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Simutronics Corp, Twin Lights Studio, and Yellow Raincoat Studios.

The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences is located at 10635  Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 180, Los Angeles, Calif., 90025.   For additional information, please call (310) 441-2280 or send e-mail: academy@interactive.org. Membership applications are available on the Academy's Web site at http://www.interactive.org/.

INTERACTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS - FINALISTS

A.) CONTENT AWARDS


I. CONSOLE


Action Game of the Year

Banjo-Kazooie, Nintendo of America/Rare (N64)
Metal Gear Solid, Konami of America, Inc./KCEJ (PS)
Parasite Eve, Square Electronic Arts L.L.C./Square Soft, Inc. (PS)
Spyro the Dragon, Sony Computer Entertainment America/Insomniac Games (PS)
Techu: Stealth Assassins, Activision, Inc./Sony Music Entertainment Japan (PS)


Adventure Game of the Year

Banjo-Kazooie, Nintendo of America/Rare (N64)
MediEvil, Sony Computer Entertainment America/Sony
Computer Entertainment America (PS)
Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus, GT Interactive Software/Oddworld Inhabitants (PS)
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)


Fighting Game of the Year

Bushido Blade 2, Square Electronic Arts L.L.C./Square Soft, Inc. (PS)
WCW/NWO Revenge, THQ/Asmik of Japan (N64)
WWF: Warzone, Acclaim Entertainment /Iguana West (N64)
WWF: Warzone, Acclaim Entertainment/Iguana West (PS)


Racing Game of the Year

Extreme-G 2, Acclaim Entertainment/Probe Entertainment (N64)
F-Zero X, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)
Gran Turismo, Sony Computer Entertainment America/Polyphony Digital Inc. (PS)
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit, Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts Canada (PS)


Role Playing Game of the Year

DMG Pokemon, Nintendo of America/Creatures Inc./Game Freak, Inc. (Game Boy)
Panzer Dragoon, Sega of America/Sega of America (Sega-Saturn)
Parasite Eve, Square Electronic Arts L.L.C./Square Soft, Inc. (PS)
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)


Sports Game of the Year

1080 Snowboarding, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)
Hot Shots Golf, Sony Computer Entertainment America/Sony Computer Entertainment
Inc. (PS)
Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside, Nintendo of America/Left Field Productions (N64)
NFL Blitz, Midway Home Entertainment/Midway Games Inc. (N64)
NFL Quarterback Club'99, Acclaim Entertainment/Iguana Entertainment (N64)


Console Game of the Year
All Console category finalists are nominated.

II. PERSONAL COMPUTER

Action Game of the Year

Half-Life, Sierra Studios/Valve
Starsiege Tribes, Sierra Online/Dynamix, Inc.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, Red Storm Entertainment, Inc./Red Storm Entertainment,
Inc.
Unreal, GT Interactive Software/Epic Games and Digital Extremes


Adventure Game of the Year
Dark Side of the Moon, SouthPeak Interactive/SouthPeak Interactive
Douglas Adams Starship Titanic, Simon & Schuster Interactive/The Digital Village
Grim Fandango, LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC/
LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC
King's Quest: Mask of Eternity, Sierra Studios/Sierra Studios
Sanitarium, ASC Games/Dreamforge Intertainment
The X-Files Game, Fox Interactive/HyperBole Studios 


Role Playing Game of the Year
Baldur's Gate, Interplay Productions/BioWare Corp.
Fallout 2, Interplay Productions/Black Isle Studios
Might & Magic VI, The 3DO Company/The 3DO Company/New World Computing
Return to Krondor, Sierra Studios/Pyrotechnix


Simulation Game of the Year
Descent: FreeSpace The Great War, Interplay Productions/ Volition, Inc
Independence War, Infogrames Entertainment, Inc./Particle Systems
Jane's WWII Fighters, Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit, Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts Canada
Total Air War, Infogrames Entertainment, Inc./Digital Image Design, Ltd.


Sports Game of the Year
FIFA 99, Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts Canada
Links LS 1999, Access Software/Access Software
Madden 99, Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Motocross Madness, Microsoft/Rainbow Studios
NASCAR Revolution, Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
   

Strategy Game of the Year
Caesar III, Sierra Studios/Impressions Games
Close Combat III:The Russian Front, Microsoft/Atomic Games Inc.
MechCommander, Microprose/Microsoft
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, Electronic Arts/Firaxis Games
SimCity 3000, Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts Maxis


Computer Game of the Year
All Computer Game category finalists are nominated.


Creativity Title of the Year
3-D Castle Creator, IBM/Image Builder
American Greetings Craft! Deluxe, Brøderbund/Brøderbund/American Greetings
Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera & CD-ROM, Mattel, Inc./Gorilla
Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover: The Collection, Brøderbund/Brøderbund/Motion
Works
PrintMaster Platinum 7.0 DVD, Brøderbund/Brøderbund


Children's Entertainment Title of the Year
Barbie Riding Club, Mattel Media, Inc./Human Code, Inc.
Blue's Birthday Adventure, Humongous Entertainment/Humongous Entertainment
Disney/ Pixar's A Bug's Life Action Game, Disney Interactive/Traveller's Tale
Dr. Brain Thinking Games: IQ Adventure, Knowledge Adventure/Knowledge Adventure
Lego Creator, Lego Media International/Superscape
Rugrats Adventure Game, The Learning Company/The Learning Company
The Starfire Soccer Challenge, Stormfront Studios/Purple Moon


Family Title of the Year
3-D Ultra NASCAR Pinball, Sierra Attractions/Dynamix, Inc
Looney Tunes Cosmic Capers Animated Jigsaws, SouthPeak Interactive/SouthPeak
Interactive
National Geographic Maps, Brøderbund/National Geographic
Interactive/Brøderbund/National Geographic Interactive
Star Wars: Behind the Magic, LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC/LucasArts
Entertainment Company LLC
The D Show, Disney Interactive/Cyberflix
   

Educational Title of the Year (0-8 years)
Blue's Birthday Adventure, Humongous Entertainment/Humongous Entertainment
Disney's Adventures in Typing with Timon & Pumbaa, Disney Interactive/Disney
Interactive
Dr. Seuss Preschool, The Learning Company/The Learning Company
Elmo's Reading: Preschool & Kindergarten, The Learning Company/Children's
Television Workshop
JumpStart Preschool, Knowledge Adventure/Knowledge Adventure
Reader Rabbit's Math Ages 6-9, The Learning Company/The Learning Company
   

Educational Title of the Year (9-16 years)
Journey into the Brain, Morphonix/Morphonix
JumpStart Adventures 6th Grade, Knowledge Adventure/Knowledge Adventure/Human
Code
National Geographic Maps, Brøderbund/National Geographic
Interactive/Brøderbund/National Geographic Interactive
StarWars DroidWorks, Lucas Learning Ltd./Lucas Learning Ltd.
Thinkin' Science ZAP!, Edmark/Edmark
       

III.  ONLINE


Action/Strategy Game of the Year
Airwarrior III, Aries Online Games/Kesmai Studios
CyberStrike 2, Simutronics/Simutronics
Starsiege Tribes, Sierra Online/Dynamix, Inc.


Role Playing Game of the Year
DragonRealms: Maritime Expansion, Simutronics/Simutronics
Meridian 59 Dark Auspices, The 3DO Company/The 3DO Company
Ultima Online: The Second Age, Electronic Arts/Origin Systems, Inc.


Family/Board Game of the Year
Multiplayer Jeopardy! Online, Sony Online Entertainment/Sony Online
Entertainment
Multiplayer Wheel of Fortune Online, Sony Online
Entertainment/Sony Online Entertainment
The Game of LIFE, Hasbro/Mass Media, Inc.
What's the big Idea?, Berkeley Systems/Berkeley Systems


Entertainment Site of the Year
Comedy Central Online, Comedy Central/Comedy Central
GameSpot, GameSpot Inc./GameSpot Inc.
MSN Gaming Zone, Microsoft/Microsoft
uproar.com, E-Pub Inc./E-Pub Inc.


News/Information Site of the Year
CNN.com, CNN Interactive/CNN Interactive
CNN.com/ColdWar, CNN Interactive/CNN Interactive
GameSpot.com, GameSpot Inc./GameSpot Inc.
Media Newsweek.com, Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive/Washingtonpost.Newsweek
Interactive
metromix.com, Chicago Tribune Interactive Media/Julianna Cole
The New York Times on the Web(learning), The New York Times Electronic Media/The
New York Times Electronic
The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition, Dow Jones & Co. Inc./Dow Jones &
Co. Inc.


B.)  CRAFT AWARDS


Outstanding Achievement in Art/Graphics
Banjo-Kazooie, Team Banjo-Kazooie, Nintendo of
America/Rare (N64)
Grim Fandango, Tim Schafer & Team, LucasArts Entertainment
Company LLC/LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC
Half-Life, Team Half-Life, Sierra Studios/Valve
Spyro the Dragon, Insomniac Games, Sony Computer
Entertainment America/Insomniac Games (PS)


Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Design
DMG Pokemon, Team Pokemon, Nintendo of America/
Creatures Inc./Game Freak, Inc. (Game Boy)
Half-Life, Team Half-Life, Sierra Studios/Valve
    Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, Konami of America, Inc./
KCEJ (PS)
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, Brian Reynolds, Electronic
Arts/Firaxis Games
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Team Zelda, Nintendo of
America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)


Outstanding Achievement in Sound and Music
Grim Fandango, Peter McConnel & Team, LucasArts
Entertainment Company LLC/LucasArts Entertainment
Company LLC
Heart of Darkness, Heart of Darkness Sound Team,
Interplay Entertainment Corp./Amazing Studio
Road Rash 3D, Don Veca, Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
(PS)
Wild 9, Tommy Tallarico, Interplay Entertainment Corp./Shiny
Entertainment


Outstanding Achievement in Software Engineering
    Half-Life, Team Half-Life, Sierra Studios/Valve
Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, Konami of America, Inc./KCEJ
(PS)
Motocross Madness, Mark de Simone, Microsoft/Rainbow
Studios
NFL Quarterback Club '99, Iguana Entertainment - Texas,
Acclaim Entertainment/Iguana Entertainment (N64)
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Team Zelda, Nintendo of
America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)


Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development
DMG Pokemon, Team Pokemon, Nintendo of 
America/Creatures Inc./Game Freak, Inc. (Game Boy)
Grim Fandango, Tim Schafer & Team, LucasArts Entertainment
Company LLC/LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC
Half-Life, Team Half-Life, Sierra Studios/Valve
King's Quest: Mask of Eternity, Team Mask, Sierra Studios/
Sierra Studios
Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, Konami of America, Inc./KCEJ
Sanitarium, Team Sanitarium, ASC Games/Dreamforge
Intertainment
The X-Files Game, Greg Roach, Richard Dowdy and
Frank Spotnitz, Fox Interactive/HyperBole Studios
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Team Zelda, Nintendo of
America/Nintendo Co.Ltd. (N64)


B.) GAME OF THE YEAR
Banjo-Kazooie, Nintendo of America/Rare (N64)
Grim Fandango, LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC/
    LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC
Half-Life, Sierra Studios/Valve
Metal Gear Solid, Konami of America, Inc./KCEJ (PS)
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, Electronic Arts/Firaxis Games  
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, LucasArts Entertainment
Company LLC/LucasArts Entertainment Company
LLC (N64)
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd.
(N64)











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