Capcom Launches a Pervasive Marketing Campaign to Support the Release of Darkwatch™ for PS2 and Xbox

National Campaign Generates Massive Consumer Awareness for Vampire Western

SUNNYVALE, Calif.  August 11, 2005  Capcom Entertainment, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced a national marketing campaign to support the upcoming release of Darkwatch™ , a vampire western for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft. Highlighting the tagline “Death Fears Those Who Wear the Badge,” which stems from the skull badge worn by members of the Darkwatch, the extensive television marketing program that launched early this month and continues for several weeks will generate more than 90 million consumer impressions. The new TV campaign will support the overall extensive marketing initiative, which includes print and online advertising, consumer college events, as well as radio promotions and retail partnerships.

Developed by High Moon Studios, Inc., Darkwatch is an immersive FPS (first person shooter) that blends the lawless action of the Wild West with the thrilling horror of vampire movies. Darkwatch will carry an “M” rating for mature audiences by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) and will be released at retailers across North America on August 16, 2005.

“Darkwatch delivers a gripping gameplay experience that raises the bar for quality that today’s consumers seek,” said Todd Thorson, director of marketing, Capcom Entertainment “A game of this caliber is worthy of a marketing campaign that perpetuates Darkwatch’s style and foreboding tone.”

The marketing campaign consists of :30 and :15 second television spots aimed at the adult markets, ages 18 to 34 years old, and will appear on cable programming in the U.S. on networks such as Comedy Central, SpikeTV, MTV, VH1, and ESPN. The print campaign consists of single-page ads that will be featured in leading video game magazines and dedicated men’s publications including DC Comics, Spin, WWE, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Official Xbox Magazine, GamePro and Game Informer, just to name a few. Online efforts include premium ad placement on all top gaming sites as well as support for the dedicated Darkwatch website, www.darkwatch.com,  which features game information and downloadable content. Radio promotions will be broadcasted on alternative rock stations in major markets including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta and San Francisco with national retail support encompassing pre-order and point of sale purchase campaigns at major retail outlets.

Darkwatch is a mysterious secret society that has protected humanity from evil since the dawn of civilization. Their newest and most deadly agent is Jericho Cross, an outlaw gunslinger pulled into their ranks after an unfortunate close encounter with a vampire lord. As the one responsible for unleashing the vampire and his minions on the West, Jericho must use his new vampire powers to hunt him down to prevent the American Frontier from being overrun by the undead, and to save his own soul from eternal damnation.

Darkwatch promises a cinematic video game experience with remarkable game play variety in a FPS. With Jericho's supernatural abilities, mysteriously advanced weaponry, shattering melee attacks unique to each weapon, armed vehicles and a deadly demon steed, players lay waste across a Wild West infested by Vampires and other supernatural creatures. Darkwatch introduces a dynamic reputation and experience system where the choices the player makes lead to different paths and supernatural vampire abilities. The experience is further enhanced with location-specific damage, letting players tear apart the undead, and innovative use of Havok physics for dynamic objects that can be improvised as weapons.

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