NINTENDO RAISES THE DEAD WITH “EVIL EVOLVES” HORROR FILM TOUR!

18 February 2004 – Resident Evil 4, the ultimate in survival-horror gaming, launches exclusively on Nintendo GameCube on 18 March 2005, and to announce its imminent arrival Nintendo will unleash the “Evil Evolves” Film Tour.

A partnership between Nintendo, Pearl & Dean and the SCI FI Channel, the integrated campaign involves a three-city horror film tour, a month-long evening programming sponsorship, a themed movie weekend, Teen Scream with bespoke on-air activity and a specifically designed micro-site (www.scifiuk.com/evilevolves) hosted by SCI FI for the “Evil Evolves” film tour.

This film season will allow fans across three cities to re-experience some of the greatest horror moments of all time from films such as Alien, The Exorcist and The Wicker Man, before sampling the brand new gaming scare fest before its official launch. The cinema tour will run from the 10 – 26 March in London, Leeds and Leicester.

The tour will commence will a special screening for media only at the historic Everyman cinema in the heart of Hampstead on 9 - 12 March before moving to The Cottage in Leeds between 17 - 19 March and finally onto the Phoenix in Leicester on 25 - 26 March. Visitors to the screenings will also get the opportunity to play Resident Evil 4 before anyone else in Europe.

In addition to this, the SCI FI channel will be running a month-long season of sponsored programming from 27 February to 28 March. A special horror movie themed weekend, “Teen Scream” will air from 18 – 20 March. The channel will feature promotional spots and competitions promoting the tour and will drive viewers to the “Evil Evolves” micro-site www.scifiuk.com/evilevolves.

Competitions to win tickets to the “Evil Evolves” tour will also run in local print and broadcast press, alongside national competitions on film specialist websites. Footfall will also be driven to each screening by Pearl & Dean via posters in the local areas, leaflet drops and listings in local press.

Heralded as the greatest horror game ever, following its launch in America and Japan, Resident Evil 4, is the latest title in Capcom’s well-known series, which began in 1996 with the launch of Resident Evil. The game’s hero, Leon, sets out to track down the US President’s missing daughter and ends up uncovering a sinister plot. The game revolutionises the survival-horror genre, with the addition of features like a point and shoot mechanic, allowing accurate aiming and highly advanced enemy AI, and allowing groups of monsters to set ambushes for you - all making for a gripping gaming experience.

Rob Lowe, Product Manager, Home Consoles; Nintendo UK said:

“We are delighted to have a fantastic title like Capcom’s Resident Evil 4 exclusively on the Nintendo GameCube. This game presents us with an exciting opportunity to cater to more mature gamers, showing that Nintendo is dedicated to bringing high quality entertainment to customers of all ages. We really wanted to convey the possession theme of the new Resident Evil 4 game by creating and owning scary environments with our “Evil Evolves” activity.”

Resident Evil 4 will launch on the Nintendo GameCube in the UK on 18th March 2005 at the estimated retail price of around £40. Nintendo of Europe will distribute this game in Europe and Capcom is the Publisher.