We received the following press release.--RL

Mission CD in production as Blue Byte reveals 4th Race in Settlers Series Expansion Disk

April 6, 1999 - - Austin, TX - Blue Byte Software today revealed, with over 700,000 members, THE SETTLERS III community has plenty to look forward to this year. THE SETTLERS III MISSION CD is scheduled to hit retail shelves from April 14, 1999. The MISSION CD offers three new SETTLERS III campaigns, 10 new single player maps and over 20 Multi-player maps! Demands on the strategic skills of gamers will multiply, not only from a more challenging mission design but also from a more flexible artificial intelligence. Even for the original single player maps, players will be dealing with a more formidable computer opponent.

In addition, the MISSION CD also presents the SETTLERS III LEVEL EDITOR for creating both single and multi-player maps with surprising ease.

The Settlers Series has already sold over 1.8 Million worldwide. Due to high demand, The Settlers III will be available for the Macintosh this Summer, and will be fully compatible to play against gamers owning the PC or Mac versions, on the Settlers III Server.

Blue Byte has also let the "cat out of the bag", disclosing the identity of the fourth Settler race to be populating the screens of Settler players in September 1999, when THE SETTLERS III: QUEST OF THE AMAZONS hits the shelves. "Fans of the series have been bombarding us for ages with requests to finally let female Settlers pit their skills against their male counterparts," reveals Erik Simon, Development Manager at Blue Byte. "The new Amazon race will no doubt introduce some turbulence into the previously male-dominated Settlers world."

With the introduction of the Amazons, players can look forward to new characters, new buildings, new weapons, new acts of divine intervention, and finally new strategic avenues to pursue. "The Amazons will fight a little bit differently. We are quite curious to see how the existing [and well established] Settler races will counter this new threat," says Erik Simon with a somewhat mischievous smile.

Computer Gaming & Technology media will get a 'first look' at this new race at the upcoming E3 Expo in Los Angeles. Blue Byte Software will be located at Booth 2408 in the West Hall.

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