FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CODEMASTERS SHIPS COLD WAR ACTION GAME: OPERATION FLASHPOINT

New York, NY – August 28, 2001 – Operation Flashpoint, Codemasters’ highly anticipated, tactical military action game, began shipping today to retail outlets nationwide. Developed by Bohemia Interactive Studios and available in PC CD-ROM format, Operation Flashpoint will carry an SRP of $39.99. This North American version is armed with full-functioning multiplayer capabilities, including dedicated server functionality and enhanced network code that were not included in the earlier European release. The game also includes additional weapons, vehicles and missions as well as graphical enhancements.

In Operation Flashpoint, gamers are caught in the grips of a fictional 1985 Cold War storyline, where a new Soviet regime seizes control of an island community, and underground resistance groups have mobilized in opposition. The new Soviet government, unable to fight the resistance, calls upon NATO to act as a peacekeeping force and help restore order to the region. NATO responds with Operation Flashpoint. Players assume the role of a U.S. NATO private on a training mission who, with the rest of his squad, is unexpectedly dragged into a war for the Islands.

Operation Flashpoint presents players with one of the most realistic and complete battle experiences to ever appear on the PC platform. Played from either the 1st or 3rd person perspective, the game is comprised of three main components: a single mission mode, a cinematic story based campaign mode and a multiplayer mode. In single mission mode, players can execute various types of missions that can be found in the campaign mode, including stealthy sniper raids, town assaults as a member of a large squad, commandeering vehicles and even playing the role of squad leader with a platoon of soldiers available to command. The campaign mode allows players to experience all the elements of the single player missions, but weaves them all into an engrossing story line that follows a NATO soldier from a private in training camp to a battle worn commander. Multiplayer mode enables gamers to take all of the skills they have acquired in the single-player modes and apply them to real war scenarios against other human players via LAN or Internet.

Additionally, Operation Flashpoint features an advanced and extremely in-depth level editor. This editor offers players the opportunity to create their own custom missions that rival the depth and complexity of missions already in the game. Using the editor, players can set up ambushes, create waypoints, set action triggers and even include cut scenes. These missions can then be shared with other Operation Flashpoint players.

Players are able to utilize and fight against a vast arsenal of the actual firearms used in the Cold War including the US M16A2 Semi-Automatic Assault Rifle and Soviet AK74 Kalashnikov. Further enhancing the games realistic feel, is the ability to commandeer a wide variety of military vehicles, including tanks, troop transport trucks, choppers and a bevy of others. Players can take out an entire platoon with the M1A1 Abrams Battle Tank or rain hell from above with the deadly AH-1 Cobra helicopter. Each weapon and vehicle is recreated with great detail, and boasts accurately reproduced sound effects.

“Operation Flashpoint will offer players one of the most realistic combat experiences ever, without actually being in battle,” said Michael Hayes, Codemasters’ Worldwide Director of Marketing. “The realistic combat action and the ability to employ actual military tactics are sure to win praise from both combat and action game fans alike.”

Operation Flashpoint shipped in Europe in late June, receiving rave reviews and tremendous consumer response. With over 300,000 units sold in eight short weeks, 200 dedicated fan sites, 16 game-of-the-month awards in print publications alone and over 30 review scores of 90% or above, Operation Flashpoint has taken Europe by storm.