MICROSOFT SHIPS WINDOWS 95 GAME SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS KIT

Leading Game Companies Embrace High-Performance DirectX APIs

REDMOND, WASH. -- OCT. 2, 1995 -- Microsoft Corp. today announced that the
Microsoft Windows 95 Game Software Developers Kit (SDK) has been finalized
and released to manufacturing. The completion of the Game SDK is a major
milestone in making Windows 95 a leading game platform. Major game
companies are scheduled to release more than 30 Game SDK-based titles for
Windows 95 this holiday season. The Windows 95 Game SDK is scheduled to
ship to all Microsoft Developer Network Level II subscribers by Oct. 15,
1995.

"Game SDK technology and incredible industry support mean Windows 95 is
positioned to become a leading game platform," said Brad Silverberg,
senior vice president of the personal systems division at Microsoft. "The
Windows 95 Game SDK and DirectX APIs enable developers to ship the
high-performance, action-packed games that consumers demand."

DIRECTX APIS EMPOWER DEVELOPERS

The Windows 95 Game SDK contains tools, sample code, documentation and a
game subsystem featuring the new DirectX game APIs. The DirectX APIs
include the following technologies:

 DirectDraw API, for high-performance display graphics and direct
    access to graphics-acceleration hardware
 DirectSound API, for high-fidelity, low-latency sound effects
 DirectPlay API, for multiplayer connectivity
 DirectInput API, for digital joystick control

The DirectX game subsystem may be redistributed royalty-free by developers.
With the final release of the Windows 95 Game SDK, Microsoft delivers
powerful, cutting-edge tools which enable the game-development community
to build next-generation high-performance games for the PC platform. More
than 1,200 game developers received the initial version of the Game SDK in
April 1995. Since then, more than 2,000 developers have tested the final
version. Many of these developers have used the technologies to produce
early versions of games built specifically for Windows 95.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPER SUPPORT

The Game SDK enables developers to write games for Windows 95 more quickly
than they can for the MS-DOS operating system. Developers no longer need
to implement or maintain system services and can now write to a standard
set of APIs. Using DirectX APIs, developers can quickly deliver titles
across a broad range of accelerated and unaccelerated PC-hardware
configurations. Because Windows 95 makes installing and configuring games
and game peripherals dramatically easier, support costs and returns can
also be reduced.

Device support in the Game SDK now spans all display and audio devices
supported in the retail package for Windows 95 and includes support for
devices from Aztech Labs Inc., ATI Technologies Inc., Chips and
Technologies Inc., Cirrus Logic, Creative Labs Inc., ESS Technology,
MediaVision, Microsoft Corp., S3 Inc., Tseng Labs and Western Digital
Corp.'s Multimedia Products Unit. More than 50 hardware and software
companies are working closely with Microsoft to develop games and
peripherals for Windows 95.

"The final release of the Game SDK is a significant landmark in bringing
accelerated, high-tech gaming to the Windows 95 platform," said Henry
Quan, vice president of marketing at ATI Technologies. "ATI's development
team has worked closely with Microsoft to provide gamers with feature-
rich Windows 95 support, offering top-notch graphics performance when
playing their favorite games."

"The Game SDK enables us to develop exciting, action-packed titles, such as
ShockWave Assault for Windows 95, making the PC an excellent gaming
platform," said Luc Barthelet, vice president of technology at Electronic
Arts. "We will ship ShockWave Assault in time for the holidays, with all
other Electronic Arts titles to be Windows 95-native in 1996."

"The Game SDK makes it possible for Mindscape to ship Windows 95- based
titles this fall that look and perform as well as, or often better than,
games we've created for MS-DOS and video-game consoles," said Bob Lloyd,
chairman and chief executive officer of Mindscape Inc. "We are relying
upon high-performance components such as DirectDraw and DirectPlay to
remove the technical barriers that in the past have limited the creative
process. We look forward to the compelling, exciting games that lie
ahead."

TOP GAME COMPANIES PLAN INTRODUCTIONS FOR OCT. 30 GAME-INDUSTRY EVENT

Many leading software and hardware game companies, including Activision
Inc., ATI Technologies Inc., id Software, LucasArts Entertainment Co.,
Mindscape and Zombie plan to announce and demonstrate new games and
peripherals for Windows 95, several for the first time publicly, at a
Halloween-theme event hosted by Microsoft on its Redmond, Wash., campus on
Oct. 30. Technical seminars on Oct. 31 presented under a nondisclosure
agreement to developers will address future game technologies. Members of
the press interested in attending either event can call (800) 275-0070.

EXTENSIVE COMPATIBILITY TESTING

Extensive software and hardware testing preceded the release of the Game
SDK. Thirty-one hardware companies and 10 software companies attended the
Meltdown Plugfest, an intensive two-week testing event held in September
in Seattle. The objective of the event was to test game software and
hardware systems extensively that will be sold during the 1995 holiday
season to help ensure the highest levels of performance and compatibility
with Windows 95.

AVAILABLE VIA THE MICROSOFT DEVELOPER NETWORK

The Game SDK is scheduled to be delivered to more than 100,000 developers
worldwide as a premium to Microsoft Developer Network Level II release,
and it is scheduled to be available in mid-October. Developers interested
in joining the Microsoft Developer Network membership can call (800)
759-5474 in the United States or Canada, or (303) 684-0914 outside North
America, to obtain local contact information. Microsoft Developer Network
Level II memberships cost approximately $495 per year.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of
products and services for business and personal use, each designed with
the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take full
advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
 
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