TalonSoft, Inc.

(taken from the talonsoft website)

TALONSOFT CORPORATE FACT SHEET JANUARY 2001

TalonSoft is a leading developer and publisher of PC CD-ROM strategy, simulation, and action games. The company was founded in 1995 byJim Rose, producer of award-winning board and computer games for Avalon Hill, and John Davidson, the former Vice-President of MIS for Alexander & Alexander. TalonSoft's mission is to create the most artistic, historically accurate, and enjoyable games on the market. All of TalonSoft's products are designed to be easy to use and have a wide appeal to gamers of all ages.

TalonSoft launched its very successful Battleground Series in 1995 with Battleground: Ardennes. The series has grown to ten different products and encompasses such famous battles as Gettysburg, Waterloo, Antietam, and Borodino. Games in the Battleground Series have won numerous awards including "Wargame of the Year", "Editor's Choice", and earned the distinction of being one of the few product lines to be inducted in its entirety into the Computer Gaming World "Hall of Fame". Each of the Battleground titles is based on a gaming engine that is challenging, yet easy to use. The innovative "Battleview" graphics system has been hailed as the most dramatic improvement to historical strategy games in years.

In 1996, TalonSoft unveiled the first in a series of "real-time" naval games, Age of Sail. The game covered naval history from 1775 to 1820 and included all of the major sailing nations of the world during those years. The new programming engine featured historically accurate scenarios, a campaign game, and a full scenario editor.

An important breakthrough for TalonSoft occurred in 1997 when East Front was released. Players were able to see and feel the impact of the terrible battles that took place from 1941 to 1945 on the Russian front. Desktop generals were given the choice of leading troops through many pre-designed scenarios or campaigns, as well as the option to design his or her own individual scenarios. The product proved to be an overwhelming success for the company, and was followed by the release of the East Front Campaign CD, which offered players new scenarios and campaigns, and additional nationalities.

Later that same year, TalonSoft refined its focus and took several bold steps within the war game community. The company signed renowned industry veterans Norm Koger, Gary Grigsby, and Keith Brors. These legendary designers have created some of the most successful products in the game industry for more than a decade.

In 1998, TalonSoft demonstrated to the industry that the company was here to stay for good. Thanks to the excellent design work of Norm Koger, The Operational Art of War, Volume I was released to outstanding reviews. The game was hailed by the media and gamers alike as one of the all-time greatest war games ever produced; by the end of the year, The Operational Art of War had won the coveted title of "Wargame of the Year" from nearly every major computer gaming publication.

With accolades for The Operational Art of War, Volume I still pouring in, TalonSoft released West Front, the natural companion game to its hit East Front game. With numerous film and television specials fueling a resurgence of interest in World War II, West Front enjoyed considerable success in the gaming market. Players could relive the most famous battles of World War II, including the landing at Normandy, the North African campaign, and the Battle of the Bulge in intricate detail.

In early 1999, TalonSoft's success as a developer and publisher was recognized when the company was acquired by leading software publisher, Take-Two Interactive. With the extensive resources of Take-Two Interactive behind it, TalonSoft made the move into "triple-A" publishing by releasing two titles, Hidden & Dangerous and Jagged Alliance 2. Both games debuted at the top of the sales charts and have produced record sales for the company.

In 2000, TalonSoft was focused on solidifying its position as a market-leading game publisher, while continuing to branch out into new directions. The company expanded the scope of its operations, publishing titles in nearly every genre including TalonSoft's Rising Sun (wargame), Tzar (real-time strategy), and Lemmings Revolution (puzzle).

In 2001, TalonSoft will continue to operate as a developer/publisher of premium internal content while supplementing its releases with high quality external properties. Various titles on the schedule include Age of Sail II, Mafia and Hidden & Dangerous 2. In addition TalonSoft will be returning to its wargaming roots with internal developments.

The highly anticipated Mafia brings the 1930's underworld to life in a 1st person 3D action game. Players attempt to rise from the lowly "Foot Soldier" to an envied and feared "Made Man" in an era of big bands, zoot suits and Ford Model T's. Mafia is set in a fictitious American city called Lost Heaven (combination of New York & Chicago), with simulated traffic, landmarks, surrounding landscapes and over 60 period specific vehicles.

TalonSoft develops and publishes games internally and through external developers in the US and abroad; products are distributed worldwide and have been reproduced in numerous languages. TalonSoft is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive.