Shaq Returns As Cover Athlete For NBA 2K7
Miami Heat Star and NBA 2006 Champion Shaquille O'Neal To Be Official Spokesman For NBA 2K7, Standard-Setting Basketball Video Game
NEW YORK, NY - August 15, 2006 - 2K Sports, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: TTWO), proudly announced today the return of Miami Heat center and 2006 NBA World Champion, Shaquille O'Neal as cover athlete and official spokesperson for NBA 2K7.
The next chapter of the #1 rated* NBA 2K series, NBA 2K7 elevates the standard for all sports games, offering fans the most comprehensive and exciting basketball experience to date. NBA 2K7 presents cutting-edge visual realism, while offering the most intense and exhilarating gameplay controls in any basketball game, thanks in part to new post play mechanics inspired by Shaquille O'Neal.
"Shaquille O'Neal remains one of the most dominant, exciting, and charismatic athletes in the world," stated Erik Whiteford, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. "Shaq is well-known for his fun-loving nature, great work ethic, and incredible athletic skills. His dominating game and winning attitude make him the central figure on every team he is a part of, including 2K Sports. We're very pleased to be working with Shaq again with NBA 2K7."
"You only get to represent the best by playing with the best," said Shaq. "NBA 2K7 is the game for champions and I'm proud to be a part of the best basketball game anywhere."
Throughout Shaq's extraordinary NBA career, he has established himself as a basketball legend and has produced a Hall of Fame-worthy career. He has been selected to participate in 12 NBA All-Star Games, is a three-time NBA Finals MVP, a two-time regular season scoring champion, and with the Miami Heat winning the 2006 NBA Championship, a four-time NBA champion. The NBA has also selected him as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
Shaq has been the premier center in the NBA, combining his raw strength and championship experience to dominate the low post, inspiring an innovative new direction in the post game for NBA 2K7. Post players are now characterized by their power, speed, and finesse ability, not only giving each player their unique feel in the post, but their individual animations are characterized by their emphasis on these traits as well. Power post players will battle for rebounds with their size and score with powerful dunking authority, speedy players will utilize their quickness and first-step to penetrate to the hoop, and finesse players will use fadeaway jumpers and float baby-hook shots to score.
NBA 2K7 will be available for the Xbox 360 and Xbox® video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system in September 2006. NBA 2K7 will also be available on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system this holiday season. More ground-breaking features will be detailed in the near future.
For more information, log onto http://www.2ksports.com
*According to GameRankings.com average scores of 2005-2006 pro basketball video games
About Take-Two Interactive Software
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an integrated global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation® game console, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox® and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS and Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K and 2K Sports, and Global Star Software; and distributes products in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region through its Joytech subsidiary. The Company maintains sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Milan, Sydney, Breda (Netherlands), Auckland, Shanghai and Tokyo. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.
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