Business Editors/High-Tech Editors
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 2006--GameSpot
(www.gamespot.com), a leading source for gaming information,
community, and entertainment, and a property of CNET Networks, Inc.
(Nasdaq:CNET) (www.cnetnetworks.com), today announced "GameSpot After
Hours," a dynamic online and offline program that leverages the
excitement of a live event with an in-studio audience to provide a
real-time, interactive experience to gamers at home via the Web.
On October 14, GameSpot's online community can actively engage
with After Hours through state-of-the-art video and interactive tools.
Six hours of non-stop action will be broadcasted on five different
video channels, including the RoboCam(R) channel which allows at-home
participants to take control of a camera viewing the event from
whichever angle they choose. The online audience can also chat live
with other participants, compete in online contests and tournaments
against celebrity gamers, witness unreleased PS3 games, submit
questions to stage show guests, and more.
"The goal of After Hours is to produce a live video game event for
consumers, simultaneously experienced in person by a select group of
influencers, along with an exponentially larger global online
audience," said Pip Marquez de la Plata, vice president of marketing,
CNET Networks Entertainment. "This event will bring gamers together as
they have never been before. And, it provides an unprecedented
opportunity for marketers to impact gamers as they are captivated by a
best-of-GameSpot live experience."
After Hours' progressive, targeted premise has drawn support from
big-time brands that are eager to connect with the site's young,
influential audience of 18- to 34-year-old males. GameSpot has
partnered with Stride(TM) gum, Scion, Dell, Intel, EA, Sega, and 2K to
develop innovative, compelling programs that integrate each company's
brand with engaging content guaranteed to resonate with the gamer
market, including:
- Stride(TM): Ridiculously Long-Lasting Tournament--Since July
2006, the makers of Stride, The Ridiculously Long Lasting
Gum(TM) have sponsored the "ridiculously long lasting
tournament" which, after three qualifying rounds on GameSpot,
will conclude at After Hours with a live Counter-Strike battle
between the three top teams.
- Dell: Battlefield II Tournament Winner Challenge--The winning
team of Dell's Battlefield II tournament held on GameSpot will
challenge both online and offline attendees.
- 2K: 2007 Sneak Peak--The developers of 2K's highly anticipated
2007 releases, BioShock, The Darkness, and Jade Empire:
Special Edition will be providing in-depth demos in customized
preview theatres and on the GameSpot Live stage.
- EA: Battlefield 2142 Competition--In head-to-head
competitions, fans of EA's extremely popular Battlefield
franchise can test drive Battlefield 2142, the next
installment scheduled for release on October 18.
- Sega: Full Auto 2 PS3 Hands-On--Sega will offer attendees a
chance to play Full Auto 2 in a networked multiplayer
configuration on the unreleased PS3 console system.
GameSpot After Hours will be held on Saturday, October 14 from
5:00-11:00PM PDT at www.gamespot.com/afterhours and at Pier 27 on the
Embarcadero in San Francisco. For more information, please access:
www.gamespot.com/afterhours.
About GameSpot
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2006, GameSpot's
(www.gamespot.com) expert editorial team provides more than a million
daily visitors with comprehensive, engaging, and unbiased game
information for console, PC, and portable platforms. The site's
award-winning coverage includes previews and reviews on the hottest
titles, breaking news, live Web casts, online tournaments, game
downloads, videos, guides, hints, and more. GameSpot also has one of
the most active online gaming communities fueled by a free, innovative
social networking service that makes it easy and fun for gamers to
meet and interact with other like-minded enthusiasts. The GameSpot
family includes GameFAQs, Game Rankings, and GameSpot Trax, the
industry's premier real-time market intelligence tool. GameSpot is
part of CNET Networks Entertainment division which includes MP3.com,
TV.com, and Metacritic.com.
About CNET Networks
CNET Networks is a global media company with some of the most
important and valuable brands on the Web targeting passionate
audiences. The company's brands -- such as CNET, GameSpot, TV.com,
MP3.com, Webshots, BNET and ZDNet -- serve the technology, games and
entertainment, business, and community categories. CNET Networks was
founded in 1993 and has always been "a different kind of media
company" creating engaging media experiences through a combination of
world-class content and technology infrastructure.
CONTACT: CNET Networks
Leslie A. Dotson, 415-344-2129 (Media)
Leslie.dotson@cnet.com
Gloria Lee, 415-344-2844 (Investors)
Gloria.lee@cnet.com
SOURCE: CNET Networks, Inc.
