The new 3D Dragon's Lair sequel from Don Bluth and Rick Dyer will arrive on GameCube this fall via a new publisher.
Originally slated for this spring, Dragon's Lair 3D is now officially coming to GameCube (and PS2) in fall 2002. It's being developed at Dragonstone, a company consisting of many members of the original Dragon's Lair development team. The publisher is Encore, Inc. which is a totally different company than Digital Leisure, who is releasing the DVD remakes of Dragon's Lair. Check out the full press release below for a bit of game info and more details about the legendary designers and artists behind this franchise rebirth.
DRAGON'S LAIR 3D, A COMPLETELY NEW VERSION OF THE LEGENDARY DRAGON'S
LAIR
COIN-OP GAME, TO RELEASE FOR THE PLAYSTATION2 AND THE NINTENDO GAMECUBE
The classic 1980s coin-op phenomenon to be rebuilt as a completely new
three-dimensional experience via a publishing agreement between Encore,
Inc. and Dragon's Lair LLC
Los Angeles, CA - January 7, 2002 - A quarter billion Dragon's Lair fans
will soon join Dirk the Daring in a stunning 3D, high-fantasy adventure
as
he battles a myriad of creatures throughout the Dark Castle to rescue
Princess Daphne - on their next-generation video game systems.
Encore, Inc. today announced that it has signed a 3 -year, worldwide
agreement with Dragon's Lair LLC to publish this entirely new, 3D game
based on the enormously successful Dragon's Lair franchise. Slated for
release in third quarter 2002 for the PlayStation®2 computer
entertainment
system and the Nintendo GameCube(tm), Dragon's Lair 3D will dramatically
expand upon the gameplay that fans have enjoyed since 1983 by offering a
true, 3D experience; new characters; more than 200 new rooms to explore;
special visual and sound effects; an original music score; and much
more.
"Dragon's Lair is a legendary franchise, and we believe that this new
version will appeal to both classic gaming fans worldwide and a brand
new
generation of gamers," said Michael Bell, chairman and CEO of Encore,
Inc.
"Dragon's Lair 3D will set the standard for 3D gameplay by offering
state-of-the-art animation and character movement, while staying true to
the design and storyline of the original arcade game."
"We are delighted to partner with Encore, because they're as passionate
about Dragon's Lair 3D as we are," added Rick Dyer, president and CEO of
Dragon's Lair LLC, Dragonstone Software and the game's original
designer.
"It is truly exciting to reinvent this arcade game - which fans have
loved
for so many years - as a revolutionary, three-dimensional world that
people can play in their living rooms."
New 3D Version Honors Game's Legendary History
Since its introduction in 1983 as the world's first full-animation laser
disc video game, Dragon's Lair has become one of the most successful
coin-op games of all time. The legendary adventure, one of only three
games on display at the Smithsonian Institution (the other two are Pac
Man
and Pong), has been played by over 320 million people worldwide.
Over the ensuing years, 2D versions of the game - on a wide range of
platforms including Amiga, Apple, Atari, PC, Sega, Game Boy® Color and
DVD - have been released, building a dedicated fan base estimated at a
quarter billion worldwide. With the introduction of Dragon's Lair 3D,
these fans will be transported to an entirely new three-dimensional
world,
taking their Dragon's Lair experience to a whole new level.
A World-Famous Cast Creating the 3D Game
A team of world-famous animators, designers, software programmers and
composers are already in the Dragonstone Software studios working on
Dragon's Lair 3D. Among its members:
- Original Dragon's Lair co-creator Rick Dyer, a leading developer in
the
interactive game industry for more than 20 years. His credits include
Space Ace, Time Traveler and Shadoan. An inventor and entrepreneur even
in his early teens, Dyer invented the world's first holographic video
game, developed more than half of the hand-held video games manufactured
in the early 1980s (including portable versions of Space Invaders, Pac
Man
and Defender), and created a line of talking robotic fitness machines.
- Animation producers Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. They were part of the
original team that produced Dragon's Lair in 1983, and have since
animated
such popular films as Anastasia, The Secret of NIMH, All Dogs Go To
Heaven, An American Tail, The Land Before Time, Thumbelina and Titan AE.
While working together at Walt Disney Studios during the 1970s, Bluth
and
Goldman also animated on such well-known Disney animated films as Robin
Hood, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too, The Rescuers, and Pete's Dragon.
- Composer Christopher Stone, created the musical scores for over twenty
feature films and worked on numerous Emmy winning productions. He is
the
winner of six ASCAP Awards for television. Stone's film credits include
John Landis' The Stupids, Phantasm II, III and IV, The Secret of My
Success, Password is Courage, and Terminal Force. His television
credits
include Walker Texas Ranger, Honey I Shrunk The Kids, and The
Revolutionary War.
About Encore, Inc.
Encore, Inc. is a leading interactive publisher in the videogame and
CD-ROM markets. In 2002, the company will release such highly
anticipated
next-gen console games as Jackie Chan Adventures(tm) and Circus
Maximus(tm):
Chariot Wars. As the nation's largest privately held PC entertainment
and
education publisher, Encore also offers a broad range of titles under
internationally recognized properties, such as Sesame Street(tm), Dragon
Tales(tm), National Geographic® and Kaplan.
Encore products are sold in over 35,000 stores nationwide, and in major
international markets. The company has been recognized in the past two
years by Inc magazine as one of America's 500 fastest growing private
companies. For more information, visit www.encoresoftware.com
About Dragon's Lair LLC
Based in San Diego, California, Dragon's Lair LLC is a joint venture
between Digital Leisure and the original creators of the 1983 arcade
smash
hit Dragon's Lair. Dragon's Lair LLC is comprised of legendary
animation
professionals Don Bluth, Gary Goldman and John Pomeroy, as well as
veteran
video game creator Rick Dyer. Rounding out the partnership is
multimedia
industry veteran David Foster, president of Digital Leisure Inc. and the
publisher of the Dragon's Lair 2D versions. Dragon's Lair LLC is
committed to creating state-of-the-art interactive titles that are
supported by motion picture, broadcast and toy ventures.
