Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Announced

(Press Release)

REDMOND, Wash. - March 16, 2004 - Microsoft® Game Studios and Sigil Games Online Inc. today announced that "Vanguard: Saga of Heroes," a next-generation massively multiplayer role-playing game (MMORPG), is currently in development for the Windows® platform. Brad McQuaid, one of the game industry's most renowned designers and co-creator of "EverQuest," is leading a star-studded team of MMORPG veterans to create the next evolution in the genre.

"Sigil's unparalleled expertise and experience in the field will bring groundbreaking advances to the genre," said McQuaid, president and CEO of Sigil Games Online. "In recent years we've become concerned with a growing trend to water down gameplay in an attempt to appeal to a broader audience. At Sigil, we're designing our game for the existing MMORPG gamer who is looking for both new challenges and new rewards. On one level, 'Vanguard' combines everything we've learned from MMORPGs: their strengths, their deficiencies and how to address them. Even more important, we plan to introduce a whole new level of gameplay that represents, in our opinion, the logical evolution of the MMORPG genre."

The "Vanguard" team includes McQuaid and Steve Clover, both of whom co-authored the original design document and led the design team for "EverQuest." McQuaid then served as the producer on "EverQuest," with Clover driving development as lead programmer. Working with McQuaid as "Vanguard's" co-producer is Jeff Butler, who also co-produced the "EverQuest" expansion "The Ruins of Kunark" and later served as producer on the highly successful expansions "The Scars of Velious" and "The Shadows of Luclin." Rounding out the "Vanguard" leadership team is art director Keith Parkinson, the award-winning artist responsible for the painted box art for the original "EverQuest" and several later expansions. More information about "Vanguard: Saga of Heroes" can be found at the official site at http://www.vanguardsoh.com/.

Sigil Games Online is a game studio dedicated to the development of massively multiplayer games. Formed in January 2002 by Brad McQuaid and Jeff Butler, both key figures in the development of the massively multiplayer runaway hit "EverQuest," Sigil Games plans to play a key role in taking MMORPGs into their next generation and beyond.

About Microsoft Game Studios

Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the Xbox® video game system and Windows and online platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse games for Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/games/), including such franchises as "Age of Empires®," "Flight Simulator" and "Zoo Tycoon®"; Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/), including such franchises as "Halo®," "Project Gotham Racing®" and "NFL Fever"; and Zone.com (http://www.zone.com/), the official games channel for the MSN® network and home to such hits as "Bejeweled" and "OutSmart™."