Press
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ACTIVISION AND DIGITAL RIVER ANNOUNCE E-COMMERCE PARTNERSHIP
Digital River to Host Online Stores for Activision
Including HeadGames and Expert Software Divisions
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., August 24, 1999 -- Activision, Inc., (Nasdaq: ATVI), a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products, and Digital River (Nasdaq: DRIV), the leader in electronic software delivery (ESD), today announced an electronic commerce partnership agreement. Under the agreement, Digital River will host and sell software through Activision's online stores at http://www.activision.com, http://www.headgames.net, and http://www.expertsw.com.
Additionally, Digital River will provide merchandising and marketing services aimed at driving traffic to the gaming company's online stores.
Digital River will manage the physical delivery of Activision's leading interactive entertainment products, including recently released games such as Disney/Pixar's A Bug's Life™ for the Nintendo® 64 and Heavy Gear II™ as well as all future Activision titles. Additionally, Digital River will sell products from HeadGames and Expert Software, two leading software providers, through their respective online stores.
"Digital River offers many value-added e-commerce services and features, such as consistent online store uptime, fraud screening and customer service," said Ron Scott, executive vice president, North American Publishing for Activision. "Most importantly, Digital River's unique marketing and merchandising programs should allow us to further enhance the profitability of our highly popular online store. Digital River's continual investment in state-of-the-art technology will allow us to service our customers more efficiently."
"We are always excited to partner with a global leader in the gaming industry like Activision," said Joel Ronning, Digital River's CEO. "Our partnership with Activision is a testament to our expertise in managing clients' online stores, which includes providing a secure and seamless purchasing process for the consumer - increasing overall traffic to their e-commerce sites."
About Activision, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Founded in 1979, Activision posted revenues of $436 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1999. Activision maintains publishing and development operations in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Australia, and distribution subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's World Wide Web site, which is located at http://www.activision.com.
About Digital River*
Digital River, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRIV), based in Minneapolis, is the largest online source of software and a leading outsource provider of Web-based commerce solutions. The company provides more than 5,000 software publishers and online retailers with its proprietary technology for Internet delivery of more than 100,000 digital products, including 30,000 software products and applications. For more information, visit Digital River's Web site at http://www.digitalriver.com.
* Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements containing the words, "believes," "anticipates," "expects" and similar words. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the Company's limited operating history and variability of operating results; market acceptance of electronic software delivery; the Company's ability to maintain relationships with software publishers and online retailers; competition in the electronic commerce market; and other risk factors referenced in the Company's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
