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(08.30.1999)

Songbird Announces Skyhammer for the Atari Jaguar

August 30, 1999

For immediate release:

ROCHESTER, MN -- Songbird Productions is pleased to announce that Skyhammer will be published for the Atari Jaguar platform in time for Christmas.

Skyhammer is the phenomonal full 3D action shooter for the Atari Jaguar. The game was developed by reknowned Jaguar and PC developer Rebellion several years ago, but shelved around the time the Jaguar ceased to be a mainstream platform. Skyhammer combines the fast-action gameplay of a first-person shooter with a nonlinear element which allows the player to freely roam an immense, 3D city in search of enemies, equipment, mission objectives, and more. Not only that, but two play modes are included in the game: Mission and Battle.

In the Mission play mode, the player is given direct objectives to meet, through which the player is awarded credits for the purpose of rearming and upgrading their Skyhammer attack craft. In the Battle play mode, the player must defend the city from wave after wave of invaders while carefully managing limited resources.

The primary obstacle to new Jaguar games for the last year or more has been encryption. Every Jaguar game must be encrypted in order to function properly on the system, and the encryption ends up being different for each game. Songbird Productions has teamed up with Jaguar hobbyist Scott Walters, who has devised a method of bypassing encryption, to publish new games for the Jaguar. Scott is understandably excited about his invention, and the opportunity to work with Songbird Productions on the upcoming releases.

Carl Forhan, owner of Songbird Productions, is enthusiastic about supporting Atari platforms. He commented, "Skyhammer is a great game, and I know Jaguar fans will be thrilled to finally be able to purchase this game. Now is the time for Jaguar and Lynx fans to mobilize. Songbird Productions has numerous new Lynx and Jaguar games either already available or coming in the next six months. Songbird needs your help getting the word out on email lists, web pages, game magazines, Atari user groups, and more.

"This is a critical time, because Songbird needs to see that there is value in publishing new games for these Atari platforms both now and in the future. I want the fans to enjoy these 'lost games', all of which are fully licensed from the original developers."

Skyhammer is expected to be released December 6, 1999. Other games will follow in the coming months.

To keep up to date with the latest news at Songbird Productions, be sure to visit the company web site at http://songbird.uni.cc, or send an email to forhan@millcomm.com.