Ultima Online: Samurai Empire Ships

The full press release:
EA Ships Ultima Online: Samurai Empire

New UO Expansion Pack Delivers Two New Exotic Professions, New Lands

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 2, 2004--Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS - News) today announced that Ultima Online(TM): Samurai Empire, the highly-anticipated expansion pack to Ultima Online(TM) (UO) began shipping to retailers. The newest addition to the renowned UO franchise combines the trademark high fantasy of UO with an exotic Japanese culture and features two deadly new professions for players to master -- the Samurai and the Ninja.
"Ultima Online: Samurai Empire marks a new era in the world of UO," said Anthony Castoro, producer of Ultima Online. "By adding a new culture to the classic medieval European setting of Ultima Online, we've given the game a unique twist and a wide array of new things to see, do and experience."

Ultima Online: Samurai Empire offers a host of new features that include:

Samurai -- Become a Samurai master by committing to the art of Bushido, using powerful new skills and deadly weapons.

Ninja -- Join an elite Ninja clan by embracing the discipline of Ninjitsu, mastering stealth, deception, and the art of assassination.

A new continent - Explore the beautiful and dangerous Tokuno Islands, a Japanese-themed land filled with scenic housing areas, mythical creatures, monsters, dungeons, and more.

New treasure -- Adventurous players will be rewarded with new weapons, armor, clothing, house objects, magic and more.

New guild system -- Players can use a powerful new tool to create guilds, set up ranks, propose alliances, declare war on other guilds, and set win conditions.

Ultima Online: Samurai Empire, available now for the PC, is rated "T" (Teen) by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99. More information can be found on the game's official website at www.uo.com/uose.

Launched in 1997, Ultima Online was a pioneer in the world of online gaming and defined the category of massively multiplayer Internet-based entertainment. It is still recognized as the one of the most immersive of any online world. Ultima Online is offered in six languages and is played in more than 100 countries located in every time zone. The game stands as the longest-running online subscription-based game in history. More information on Ultima Online can be found at www.uo.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA posted revenues of $2.96 billion for fiscal 2004. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers and the Internet. EA markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA GAMES(TM), and EA SPORTS BIG(TM). EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA GAMES, EA SPORTS BIG, Ultima and Ultima Online are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.