Microsoft’s Zoo Tycoon series has long been a one-stop shop for all of your animal rearing needs. Say you lived in an apartment where adorable pups and kittens and strictly verboten; the easiest solution is, of course, murder, but for those of you who don’t fancy stabbin’, picking up Zoo Tycoon and raising a virtual posse of dolphins, egrets and baby moosesesseses is a viable alternative.
Earlier today, Microsoft dropped a press release revealing an upcoming expansion pack for Zoo Tycoon 2 entitled Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals. Nex, being the sort who apparently refers to himself in the third person, immediately assumed the title would allow gamers to manipulate the corpses of long-dead beasts (and, with any luck, unicorns). Of course, my hopes are dashed yet again by a cruel gaming industry hell-bent on keeping pseudo-necrophilic zombification rituals away from Johnny Joystick, as the title will instead feature dinosaurs, extinct mammals (and, with any luck, unicorns), in a fantastical state of vitality, the likes of which they haven’t enjoyed for many millenia (or, in the case of unicorns, since I was eight years old).
Hit the jump for a glimpse at the entire press release.
REDMOND, Wash.—May 24, 2007—Players can get up close and personal with Earth’s most fascinating former inhabitants as Microsoft Game Studios and Blue Fang Games LLC today announced that Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals, the biggest expansion pack to date for the award-winning Zoo Tycoon 2 franchise, will be available on Windows®-based PCs this Fall.
Introducing 30 new animals and more than a dozen dinosaurs, ranging from the adorable dodo bird and massive American mastodon to the saber-toothed cat and T. rex, Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals provides new ways for players to experience the award-winning gameplay of Zoo Tycoon 2. Aspiring zoologists will be challenged to dig for fossils, bring animals that once roamed the earth thousands of years ago to life in the Extinct Research Lab, and wrangle rampaging dinosaurs with a tranquilizer gun.
The Zoo Tycoon 2 franchise continues to provide the ultimate zoo experience. Since its launch in November 2004, Zoo Tycoon 2 has continued the award-winning legacy, receiving recognition from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, “Children’s Technology Review,” “Scholastic Parent & Child” and the Parents’ Choice Foundation. Other Zoo Tycoon 2 expansion packs include Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species, Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure, and Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania®.
Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals is a Games for Windows title and delivers the same standard of excellence as Zoo Tycoon 2 and other great Games for Windows titles, such as easy installation, high quality standards, and support for Game Explorer and Parental Controls in Windows Vista®.
About Blue Fang Games
Blue Fang Games is an independent game developer dedicated to creating compelling, emotionally engaging games focused on the animal kingdom that set the benchmark for broad-based family entertainment. Blue Fang’s Zoo Tycoon franchise, published by Microsoft Game Studios, has established itself as one of the most popular PC gaming franchises and has sold over 5 million units worldwide. Founded in 1998, Blue Fang Games is located in Waltham, MA. For more information visit Blue Fang Games on the Web at www.bluefang.com.
About Zoo Tycoon
Zoo Tycoon has been one of the top-selling PC game titles since its launch in 2001. Simple to play yet challenging to master, Zoo Tycoon offers engaging gameplay for animal lovers and simulation game fans of all ages. The captivating imagery, clever gameplay, and interactive tutorials in the vibrant and appealing Zoo Tycoon make it easy to play right out of the box. Zoo Tycoon has something for everyone, stimulating creativity and imagination as players respond to the needs of the animals and guests.
About Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the Xbox® and Xbox 360™ video game systems, the Windows operating system and online platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse games for Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/games), including such franchises as Age of Empires®, Flight Simulator, and Zoo Tycoon; Xbox and Xbox 360 (http://www.xbox.com), including such games as Gears of War and franchises such as Halo®, Fable®, Project Gotham Racing®, and Forza Motorsport®; and MSN Games (http://www.games.msn.com), the official games channel for the MSN® network and home to such hits as Bejeweled and Hexic®.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services, and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
