PlayStation's Crash Bandicoot Franchise Success Story
FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (March 3) BUSINESS WIRE - March 3, 1998 - 5
Million Units Sold of Crash Bandicoot and Crash Bandicoot 2:  Cortex
Strikes Back. In less than two years since Crash Bandicoot(TM) first
debuted exclusively for the PlayStation(TM) game console, Sony
Computer Entertainment's popular videogame icon has hit legendary
status by selling 5 million units, becoming one of the most successful
character-based PlayStation franchises in the world. In addition to
these staggering worldwide sales figures, Crash Bandicoot is the only
franchise in PlayStation history to have both the original game and
its sequel surpass the one million-unit mark in North America.  The
following is a breakdown of Crash Bandicoot and Crash Bandicoot 2:
Cortex Strikes Back(TM) life-to-date sales figures as of February 27,
1998:
Crash Bandicoot (released in 1996)
-- North America: 1.5 million units
-- Japan: 610,000 units
-- Europe: 725,000 units
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (released in 1997)
-- North America: 1 million units
-- Japan: 800,000 units
-- Europe: 340,000 units
"The phenomenal worldwide sales of the Crash Bandicoot series clearly
illustrates that this franchise is one of the most high- profile and
successful character-based properties among videogames today," said
Andrew House, vice president, marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment
America. "Crash's popular appeal to next-generation gamers of all ages
continues to grow as PlayStation's unmatched leadership in the
videogame industry also escalates."
The evolution of the Crash Bandicoot franchise is due to the combined
talents of Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. (UIS), a division of
Universal Studios, and Naughty Dog, Inc., a Santa Monica, Calif. based
game developer. Their partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment
America brings consumers the hottest character-based PlayStation
franchise.
"The Crash Bandicoot franchise assembles some of the best Hollywood
talent in a variety of fields," said Mark Cerny, president, Universal
Interactive Studios, Inc. and producer of the Crash Bandicoot series.
"With Crash 2, celebrated actor Clancy Brown -- best known as Kurgan
in the film 'Highlanders' and a regular star on the hit television
show, ER -- lent his vocal talent for the infamous character, Dr. Neo
Cortex; an encore performance by Mark Mothersbaugh -- of Mutato
Muzika(TM) and founding member/lead singer of the band Devo --
provided a hit musical track; and Hollywood animator Charles
Zembillas, as well as Joe Pearson, teamed up in the development and
creation of the Crash Bandicoot character and supporting cast."
"We are extremely proud of Crash Bandicoot's phenomenal success to
date," said Jason Rubin, president, Naughty Dog, Inc. "With the first
Crash, we were largely focused on creating a game whose character --
Crash Bandicoot -- would stand up to the challenges of other videogame
icons, popularized by his quick wit and charm.  We also wanted to
captivate audiences by delivering a game that provided compelling
graphics, state-of-the-art 3D action, multiple challenges and fun.
Crash 2 brought different challenges and opportunities, as the
phenomenal success of the first Crash reached stellar status as one of
PlayStation's best-selling platform titles of 1996. Thankfully, we
were able to deliver the type of sequel that consumers wanted."
The popular Crash Bandicoot franchise has also shown its vast
entertainment and marketing appeal, with Crash Bandicoot 2 recently
appearing on such hit television shows as FOX's "90210"; on the backs
of more than 33 million boxes of Post brand cereals; and also in
nationally award-winning print and television ads.
From:  Silicon Times Report / March 06, 1998 / No.1409
... (To the tune of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony)
--- JetMail 0.99beta22
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