Hollywood Heeds The Call To Join Forces With Activision On Call Of Duty

Santa Monica, CA – Aug. 8, 2003 – Further immersing gamers into its gritty, first-person war-torn thriller Call of DutyTM, Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) has enlisted Jason Statham and Giovanni Ribisi to provide their trademark voice talent in key roles. Additionally, accomplished writer/producer Michael Schiffer ("Crimson Tide, "Colors," "Lean of Me," "The Four Feathers" and "The Peacemaker") has added his screenwriting stamp to the game's action-filled script. Call of Duty will be available this fall for the PC and is currently rated "RP" (Rating Pending) by the ESRB.

"From the start, Call of Duty has been created to be the most authentic, intense and realistic battlefield experience as lived through the eyes of common soldiers," states Dusty Welch, vice president of global brand management, Activision, Inc. "With Jason and Giovanni contributing their proven acting talents, we've added even more life and personality to our key characters. Combined with Michael's work on the screenplay, we've made sure that Call of Duty fans have fun identifying with the characters and yet also become immersed in an enveloping storyline that surrounds the chaos of war."

Action fans will have no trouble identifying the voice of Jason Statham. With a breakthrough role in "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," Statham has secured himself a prime spot among Hollywood's new generation of stars. Since his acting debut, he has landed roles in blockbuster movies such as "Snatch," "The Transporter" and "The Italian Job."

L.A. based writer and producer, Michael Schiffer has added his touch to Call of Duty's intense screenplay, making sure fans experience not only the action of a true WWII classic, but also closer identify with the characters caught up in surviving the chaos on the frontline. In addition to his credits listed earlier, Schiffer has also written and produced "Very Bad Things," "Lean on Me" and "Le Divorce."

"I loved working on Call of Duty," said Schiffer. "I couldn't believe the graphics. I lived in France and thought I was back there. The feel of combat is incredible and we tried to give the soldiers real character and humor to make playing it even more intense."

"Working with Jason and Giovanni has been terrific. Their immersion into the characters really shows and fans are going to have a blast seeing them in those roles," said Grant Collier, president of Infinity Ward, Inc. "And, Michael has come in and done a great job in tightening up the script to make sure that players feel the highs and lows of war in an extremely engaging way. We're really excited to add these guys to the Call of Duty team, from the in-the-trenches intensity to the epic battlefield moments, gamers will be blown away."

Call of Duty is an intense first-person action game transporting fans into a gripping, movie-like World War II combat experience, as seen through the eyes of ordinary soldiers, enduring as a squad the chaos of battle. Created by Infinity Ward, which is comprised of over 20 individuals who developed Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, including all the production leads, Call of Duty places gamers in epic battlefield scenarios, featuring scores of soldiers and incredible special effects. Players journey through 24 devastating missions played out through three Allied forces – U.S., British and Russian, all fighting together to defeat the German-led Axis war machine. Along the way, gamers experience the camaraderie and brotherhood of a squad, where each soldier has unique duties, personalities and roles to play as they take on Nazi Germany.

Released: August 8, 2003