TURNER BROADCASTINGâS GAMETAP SPURS EVOLUTION OF BROADBAND ENTERTAINMENT WITH NEW LOOK, CHANNELS AND SHOWS
ATLANTA - March 29, 2006 - Donât 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 âGameTap TV,â 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.
âBroadband entertainment is a brave new world, and as industry leaders, weâre taking it in brave new directions,â said Stuart Snyder, GameTapâs General Manager. âBy 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.â
At the center of the new âGameTap TV,â 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 âbig screenâ 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.
âGameTap is about playing games and a whole lot more,â said Ricardo Sanchez, vice president of content. âWe have compelling and funny TV shows that you really canât find anywhere else. Every week, we launch new games on our service and serve up original shows to entertain you on gameplay breaksâwe donât just push recycled TV content and cutting room floor material at our audience.â
Among the new channels that GameTapâs 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 âSpace Ghost Coast To Coast,â with Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak in the hot seat or the âTapped Inâ story of the SEGA Dreamcast, the best shows on âGameTap TVâ are always âOnTap.â
· GameTap Originals channel: Exclusive shows you wonât find anywhere else! All of the GameTap original programs are housed in their entirety on this channel, such as the reality show âChallengedâ (friends settle grudges with game-offs), âGameTap Survival Guideâ (experts teach novices all they need to know to master specific games), âThe Class ofâ¦?â (a pop-culture clip and quiz show), and âHyper 5â (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 âGamePads,â a show about celebrities and how games have impacted their lives, and this monthâs debut of âGameTap 10,â 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 âHome Movies,â 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 âCrazy Taxi,â one of SEGAâs most revered offerings and âKing of Monsters 1 and 2â from SNK. Capcom also delivers its first batch of games, leading off with the legendary âGhouls âN Ghostsâ and âGhosts âN Goblins,â as well as classic fighter âDark Stalkers.â âPopulousâ from EA, âOregon Trailâ from River Deep and âBaldurâs Gateâ from Vivendi Universal round out GameTapâs new March titles. Stay tuned for whatâs new in April: Capcom Week, SNK Week, âKingâs Questâ Week and âStreet Fighterâ 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 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.