THQ Inc. (NASDAQ NMS: THQI) today announced that it will unveil Alter Echo™ at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles. Developed by THQ studio Outrage® Games, Alter Echo is an innovative action game that lets players morph between three combat modes and alter time with pioneering TimeDilation™ technology. A revolutionary PostFX™ camera system intensifies the action with spectacular visual effects that heighten the drama of every combo and special attack. Alter Echo is scheduled for release on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft in early 2003.

“As the first title from Outrage Games since becoming one of THQ’s internal development studios, we are extremely enthusiastic about Alter Echo,” said Jack Sorensen, executive vice president of worldwide studios, THQ. “Featuring a unique style of gameplay and groundbreaking technology such as TimeDilation, Alter Echo is another original THQ product that we hope to develop into a major franchise.”

“Alter Echo is the type of intense action game in which Outrage specializes,” stated Matt Toschlog, studio director of Outrage Games. “We feel new gameplay elements such as the ability to morph on the fly and the robust PostFX camera system allow the player to experience something completely fresh.”

About Alter Echo
In Alter Echo players assume the role of Nevin, sent on a mission he does not yet understand to a planet whose very surface is alive. Interstellar corporations mine the planet’s organic skin -- a substance called Plast -- and use it to make bio-machines. Nevin is one of the rare “Shapers” who can psychically alter Plast -- and time itself. Nevin discovers that illegal experiments have infected Plast with human consciousness, and now he must fight for survival against a world gone mad, an entire planet that is using its bio-mechanical properties to spawn enemy after enemy to destroy him. An advanced real-time skeletal morphing system lets players to change between Melee, Gun and Stealth modes on the fly and during combat. The Outrage-developed TimeDilation system allows players to freeze the action and cue up an unstoppable flurry of moves and special attacks. The groundbreaking PostFX camera system intensifies every action with mind-blowing visual effects, camera filters, and screen distortions.

About Outrage Games
Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Outrage Games is one of THQ’s premier internal game development studios responsible for high-end creations on next generation systems and PC. Its credits include the best-selling and award-winning Descent series as part of Parallax Software.

About THQ
THQ Inc. develops and publishes interactive entertainment software worldwide for a variety of hardware platforms including PC CD-ROM, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Nintendo and Microsoft. The THQ web site is located at www.thq.com.
 

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