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Bethesda Softworks Unveils Racing Enthusiasts' Dream Site

Learn to Race Like The Pros and Win an All-Expense Paid Trip to Skip Barber's Racing School

Rockville, MD, July 14, 1997 -- Bethesda Softworks today announced the launch of the XCar Home Page, designed and developed for simulation racing enthusiasts. The XCar Home Page offers competitive drivers their first opportunity to explore the exotic arena of "Sport Prototype Racing" and will showcase Bethesda's revolutionary, prototype racing simulation CD-ROM, XCar: Experimental Racing, slated for nationwide release in August.

Far more than a game site, the XCar Home Page is packed with valuable information including expert driving tips from noted race car driver Carol Smith. Constantly evolving, it will feature new elements each week, building towards the launch date of the XCar: Experimental Racing CD-ROM. It will provide behind-the-scenes insight, the ability to download and demo features on a weekly basis as well as upload and trade cars on the site. Plus, a host of contests with prizes geared to serious auto-racing fans will be offered.

The debut week kicks off with a playable demo including two tracks and a selection of four racing cars. A Paint Shop Demo will follow, allowing users to download a car, give it a custom paint job and then upload it back to the site. Users can then trade their custom automobiles with other racers. The roll-out will continue with an Engine Editor Demo, allowing players to tweak their cars within 17 different parameters. The following demo will feature a Tire Editor. In addition, a 3D enhanced demo including all three features will be available for download during the roll-out period.

The Web site also provides players with behind-the-scenes insight into the development of the XCar CD-ROM, and introduces them to its production team. A strategy section provides tips from racing guru, Carol Smith, who offers players expert guidance on getting the most out of their custom racing machines.

The site's Big XCar Contest allows users the chance to win amazing prizes sure to appeal to every racing enthusiast. One grand prize winner will be the first on his or her block to own the ultimate peripheral, the C.A.B. pneumatic chair. Designed by Virtogo, Inc., this chair boasts six full degrees of movement and features the same mechanics as aerospace and military simulators used by NASA. Another lucky winner will be chosen to receive an all expense paid trip to Skip Barber's Racing School. This fortunate someone will be enrolled in Skip Barber's Three Day Competition Course and learn to race like the pros.

The XCar: Experimental Racing game offers players the thrill of driving a 900 bhp prototype race car and an unprecedented level of customization from engine to wing. The first product of its kind to simulate the characteristics and realism of experimental race-bred automobiles, players can design the set-up of their vehicles from engine, tires, suspension and steering to aerodynamics -- without the restrictions of NASCAR and F1.

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Headquartered in Rockville, MD, Bethesda is the third largest privately held publisher of PC entertainment software. Bethesda's success and long-standing technical expertise has attracted world-class programmers as well as veterans of the largest Hollywood animation studios. Bethesda has earned recognition through its award winning series The Elder Scrolls, and its Terminator series. Bethesda, the entertainment software division of Media Technology, Limited, is an engineering research and development firm originally founded by members of the Architecture Machine Group from MIT.

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