NAMCO BANDAI GAMES ANNOUNCES NARUTO™: ULTIMATE NINJA® STORM FOR THE PLAYSTATION®3 SYSTEM

Naruto’s PLAYSTATION 3 System Debut Revolutionizes Ninja Action with Full 3D Combat, Free-Roaming Exploration and Incredible Anime Graphics

Santa Clara, Calif., (April 16, 2008) – Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today announced NARUTO™: Ultimate Ninja® STORM exclusively for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. Based on the popular NARUTO™ animated television series from VIZ Media, the game delivers ninja action on an unprecedented scale as players go head to head in full 3D combat, investigate every inch of the Hidden Leaf Village in open-world exploration and revel in high definition graphics that surpass traditional hand-drawn animation.

Evolving the head-to-head fighting action of the Ultimate Ninja series, NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM allows players to battle in full 3D across massive environments. Players will unleash powerful jutsu attacks, perform acrobatic evasive maneuvers and even run up walls and over water as they pursue their opponent for ninja supremacy. Players will be able to customize their character’s fighting style and recruit up to two support characters to put their own stamp on the action. Each character in the game is capable of unleashing powerful Awakening abilities under certain gameplay conditions, offering new traits and talents to the game’s impressive ninja roster of 25 popular characters from the animated series. NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM supports head-to-head multiplayer fighting for up to two players.

Allowing players to further immerse themselves in the world of NARUTO, NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM introduces all-new free-roaming exploration across the Hidden Leaf Village and the Forest of Death. Players can search every inch of these iconic environments to take on more than 100 unique missions, collect valuable scrolls and interact with additional characters from the NARUTO animated series. Injecting additional variety to the game’s head-to head combat, these missions include races, special deliveries and large-scale battles against massive opponents.

Taking advantage of an original next-generation graphics engine, NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM utilizes fluid animation, incredible visual detail and an advanced facial expression system to create high-definition graphics on the PLAYSTATION 3 system that surpass traditional hand-drawn animation. Replicating the same environments, characters and effects as the hit animated series, this new technology allows gamers to become a part of the world of NARUTO like never before.

“Naruto’s PLAYSTATION 3 system debut truly blurs the line between gaming and animation to deliver the most immersive and authentic interactive experience the franchise has ever seen,” said Todd Thorson, Director of Marketing and Public Relations with NAMCO BANDAI Games America, Inc. “Players will marvel at the game’s jaw-dropping graphics, fast-paced 3D fighting and new open-world exploration as they experience a classic NARUTO storyline with all of their favorite characters and environments.”

Developed by CyberConnect2, NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM will launch exclusively for the PLAYSTATION 3 system this fall. For more information please visit: www.ultimateninjastorm.com and www.naruto.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan Production Co., Ltd. (ShoPro Japan), VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America and a global licensor of Japanese animation. The company offers an integrated product line including, magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, videos, DVDs and audio soundtracks and develops and markets animated entertainment from initial production, television placement and distribution, to merchandise licensing and promotions for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.

About NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. is a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer based in Santa Clara, CA. The company is a part of the NAMCO BANDAI group of companies known for creating and publishing many of the industry's top video game franchises including the PAC-MAN®, SOULCALIBUR®, NARUTO™ and Tekken® brands. For more information about NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., and our products log onto http://www.namcobandaigames.com/.

NARUTO™: Ultimate Ninja®: STORM software © 2004-2008 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. All Rights Reserved. NAMCO BANDAI Games logo is a trademark of NAMCO BANDAI. NARUTO artwork and elements © 2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO. All Rights Reserved. SHONEN JUMP and NARUTO are trademarks of Shueisha, Inc., in the U.S. and/or other countries. This product is manufactured, distributed and sold in North, South and Central American territories under license from VIZ Media, LLC.

“PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION” and “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Press Release © 2008 NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.