FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BigFun.Net Finds a New Path to Internet Income

No ads, no shareware, no billing, no microcharges.

Dateline --Atlanta - June 16, 1997

BIG FUN Development Company today reveals a novel business model for RONIN, the Internet Game, a massively multiplayer struggle for control of feudal Japan.

Many game publishers treat Internet play as a marketing device to drive CDROM sales. Others depend on advertising, hourly usage charges, or subscriptions. Few claim profits.

"Nobody likes to pay bills!", says Dov Jacobson, president of BIG FUN, "But people enjoy this."

It is a simple idea: BIG FUN invites gamers to play RONIN for free, assembling bands of samurai fighters to storm each other's castles. They can play indefinitely without paying a dime.

"There is no charge for software, no charge for connect time," Jacobson continues, "and not even a charge for basic fighters."

But RONIN has premium fighters who have special powers. To get these champion warriors, a player must either capture them in battle - or buy them from BIG FUN. The characters are delivered through normal retail channels as collectible ("trading") cards. Each card carries an activation code which permits the player to add the character to his online army.

Every month BIG FUN will release a new card pack. Each month, new characters with new features enter the RONIN saga, supported both in the online software and the retail cards.

BIG FUN has married the immediacy of the Internet to the successful model of the collectible card game (reportly one billion MAGIC cards have sold to date). And they have extended the model with the idea of monthly serialization . This gives RONIN a dimension new to games, one which creates new opportunities in story development as well as a robust revenue stream.

This model also opens new markets to BIG FUN. While most online game publishers must limit their players to credit-worthy adults, BIG FUN counts youngsters as important segments of its market, since RONIN card packs can be bought anywhere for under $3.

BIG FUN will be demonstrating its game and giving away cards at E3, the industry trade show, (Booth 7502). Early versions of the game can be played now at http://www.bigfun.net.

BIG FUN is a game studio in Atlanta founded in March, 1996 by executives and staff of the late Turner Interactive. Their 1997 titles include the 3D cartoon race game PIZZA PILOTS (published by Simon & Schuster, and starring Cheech Marin and Cyndi Lauper) as well as RONIN.

For Further Information Contact:

Sharon Ahmed

Big Fun Development Co.
5115 New Peachtree Rd
Atlanta GA 30341 USA
Tel: (1) 770 454 6770
FAX: (1) 770 454 7373
e-mail: sharon@bigfun.net
http://www.bigfun.net