Commander In Chief

6 May 2009

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

How would you deal with the credit crunch? What would you do about global warming? How would you manage a global flu epidemic?

To investigate these questions and mark the launch of the new 2009 PC Geo-simulator Commander in Chief, masked Gordon Brown impersonators hit the street around Parliament to see whether members of the public felt they could do a better job at running the government than the current Prime Minister. The results found that 36% of the respondents reported that they believed they would personally make for a better Prime Minister.

Members of the British public now have their chance to prove it, though they will be stepping into the Prime Minister’s shoes in the virtual world.

Commander in Chief is a comprehensive geo-political simulation game for PCs where players face the same complex issues confronting leaders like Gordon Brown on a day-to-day basis. The great detail and depth of the simulator reveals the complexities of managing a government and the challenging decisions they must make. In the game, as in real life, every decision has consequences and balancing all of the demands is no simple task.

Are you a warmonger or a diplomat, would you bail out the banks, could you avoid scandals and political pitfalls, should you sign the Kyoto protocol and develop environmental solutions to a threatened world?

From decisions on current issues of terrorism to unemployment, epidemics to alternative energy policy, players can test their ability to deal with issues domestically or on the world stage, responding to actions taken by fellow global leaders. Like in real life, players need to consult daily newspapers to gauge the public and international response to their policies and use their virtual laptop or phone to communicate with other government officials, leaders or the 50 international organisations like the UN, NATO or OPEC.

According to Louis-Marie Rocques, from the game developer Eversim, "One of the key points when designing the game was for us to achieve the highest degree of realistic simulation, while making the seriousness of politics a challenging and entertaining experience." Striking this balance correctly has a strong pay-off for bringing the challenges of politics to life. Steven Ross, Professor of History, University of Southern California, states, “I think this is a great thing for getting people really hooked in politics. The challenges that players face blur the lines between politics and entertainment.”

The Gazette gives the game “Four stars out of five’ and Honestgamers.com says, "The game is a smooth, sublime experience about running a nation in the present era."

Can you handle the burden of the world on your shoulders? Can you become one of the world’s great leaders? Can you do better than Gordon Brown?

Commander in Chief is available online and in stores across the UK from 10th April 2009. For more information visit: www.commander-in-chief.co.uk <End>

All media enquiries

• Please contact Lance McPherson on +44 (0) 790 315 5001 or lmcpherson@commander-in-chief.co.uk

• Louis-Marie Rocques, Business Development Manager at Eversim, is available for comment and interview.

Notes To Editor

1. For pictures go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/commanderinchief2009/sets/72157616522849220/

2. Game trailer http://www.commander-in-chief.co.uk/content/cic_uk.zip

3. Sample News Coverage http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2009/01/19/wynter.prez.video.game.cnn?iref=videosearch

4. Information about reviews on Commander in Chief

• The Gazette gives “Four stars out of five.” Read the full review at http://www.the-gazette.co.uk/articles/6/30332

• www.honestgamers.com says, “The game is a smooth, sublime experience in the present era.” Read the full article at http://www.honestgamers.com/systems/content.php?review_id=7455&platform=PC&abr=PC&gametitle=Geo-political+Simulator

• GameStop review by Vincent: “Great Realism and Simulation!” Read the full article at http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductReviewFull.aspx?Product_ID=73696&ReviewID={9324e928-dfe5-4c4d-af12-054caea0fa75}&type=CustomerReview

5. Further Information on Commander in Chief

• Commander in Chief is played on a detailed 3D world map showing 192 countries and 8,000 cities in a visually stimulating user interface with multiple windows, on-screen video inserts, and scrolling ticker tapes. You can enjoy role-playing as the President or Prime Minister of any country in the world and put your own political theories into practice.

• Each country has current data on 400 key factors including:

o Economics (unemployment, inflation)

o Energy (oil, gas, nuclear, hydro-electric, alternative energy sources)

o Monetary (interest rates, stock markets, currency)

o Social (unemployment and heath insurance, social security)

o Military (detailed information on weaponry, arms production, locations of 1,000 military bases around the world)

o Environment (carbon monoxide emissions, Kyoto protocols)

o Culture (film production, sports, Internet distribution)

o Plus many other categories.

• Commander in Chief also incorporate data from 50 international organizations including the United Nations, G7, NATA, OPEC, WHO, adding another layer of real world relationships.

• Internal decisions involve managing budgets, security, education, health care, deliberation over proposed laws etc Every decision you make will change the political climate. For example, raising taxes will generate criticisms and protests while lowering taxes will result in players having less money to implement other policies/actions.

• External decisions involve military issues, global monetary and economics, trade agreements. Liaise with other Prime Ministers, Presidents, Monarchs and Dictators. Players can determine the course of world events by invading a neutral country, toppling an unfriendly regime or plotting assassinations. Be prepared to face the economic, political and military consequences.

• Players have a choice of three different modes of play, ‘Free mode’: the player's objective is to remain in power as long as possible and to further his influence throughout the world. ‘Missions mode’: challenges players to complete specific scenarios with different difficulty levels such as new elections, army invasion, energy crises, and terrorist attack. ‘Multi-player War Game mode’: play solo or with up to 16 people online and confront one another in the course of military campaigns taking place in real time.

6. Commander in Chief details

• Published by: Eversim

• Suggested retail price: £25.50 Excl Vat

• For a trail copy of the game contact Lance McPherson at lmcpherson@commander-in-chief.com

7. Information about the poll

• The poll had a sample size of 200 respondents

• Of the respondents, 72 responded yes, 123 responded no

• The poll was conducted in person between 9am-12pm on 8 April, 2009 of the footfall walking around Parliament and Westminster Bridge

• The question asked to each participant was, “Can you run the government better than Gordon Brown?”

• For more information on the poll contact Lance McPherson lmcpherson@commander-in-chief.co.uk

8. For more information visit: www.commander-in-chief.co.uk