cdv USA to Publish Ascaron's Sacred 2: Fallen Angel in North America

[Detomah]

Deal between cdv USA and Ascaron represents key first step toward console publishing.
cdv Software Entertainment USA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of publicly-traded cdv Software Entertainment AG, today announced an agreement to publish ASCARON Entertainment’s highly anticipated Sacred 2: Fallen Angel in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The title is slated to launch on PC and Microsoft Xbox 360™ in the second half of 2008, timed to meet consumer demand during the 2008 holiday season.

Based on the remarkable success of the predecessor, Sacred, of which more than 1.8 million units were sold world-wide, it is expected that the sequel will achieve 2008 sales revenues in excess of 10 million €.

“With the exceptional Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, our North American subsidiary has secured one of the top titles for 2008. We are delighted to take a major step forward with a game that has such AAA market potential,” said cdv Software Entertainment AG’s CEO, Christian Gloe. “It illustrates that cdv can successfully deliver among the best titles in the industry, significantly growing the organization’s global revenue potential.”

“We are thrilled to expand our relationship with Ascaron -- having proven our marketing, PR and sales know-how on prior titles with them -- and we see this as a crucial step toward realizing our vision of emerging as a leader in the console gaming market,” stated cdv Software Entertainment USA’s CEO, Tom Gross.

“We’ve found our ideal partner in cdv Software Entertainment USA,” remarked Heiko tom Felde, Head of Operations at Ascaron Entertainment GmbH. “Based on our past successful cooperation we are delighted to launch the highly desirable Sacred 2 – Fallen Angel with cdv as our key partner in North America.”

About Sacred 2: Fallen Angel

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is an Action RPG with a rich story that takes place in a giant, open-ended and seamless world. This world contains hundreds of dungeons, treacherous opponents and a variety of challenging quests. Intelligent enemies, steadily adapting in number and difficulty based on player progress, challenge in heroic single- and multiplayer battles.

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel provides numerous unique items that can be gathered in this mystical world. A deep reward system further enables advancements in character, individual attributes and character-specific fighting styles, each designed to keep players returning to the world of Sacred 2: Fallen Angel to discover what is around the next bend. Drop-in styled cooperative multiplayer gameplay ensures players will enjoy the game alone or seamlessly with friends at any time. Five unique multiplayer modes round out the experience and offer a refreshing, first-class gaming experience in Sacred 2: Fallen Angel.

Key Features include:

• A huge, seamless and dynamic world that allows for free-form exploration
• Two campaigns: play as the “Light” or “Shadow” side, complete with distinct skills, rewards and story-elements tailored to the chosen path
• Six exceptional, playable characters, each with a distinct look, capabilities and in-game motivation
• Modifiable combat arts: change and upgrade your alter ego’s combat skills as you make choices throughout the game
• Fight effectively from the back of a number of mounts under your control
• Deities offer unique combat disciplines to players
• The ultimate multiplayer experience – seamless transition between single- and multiplayer gaming modes
• Captivating online modes of play challenge gamers in cooperative and PvP play
• Extraordinary, cutting-edge graphics utilize the latest technologies

About cdv Software Entertainment AG

cdv Software Entertainment AG is the only publicly traded, independent full service provider for the games sector in Germany. Together with its subsidiaries cdv Software Entertainment USA, cdv POS GmbH, Gamesmania, seven_m, and cdv Madrics Media S.A.S, cdv has outstanding contacts within all key markets and decades of expertise. As a leading sales and service partner for the entire games and software industry, cdv is excellently positioned on the global market thanks to branches focused on Germany, Switzerland and Austria (GSA), North America, France, the Benelux, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia as well as noted international partners. Alongside its strong product placement and international distribution logistics, cdv offers its customers a wide range of sales-promoting methods and an extensive, professional marketing and promotion service from a single source. The company, which was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Bruchsal, Germany, has been on a steady growth course since its 2007 consolidation and is aiming in the medium term for a strong market position as one of the globally leading full service providers in the games sector. More information is available at cdv Software Entertainment AG.

About cdv Software Entertainment USA

cdv Software Entertainment USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of cdv Software Entertainment AG, is a leading publisher of third-party video games and interactive entertainment with offices in New Jersey and headquarters in Cary, North Carolina. cdv Software Entertainment USA has published critically acclaimed and commercially successful titles including Divine Divinity, Blitzkrieg, American Conquest, Codename: Panzers, City Life, DarkStar One, War Front: Turning Point and the acclaimed Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened. The company will continue to expand its offerings with upcoming titles including Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory and the highly anticipated Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. For more information, please visit CDV Software Entertainment USA.

About Ascaron Entertainment GmbH

From Day One in 1989 Ascaron Entertainment has become one of the leading European “boutique” developers and Publishers of games for the PC, with many successful titles including Patrician, Port Royale, DarkStar One and the best-selling SACRED.

Ascaron maintains development studios in Berlin, Gutersloh and Aachen (Germany), as well as an international department in Birmingham (UK). Ascaron currently markets its products in more than 40 countries and over 15 languages.