Colin McRae Rally 04 Now Available on Xbox® Nationwide

New York, NY – March 4, 2004 – Codemasters, a global interactive entertainment software publisher, announced today that its internationally acclaimed rally game, Colin McRae Rally 04, has shipped to North American retail outlets for the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft.  The title is available at a suggested retail price of $19.99.

Rally racing is back with more action than ever in the latest installment of the award-winning series.  Improved physics and car handling combined with new championships, custom rallies, new single and multiplayer gaming modes, and unique car part testing result in an intense and realistic racing experience.   

"The demand for the latest installment of our Colin McRae series is unprecedented.  Both the retail and gaming community are excited that a game of this quality is available at such a competitive price point," said Steven Lux, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Codemasters.  "Codemasters continues to deliver the most superior and realistic racing games to our fans."

Colin McRae Rally 04 offers up more than 20 vehicles constructed in stunning detail including Mitsubishi EVO 7, Subaru Impreza and Citroen Xsara, alongside classic rally cars.  An advanced visual engine creates dramatic replays in jaw-dropping detail.

Additional game features include:
… 48 tracks and 4 shakedown stages through 8 countries including the U.S., UK, Australia and Japan.
… Player can compete in a full rally season or specialize in a 4 or 2 wheel drive championship.
… New Expert Championship Mode demands the best performance from the most die-hard rally fan with its tough damage settings and ultra-competitive AI drivers.
… Car part testing helps the player acquire new technology increasing the chance of success.
… Stages and Rally modes allow the player to race against the clock or go multiplayer with split screen play with up to four players.  Saved runs can be seen on the stage as a ghost car.
… Create a Custom Rally with favorite or themed stages that can be compiled, saved and played at any time.
… Players can compete for best stage times and upload their times online using Xbox Live.

For all the latest screens and movies and to join petrol-heads on the game's forums, visit the website at www.codemasters.com/colinmcrae04

ABOUT CODEMASTERS
Codemasters is a global interactive entertainment company with offices in New York City, England, France, Spain, Holland and Germany.  Founded in the UK in 1986, Codemasters publishes award-winning software for the PC, next generation video game consoles and online gaming.  Codemasters develops original titles such as Operation Flashpoint (PC Game-of-the-year) and TOCA Race Driver, as well as games based on top licensed properties including American Idol, MTV Music Generator and IndyCar Series.  Additional information about Codemasters and its products can be found at www.codemasters.com.

ABOUT Xbox

Xbox ( http://www.xbox.com ) is the video game system from Microsoft that brings people together for the most exhilarating game and entertainment experiences.  Xbox delivers an expansive collection of breakthrough games, powerful hardware and the unified Xbox Live online service.  The new tagline, "it's good to play together," captures the spirit of Xbox as the social hub of the new digital entertainment lifestyle.  Xbox is now available in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia.  

ABOUT Xbox Live

Xbox Live, which launched in the United States Nov. 15, 2002, allows gamers to play multiplayer Xbox games with other gamers everywhere via a broadband connection. With a built-in hard drive and Ethernet port, the Xbox console is the only video game system built from the ground up for online gaming, negating the need to buy additional, costly peripherals or upgrades. Xbox Live enables gamers to easily find their friends; talk to other players during game play through the Xbox Communicator headset; download current statistics, new levels and characters to their Xbox hard drive; and play online—all exclusive features to Xbox Live.

Xbox is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

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