NAMCO BANDAI GAMES ANNOUNCES TWO TITLES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FROMSOFTWARE

NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S today announced details of two upcoming games to be published in partnership with developer FromSoftware, Inc. As part of the agreement, NAMCO BANDAI Games will publish two of the developer’s new titles in North America and Europe, Dark Souls™ and ARMORED CORE® V both slated for release for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. FromSoftware, Inc. will remain publisher for the games in Japan.

“The gaming experiences that FromSoftware deliver are uncompromising and world-class, leaving legions of committed fans in their wake,” said Shusuke Takahara, President, NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe. “We will use all the resources at our disposal to ensure these two titles energize gamers worldwide and reach the major audiences they deserve.”

“Combining the development power of FromSoftware with NAMCO BANDAI Games’ global publishing expertise will greatly benefit our upcoming projects,” said Eiichi Nakajima, studio head, FromSoftware, Inc. “We look forward to a successful partnership and delivering new revolutionary titles for gamers around the world.”

Dark Souls is a brand new action RPG (role playing game) set in a rich, dark fantasy universe. Tense dungeon crawling, fearsome enemy encounters and ground-breaking online features combine for a truly unique RPG experience. Dark Souls breaks down barriers with a seamless world design that encourages exploration and fosters an adaptable game-play experience. As players encounter terrifying enemies and discover new areas, the unerring foundation of challenge and reward permeates to offer an unparalleled sense of achievement.

The ARMORED CORE© series is renowned in the mech action genre for its intense one-on-one battles and customization options. ARMORED CORE V is a new entry that revolutionizes the series with more content than the previous games, a completely new atmosphere, and a robust offline mode. In addition, the online mode has been newly designed to focus on huge team-based battles on a global scale. Featuring mechs or “Armored Cores” that are smaller in scale than in previous games, ARMORED CORE V centers more on tactics and effectively utilizing the geography of a level rather than just relying on attacks.

Dark Souls will be available throughout North America and Europe in 2011. ARMORED CORE V will be available throughout North America and Europe in 2012. For more information on the games, please visit facebook.com/DarkSouls and facebook.com/ArmoredCore.

About NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe:

NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S., is a leading interactive entertainment software publisher based in Cergy-Pontoise, France. The company is a part of the NAMCO BANDAI group of companies known for creating and publishing many of the industry's top video game franchises including the RidgeRacer™, Tekken™, SOULCALIBUR™, Tamagotchi™, Digimon™, Dragonball® and Naruto™ brands.

DARK SOULS™ & ©2011 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. ©2011 FromSoftware, Inc.
ARMORED CORE® V & ©1997-2011 FromSoftware, Inc. ©2011 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
Xbox 360 is a registered trademark of the Microsoft group of companies.
"PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Press Release © 2011 NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc