World Championship Pool 2004 ships on Xbox

Jaleco title features six modes of play

Buffalo, New York (December 5, 2003)  -- WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOL 2004 begins shipping to stores Monday (December 8) for the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft and will be released on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PC CD-ROM later this month, publisher Jaleco Entertainmentä announced today.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOL 2004 aims to be the most authentic pool game on the market. Boasting six modes of play - 9-Ball, 8-Ball, Career Mode, a Snooker game, Trick Shots and Fun Games, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOL 2004 promises to appeal to both die-hard pool fans and casual pool-hall players. Through an agreement with Matchroom Sport and the International Professional Pool Players Association (IPA), WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOL 2004 has licensed some of the world's highest ranking pool players and the sport's biggest competitions, the Mosconi Cup and the World Championship. 

Jaleco Entertainment is the official sponsor of Team USA in the 2003 Mosconi Cup. The Mosconi Cup is one of pool's most prestigious contests and annually pits Team USA and Team Europe, similar to the Ryder Cup in golf. The 2003 Mosconi Cup will be held December 18-21 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, marking the first time in the event's nine-year history that it will be played in the United States.

Members of the 2003 Mosconi Cup's Team USA who are licensed in WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOL 2004 include Earl "The Pearl" Strickland, a three-time WPA World Pool Champion and five-time US Open Champion, and Mosconi stalwart Johnny Archer. This year's Team Europe players who appear in the game include Steve Davis of England, Marcus Chamat of Sweden, Nick Van Den Berg of Holland, Mika Immonen of Finland, Ralf Souquet of Germany, and current 2003 World Champion Thorsten Hohmann, Germany's 24-year-old pool phenom.

In WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOL 2004, gamers can assume the role of the sport's best players, adopting their unique style and specific shooting preferences or compete against these true-to-life legends.  Tools such as the precise aiming aid and shot strength meter can improve players' skills. In venues both real and fictitious, winning a match can unlock unique ball sets and world-class pool cues.  A dynamic camera system and 100% real physics give WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOL 2004 TV-style coverage complete with famous commentators.

The game includes single and multi-player modes and will be the first online pool game for the PlayStation 2 and the first pool game for Xbox and Xboxä Live. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOL 2004 is developed by Blade Interactive, makers of the critically acclaimed World Championship Snooker series. It will be available for PC CD-Rom and PlayStation 2 on December 29 and cues up on the Nintendo GameCube Q1 2004. The game is rated "E" for everyone. Visit www.jaleco.com/wcp2004 for more information.

About Jaleco Entertainment

Jaleco Entertainment (www.jaleco.com) is a premier publisher of interactive software entertainment for console systems, PC, and online gaming. With a team that blends highly experienced individuals from the gaming industry and fresh new talent, the company is committed to developing original intellectual property and cutting edge gaming titles. Jaleco Entertainment is based in Buffalo, New York, with European headquarters in London, England. Jaleco Entertainment maintains development studios in Boulder, Colorado, and Tokyo, Japan. Jaleco Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of PCCW Japan. The company employs more than 200 people worldwide.

About Blade Interactive

Blade Interactive (www.bladeinteractive.com) is a dynamic development studio in Manchester, England, creating fun and innovative games that engage all the senses. Our teams comprise some of the most talented individuals in the industry with skill sets that span the spectrum of computer and console formats, and in-depth knowledge of multiple game genres from racing, platform and role-playing to sports simulations.

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.

©2003 Jaleco Entertainment. All rights reserved. Jaleco Entertainment, the Jaleco Entertainment logo, and World Championship Pool are trademarks or registered trademarks of Jaleco Entertainment in the United States or other countries.

"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

TM, ®, Nintendo GameCube are trademarks of Nintendo.