Ubisoft, one of the world's top game publishers, announced details behind the innovative multiplayer modes for XIII, the highly anticipated first-person shooter videogame. XIII will be the first online first-person shooter for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. Additionally, XIII will be online for the Xbox video game system and the PC, and will feature four-way split-screen multiplayer on the Nintendo GameCube. XIII is expected to ship in Fall 2003.
"The key to a truly enjoyable FPS is a solid multiplayer experience to complement the single player game, which is why XIII will include a variety of excellent online modes for PlayStation 2, Xbox and the PC," said John Parkes, Marketing Director for Ubisoft UK.
XIII will feature classic Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag modes. Here are the exclusive multiplayer modes for each console:
Premier Online First-Person Shooter Action for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2 players will benefit from five multiplayer modes including "The Hunt" and "Power Up" with up to four players online, in addition to the two-player split-screen offline. The exclusive PS2 multiplayer mode, Power Up, is a custom Deathmatch multiplayer mode, which includes various pick-ups - some classic pick-ups are replaced with funnier ones, such as "Frag Instant Death" (ability to kill opponent with one shot) or "SuperGnome" (character becomes deformed). Additionally, pick-ups are chosen according to the player's score position. The best player will receive the worst pick-ups and vice versa.
In the Hunt, players chase a running target throughout the map. Points are scored depending on how much damage is afflicted each time the target is hit. The more times the target is hit, the smaller it becomes, so scoring becomes more difficult. Players gain extra points by killing the target, but touching the target results in death!
Only on Xbox Live
Xbox gamers can dive into four-player split-screen offline multiplayer or enter into online battles with up to eight players. The exclusive Xbox Live mode is "Sabotage," where two teams compete to take control of different strategic points in the map. One team must defend the control points, while the other team must sabotage them within a certain time limit. The defending team wins if time runs out, while the attacking team wins by destroying all of the defense points.
Split-Screen Shooting on Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube gamers can get their fix of XIII multiplayer action with up to four-player split-screen in Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag and Hunt modes.
The PC version features online multiplay for up to eight players per map, and an exclusive map editor for gamers to create their own action-packed levels.
For more information, please visit: www.XIII-thegame.com