Disney Interactive Releases First-of-Its-Kind, Free Movie 'Prequel' Online

Disney Interactive Releases First-of-Its-Kind, Free Movie 'Prequel' Online
Multi-Player PC Game Offers Fully-Immersive, 3D Introduction to Back Story and Characters of 'Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire' Two Months Before Film Opens

12,000,000 Prequel Games Distributed Free Beginning in April, Allowing Millions to Engage in Simultaneous, Interactive Experience

Follow-Up Retail Game to Launch May 15

Imagine being given a glimpse into a mysterious lost world shrouded in legend, danger and adventure. Now imagine exploring that world, interacting simultaneously with hundreds, thousands, even millions of people -- all as part of the experience of an upcoming Disney animated feature, but two months before the film opens. That's the expedition Disney Interactive is embarking on with "Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal," a specially created, free, 3D multi-player game "prequel" to "Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire," which opens nationwide on June 15.

The most massive free distribution of an interactive game to date, "Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal" fuses advanced PC technology -- processing speed, 3D video cards and online multi-player capabilities -- with Disney animation, creativity and story telling to introduce the film's characters and tell its back story: a compelling tale of exploration and adventure that takes place 13 years before the film begins.

Beginning in April, more than 12,000,000 prequel games will be distributed through mass-market outlets and companies including Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Kellogg USA, Kodak through Walgreens Photo Center, Disney Adventures magazine, and both the Disneyland® and Walt Disney World® resorts.

"Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal" marks the first time The Walt Disney Company or any major studio has given consumers a window into the heart of an upcoming feature film this far in advance of the film's release, and at this level of dissemination.

"We believe the future of interactive media is convergence, and we want to make the future happen now, for this film," said Jan Smith, president, Disney Interactive. "By creating a movie prequel in the form of an interactive game, playable online with mass distribution, we bring millions of people into a new kind of entertainment experience. While millions of people have enjoyed Disney movies in theaters and at home, now people from all over the world, simultaneously, can interact inside a 3D world of Atlantis -- almost becoming virtual cast members. This is a breakthrough experience in the world of entertainment, and Disney is uniquely positioned to deliver it."

'Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal'
'Prequels' Retail Game Too

"Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal" also serves as the "prequel" to "Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Trial By Fire," the follow-up, expanded retail version of the game, launching May 15 for a suggested retail price of $29.99 (consumers who play the prequel may purchase the full retail title with a $5.00 rebate).

Through a unique combination of game design, technology and the compelling nature of the Disney property, both first-person action-adventure titles are designed to appeal to experienced gamers, while still inviting casual, even novice players to delve into the mystery of Atlantis interactive gaming.

The titles feature an original animation sequence created exclusively for the games by Walt Disney Feature Animation, with the retail product containing additional film footage. Titles are playable in traditional single-player mode and online multi-player mode.

Games are compatible with Windows® 95/98 or later PC systems, and require a Pentium II 266 MHz or faster processor, 64MB of RAM and an 8MB video card.

'Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire' Film Synopsis

An inexperienced young adventurer becomes the key to unraveling an ancient mystery when he joins up with a group of daredevil explorers to find the legendary lost empire of Atlantis.

At the center of Disney's exciting new animated feature is naive-but-determined museum cartographer, Milo Thatch (voice of Michael J. Fox), who dreams of completing the quest begun by his late grandfather, a famous explorer.

When a long-lost journal surfaces, providing new clues to the location, and an eccentric billionaire agrees to fund an expedition, the action shifts into high gear. Milo ultimately leads Captain Rourke (voice of James Garner) and his team to the elusive undersea kingdom, but what they find there defies their expectations and triggers an explosive series of events that only Milo can resolve.

Walt Disney Pictures' "Atlantis: the Lost Empire" will be released in theaters nationwide on Friday, June 15.

Product Descriptions

'Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal' (Prequel)

After centuries of concealment, the mystery of Atlantis is finally unveiled. The Shepherd's Journal, an ancient book holding all the secrets to finding the lost city of Atlantis, is hidden somewhere in Iceland. With Captain Rourke in charge, a team of skilled adventurers must travel deep within the snowy country to find the guarded journal.

Players unlock the secrets of an ancient Viking labyrinth to battle keepers and capture the journal in this first-person, single- and multi-player PC action game.

'Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Trial by Fire'
(Retail Product)

Captain Rourke's exploration team has been reassembled to travel deep within the Earth's core to find the lost city of Atlantis in this compelling, first-person, single- and multi-player PC action-adventure.

With the Shepherd's Journal safe within their control, key members of the expedition aid players as they fight off the vicious water-dwelling Leviathan, fire-infested mazes, diabolical traps and other formidable denizens of Atlantis, before reaching the outskirts of the city. But the adventure doesn't end there.

With Rourke's ambition and greed threatening to destroy the ancient empire, players must stop his escape through a dormant volcano, find and activate the four mystical stones of Atlantis, and save the city from a cataclysmic volcanic eruption and certain destruction.

'Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal'
Prequel Distribution

Beginning in April, "Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal" will be distributed free to consumers through the following companies and outlets:

• Kellogg USA -- Beginning in April, specially marked boxes of Kellogg's® Corn Pops cereal will feature the prequel CD-ROM inside the box.
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment -- Consumers who purchase Buena Vista Home Entertainment's DVD release of Walt Disney Pictures' "The Emperor's New Groove," available May 1, will receive a separate prequel CD-ROM with their DVD package.
• Kodak through Walgreens Photo Center -- Beginning May 13 and exclusively at Walgreens stores, consumers who bring their film in for development and choose Walgreens Quality Processing will receive a prequel CD-ROM with their prints.
• Disney Adventures -- Copies of the prequel will be poly-bagged with May 2001 issues of Disney Adventures magazines, both through subscription and newsstand editions.
• Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line -- Consumers can receive a copy of the prequel at selected locations within the theme parks, resort hotels and cruise ships.

Disney Interactive Guides Consumers Through Online Multi-Player Gaming

Both "Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal" and "Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Trial By Fire" invite advanced, casual and even novice gamers to experience first-person action-adventure gameplay in a multi-player format.

To ensure an optimal interactive game experience for consumers, Disney Interactive has aligned with GameSpy Industries' GameSpy Arcade, one of the industry's most popular online gaming destinations, and broadband leader Speakeasy.net to accommodate the vast number of simultaneous users expected online.

In addition, GameSpy will host the multi-player games for Disney's "Atlantis: The Lost Empire," serving as "matchmaker" to help players set up new games, find games in progress and organize games with friends -- the key to a fun online multi-player gaming experience.

And for those potential gamers who've been wanting to get online and launch into gaming, but who may not have an Internet service provider (ISP), "Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire -- Search for the Journal" will help players sign up with Speakeasy.net, EarthLink or SegaNet for Internet access, so they can get online in a matter of moments.

-- Posted April 2, 2001

Source: Company press release