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Darien, CT (March 24, 1998) -- ASC Games is about to unleash a crime wave on America.  But don't worry, the mayhem is strictly confined to the campy cartoon world of its long-awaited PC CD-ROM video game Grand Theft Auto. 

ASC Games, the Connecticut-based publisher and developer of such best-selling video titles as Ten Pin Alley and ONE, today released its popular Grand Theft Auto.  Developed by DMA, Grand Theft Auto is an outlandish adventure game and one of Europe's hottest and most talked 
about video games of the year. 

What's the hubbub?  Grand Theft Auto has spawned a firestorm of controversy worldwide. England's House of Lords and the French government have condemned the video game, and Brazil recently banned it because of its violent adult content.  ASC Games expects the title will 
stir up less controversy here in the United States. 

What's all the buzz about? Grand Theft Auto lets adults play the bad guy.  The player begins as a lowly car thief aspiring to climb the ladder in a crime family.  In an attempt to complete over 200 missions given via beeper or pay phone, the player speeds over 6,000 miles of road in any one of 30 stolen vehicles.  En route, he or she mows down anything or anyone that gets in his way including the occasional wayward pedestrian. 

"We believe that Grand Theft Auto's cartoon-like humor and intense gameplay make it one of the most exciting adventure titles for adults to hit the market this year," said Sharon Wood, executive vice president at ASC Games.  "Mature audiences will love the tongue-in-cheek nature of the game as well as its fast-paced missions and endless action." 

Typical missions range from blowing up the local police precinct to running down a gang of Hell's Angels and stealing their motorcycles.  Players must carry out the missions with stealth and speed to avoid attracting the police and getting shot or hauled off to jail.  To enhance the fun of joy-riding, each vehicle is equipped with a radio tuned into the hottest hip-hop, rap, techno or country music stations - depending on what vehicle the player steals. 

Grand Theft Auto's Web site (www.grandtheftauto.com) has also received plenty of worldwide attention.  Receiving over 100,000 visitors, the site is the premiere source of news, tricks, strategies and downloadable map editors for Grand Theft Auto and is created and maintained entirely by its fans.  In fact, the Grand Theft Auto web site was originally created by an avid fan from the University of Missouri who is now its webmaster. 

ASC Games is marketing Grand Theft Auto to video game players ages 17 and up, an audience that represents 72 percent of all PC gamers.*  ASC Games will advertise Grand Theft Auto in media reaching a mature gaming audience including the Howard Stern radio program.  To allay concerns of parents of younger children, ASC will clearly label packaging to indicate the appropriate ages for the video game.  Even with its controversial content, Grand Theft Auto has already sold in nearly half a million units in Europe.   

About ASC Games 
With its corporate headquarters in Darien, Connecticut, ASC Games has quickly emerged as a creative force in the video game industry as a developer, publisher and distributor of products for the Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn and PC CD-ROM.  In an effort to bring the best in interactive entertainment to the market, ASC Games has partnered with some of the top development studios in the world, including Dreamforge Intertainment, Player 1, Realtime Associates and Visual Concepts. 
 

* Source: NPD Group