Zoo Tycoon 2 Gold

PC

October 14, 2004 - Microsoft Game Studios today announced that Zoo Tycoon™ 2 has gone gold in North America and is set to ship to U.S. retail stores on November 8. Developed by Blue Fang Games, the masterminds behind the highly acclaimed Zoo Tycoon™ and subsequent expansion packs, Zoo Tycoon 2 promises to deliver a fantastic 3-D zookeeper experience just in time for the holidays. For only $39.99 (U.S.), virtual zookeepers are encouraged to head to stores early to pick up their copy of the much-anticipated sequel before supplies run out.

Additionally, a Zoo Tycoon 2 fan site kit is now available for download from www.zootycoon.com. Fans who download the 6MB fan site kit will find plenty of goodies to be able to create a Zoo Tycoon 2 fan site sure to make the entire animal kingdom proud. Included in the kit are banners, buddy icons, screenshots, wallpapers and much more.

Zoo Tycoon 2 will get players up close to and interacting with the animals and the zoo, offering intuitive controls and fun tutorials that allow players of all ages to enjoy the game right out of the box. Players will be immersed in the zoo experience with new features, including the Zoo Guest mode, in which players can walk around and enjoy the game like visitors on a day at the zoo; Zoo Keeper mode, allowing players to interact with their animals as never before; and a new Photo Safari Mode. Players can take pictures of their favorite animals and guests and share them online with friends. The Zoopedia, chock full of entertaining and interesting facts about animals, rounds out the new and improved features of the upcoming game.

Zoo Tycoon 2 cranks up the excitement, challenge and fun of building the ultimate zoo, with 30 animals in incredible detail with more fun animations and a dazzling array of building tools and objects, including robust terrain-altering options, scenery, foliage, themed buildings, animal shelters and moats. Gameplay has been enhanced from that of the original title, with new challenge modes for added gameplay depth and 3-D graphics that allow players to keep a closer eye on the action and craft more creative zoos. For more information about Zoo Tycoon 2, please visit www.zootycoon.com.

 

Zoo Tycoon has been a perennial Top Ten selling franchise since its launch in 2001. Simple to play yet challenging to master, Zoo Tycoon offers engaging gameplay for animal lovers and simulation game fans of all ages. The captivating imagery, clever gameplay and interactive tutorials in the vibrant and appealing Zoo Tycoon make it easy to play right out of the box. Zoo Tycoon has something for everyone, stimulating creativity and imagination as players respond to the needs of the animals and guests.

 

Blue Fang Games develops high quality, award winning PC games. Founded in 1998 by veterans of Papyrus Design Group, Blue Fang is dedicated to delivering high quality, interactive computer game titles to consumers around the world. Blue Fang’s “Zoo Tycoon” franchise, published by Microsoft Game Studios, has consistently been in the top 10 sales for PC games in the United States and sold over 4 million units worldwide.  Blue Fang’s experienced team of game developers and designers prides itself on its proprietary project management system that delivers high quality games that are on time and on budget.

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 MechAssault; and Zone.com (http://www.zone.com/), the official games channel for the MSN® network and home to such hits as Bejeweled and OutSmart™.