PIRATE HUNTER AND PATRICIAN III GO GOLD Life simulation games offer a unique combination of trading, fighting and action in the Caribbean and Europe Los Angeles, CA - September 24, 2003 - Encore, a majority-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation (NASDAQ: NAVR), today announced that Pirate Hunter and Patrician III, life simulation games developed by Ascaron Entertainment, have gone gold. These two PC games offer a unique combination of trading and fighting, one on the high seas of the Caribbean, the other in the cities of Northern Europe during the Middle Ages. Both are expected to be on store shelves in October and will retail for approximately $30 and $40, respectively. Said Michael Bell, Encore's CEO, "Pirate Hunter and Patrician III are excellent additions to a wide range of games being published through Encore's Third-Party Publishing Program. We are excited to bring these games to market." Added Roger Swindells, Managing Director at Ascaron, "Pirate Hunter and Patrician III are high-quality games with beautiful graphics. We designed them to offer the perfect balance of trading, fighting, action and fun." Pirate Hunter - Bounty Hunting in the Caribbean The high seas of the Caribbean during the 16th and 17th centuries is the setting for Pirate Hunter, a combat adventure where players plunder and loot ships, invade towns, capture buccaneers and defeat infamous pirates. Players can also increase their wealth by trading goods between cities and delivering on missions. The goal is to gain money to increase their fleet and ultimately become rich enough to become Governor. Features of the game include: - 16 fully detailed scenarios with open-ended options - Real-time 3-D effects -- for example, during sea battles, ships sway on the waves and damage is shown instantly - 5 levels of difficulty, defined by the nation and time period - 4 nations (England, Spain, France and the Netherlands) and 4 period settings - Vast, detailed game world spanning 60 towns across the islands of the Caribbean - Missions range from shipwreck and rescue to hunting pirates and attacking towns - 12 different ship types, from the smaller sloop to the mighty Ship of the Line - Extra game options to unlock as players progress - Quick Game Start and Tutorial for novice pirates Price: Approximately $30 Platform:PC Genre: Action adventure/life simulation Expected ESRB Rating: Everyone System Requirements:PentiumT III 900 MHZ or higher, Windows® 98/ME/2000/XP, 128 MB RAM, 500 MB hard disk space, 4x CD-ROM drive, 32MB Direct 3D compatible, 3D Accelerated graphics card, Windows®-compatible sound card, DirectX® 8.1 Patrician III - Trading in Northern Europe during the Middle Ages Patrician III is a real-time trading simulation set in Northern Europe during the 1300's. As residents of a medieval town, players build cities, manage economies and battle pirates. Their goal: to rise from a simple trader to Patrician, and then to Lord Mayor and eventually Alderman. To achieve this rise in stature, players can fill their coffers through piracy and smuggling, hone their trading skills, or focus on town improvement and diplomacy. This ability to choose gameplay style makes Patrician III unique. As the third title in the popular Patrician series, this game also features: - Extensive game options Players can levy taxes, erect defenses, build armies, destroy pirate lairs and establish new trade routes - Five difficulty levels - Building options to increase a town's trading importance: warehouses, mints, elementary schools, barns and more - Seasonal and weather effects - New map editor Up to 25 towns from a pool of 40 can be selected and customized - Customizable towns - A.I. that adjusts according to experience and ability. - Faithfully reproduced historical ships - New land routes, enhanced trading options, and expanded cities - Single-and multi-player modes for up to 8 players Price: Approximately $40 Platform:PC Genre: Life simulation Expected ESRB Rating: Everyone System Requirements:Pentium IIIT 450 or higher, Windows® 98/ME/2000/XP, 648 MB RAM, 660 MB hard disk space, 8x CD-ROM drive, 32MB Direct 3D compatible, 3D Accelerated graphics card, Windows®-compatible sound card, network card for LAN mode, Internet connection for Internet mode