UBISOFT ENTERS THE SURVIVAL/HORROR GENRE January 8th 2004 ? Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, today announces the signing of an exclusive publishing and distribution agreement with Japanese video game producer Tecmo. This deal plans to release the game Project Zero 2 - Crimson Butterfly, on Playstation® 2 during the second quarter 2004 in Europe and Australia. Tecmo, famous for Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden, made quite an entrance in the Survival/Horror genre in 2002 with Project Zero, which had an unforgettable oppressive atmosphere. The second opus is actually a prequel with a whole new story and new characters, featuring improved graphics and refined gameplay. Fans have not been forgotten though, since the game contains some veiled references to the first title. Project Zero 2 - Crimson Butterfly plunges the gamer into a nightmare impossible to wake up from, full of ghosts and creepy places. Rather than using repulsive monsters or gore, the game only suggests these features, thus creating a psychological terror which is a reminder of Japanese scary movies such as "Ring™". The mysterious title refers to the only weapon of the game, a strange camera already present in Project Zero. When ghosts get fully visible in the objective and the gamer presses the camera's button ? moment zero - these lost souls are delivered. "The 'survival / horror' genre is a major slice of the action/adventure games' market and we are very happy to crack into it thanks to our partnership with Tecmo", says Alain Corre, Ubisoft's Managing Director for Europe, Asia Pacific and South America. "The famous creators of Dead or Alive have now produced a 'state of the art' survival horror title with Project Zero 2. Already critically acclaimed in Japan & in the United States, we believe that European customers will be anxious to get the game when introduced into the market next Spring."