August 16, 2002

Microsoft to Include "Shenmue: The Movie" DVD with "Shenmue II"

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that Xbox owners can get caught up on the journey of Ryo Hazuki to avenge his father's death through the "Shenmue: The Movie" DVD. The DVD will come bundled with the Xbox exclusive "Shenmue II" when the game ships in North America on November 6 of this year. The DVD is 90 minutes long and features English or Japanese voice-overs with the option for Japanese subtitles, and is playable on the Xbox with DVD remote or North American DVD players.

The full-length movie draws upon the original footage from the Sega Dreamcast release of "Shenmueä" to deliver the same experience as if viewers had played the game through from beginning to end. It was originally showcased in Japanese theatres and then sold separately on DVD for 4700 yen (approximately $40). The theatrical trailer shown in Japan is now posted on the Xbox press site at http://www.xbox.com/press/shenmue_movie_announce.htm. 

"Shenmue II" is an epic adventure with all the elements of a great movie: drama, mystery, suspense and action. It offers a unique game-playing experience that seamlessly blends elements of action, adventure, fighting and role-playing games. In "Shenmue II" players assume the role of Ryo Hazuki, a young man dedicated to the task of tracking his father's murderer and unlocking the mysteries of the Phoenix Mirror. "Shenmue II" continues where "Shenmue" left off, bringing Ryo to Hong Kong with many unanswered questions as he follows the trail of Lan Di, the man who killed his father.

Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the PC, Xbox video game system and online platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse game portfolios for PC (http://www.microsoft.com/games/), including such franchises as "Age of Empires®," "Flight Simulatorä" and "Zoo Tycoonä"; Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/), including such franchises as "Haloä," "Project Gotham Racingä" and "NFL Fever"; and Zone.com (http://zone.msn.com/), the official games channel for the MSN® network and home to such hits as "Bejeweled" and "OutSmartä."

Xbox ( http://www.xbox.com/ ) is Microsoft's future-generation video game system that delivers the most powerful games experiences ever. Xbox empowers game artists by giving them the technology to fulfill their creative visions as never before, creating games that blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Xbox is now available in North America, Japan, Europe and Australia.

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