Turner Broadcasting's GameTap Spurs Evolution of Broadband Entertainment With New Look, Channels and Shows
March 29 2006 - 6:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
From 'Fall Out Boy' to 'Space Ghost Coast to Coast' and more than a
record 400 games, GameTap's one-of-a-kind broadband network builds
brand awareness through big names and numbers ATLANTA, March 29
/PRNewswire/ -- Don't touch that dial, er, game controller!
GameTap, the first-of-its-kind broadband entertainment network from
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), today unveiled the
all new "GameTap TV," which features a dynamic mix of new channels
and shows for the rapidly growing broadband community with more
than 250 videos on demand. GameTap also surpasses a key milestone
today by offering more than 400 video games, making it by far the
largest collection of on-demand games on the internet. In addition
to its new look and content, GameTap subscriptions are now
available at a new price of $9.95 per month. "Broadband
entertainment is a brave new world, and as industry leaders, we're
taking it in brave new directions," said Stuart Snyder, GameTap's
General Manager. "By boasting the largest library of on-demand
games coupled with original shows all at the right price, GameTap
is at the forefront of broadband entertainment and culture." At the
center of the new "GameTap TV," GameTap now offers an array of
channels each with their own unique focus, all still appealing to
fans of the video games lifestyle. In addition, the shows are
easily accessible and fun to watch thanks to the "big screen"
TV-style viewing controls which also allow subscribers to bookmark
programs, games and more, so they can click back to their favorites
at any time. "GameTap is about playing games and a whole lot more,"
said Ricardo Sanchez, vice president of content. "We have
compelling and funny TV shows that you really can't find anywhere
else. Every week, we launch new games on our service and serve up
original shows to entertain you on gameplay breaks -- we don't just
push recycled TV content and cutting room floor material at our
audience." Among the new channels that GameTap's subscribers will
experience for the first time are: * OnTap channel: This guide
delivers the latest programs on the GameTap service. Whether you
want the new episode of "Space Ghost Coast To Coast," with Apple
Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak in the hot seat or the "Tapped
In" story of the SEGA Dreamcast, the best shows on "GameTap TV" are
always "OnTap." * GameTap Originals channel: Exclusive shows you
won't find anywhere else! All of the GameTap original programs are
housed in their entirety on this channel, such as the reality show
"Challenged" (friends settle grudges with game-offs), "GameTap
Survival Guide" (experts teach novices all they need to know to
master specific games), "The Class of ... ?" (a pop-culture clip
and quiz show), and "Hyper 5" (a top five countdown show
spotlighting the wild, weird and wacked elements of games), to name
a few. * Music channel: The world of games collides with the music
scene in original programming and music videos. This channel brings
top musical artists to the network, including "GamePads," a show
about celebrities and how games have impacted their lives, and this
month's debut of "GameTap 10," a celebrity-driven top 10 favorite
video games countdown show, featuring segments with Fall Out Boy,
Joe Nichols and Dem Franchize Boyz, with many others in the wings.
Also featured are dozens of music videos spanning the rock, hip-hop
and country genres. * Animation channel: Debuting later this
spring, the channel will kick- off with an original series of
animated shorts about a campus computer lab and its unusual
characters in a usual situation. It is being developed by
Soup2Nuts, the creators of "Home Movies," which airs on Cartoon
Network. Other original animated features are also in the works. *
Games channel: With an industry record-setting library of more than
400 games, this channel lets subscribers preview games in the
network prior to selecting what they want to play. Among the
marquee titles joining this month are "Crazy Taxi," one of SEGA's
most revered offerings and "King of Monsters 1 and 2" from SNK.
Capcom also delivers its first batch of games, leading off with the
legendary "Ghouls 'N Ghosts" and "Ghosts 'N Goblins," as well as
classic fighter "Dark Stalkers." "Populous" from EA, "Oregon Trail"
from River Deep and "Baldur's Gate" from Vivendi Universal round
out GameTap's new March titles. Stay tuned for what's new in April:
Capcom Week, SNK Week, "King's Quest" Week and "Street Fighter"
Week. With its ever-expanding menu of shows and games, GameTap has
established a solid leadership position in on-demand broadband
entertainment. The estimated 184 million consumers using broadband
in 2005 will nearly double to 360 million in the next five years.
With a robust catalogue of on-demand offerings and new competitive
price point, GameTap will remain a frontrunner in the broadband
movement. Go to http://www.gametap.com/ to preview the shows or
sign up for the all you can play and watch broadband network for
$9.95 per month. About GameTap GameTap delivers hundreds of the
greatest games-on-demand plus original programming via a
broadband-connected PC. To access GameTap, players securely
download and install Turner-developed client software from
http://www.gametap.com/ that acts as a gateway to the GameTap
vault. Because games reside securely on the PC, not across a
network, they act just as if they were still on the console or at
the arcade. Fast response times, 3D effects, colors, and characters
are all present and accounted for. New games and original
programming will be added to the service each week. GameTap
supports navigation and game play using keyboard and mouse, as well
as most USB peripherals. About Turner Turner Broadcasting System,
Inc. (TBS, Inc.), a Time Warner company, is a major producer of
news and entertainment products around the world and the leading
provider of programming for the basic cable industry. DATASOURCE:
GameTap CONTACT: Chase, +1-415-844-6289, or , or Beth Gardiner,
+1-917-522-3522, or , both of Access Communications for GameTap; or
Misty Skedgell of TBS, Inc., +1-404-885-4396, or Web site:
http://www.gametap.com/
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