FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Kellogg Creek Software, Inc.
Randy Chase
(503) 653-2544
randy@kelloggcreek.com 

KELLOGG CREEK SOFTWARE ANNOUNCES END OF PARTNERSHIP
FOR SPIRITWARS® WITH WORLD OPPONENT NETWORK

Portland, Oregon. June 1, 2000 – Kellogg Creek Software announced today that it is ending its two-year relationship with the World Opponent Network.  Effective June 26^th, WON.net will no longer be the exclusive online host for SpiritWars, the two-player online strategy game designed by Randy Chase and developed by Kellogg Creek Software. 

According to Chase, the separation is amiable but necessary due to differences in the long-term goals of the two companies.  “We’ve enjoyed our partnership with WON, but with the various corporate changes and mergers that have occurred during our relationship, we feel that the current direction of their network doesn’t provide the most viable environment for SpiritWars.  After extensive discussions, we mutually agreed that our interests would be best served by ending our partnership at this time and exploring other potential online opportunities.”

SpiritWars launched on WON.net on December 20, 1998 and has logged over 130,000 games played to-date in the free version of the game.  Chase added that combining the free version, the subscription version and the online beta-test phase, SpiritWars has logged a total of over 300,000 games played.

SpiritWars is an online-only strategy game that blends the mystique of trading card games with the traditional strategy of a board game.

SpiritWars draws freely from a variety of traditional design concepts, but blends them into a unique playing experience that represents a refreshing alternative to the current action-oriented theme of Internet gaming.  The game’s low bandwidth requirements deliver a satisfying playing experience both for players with slower Internet connections and for international players.

The game’s fundamentals are easy to learn – players battle to destroy their opponent’s castle.  A varied population of game pieces and magical spells create infinite opportunities as players define a unique playing style and philosophy.  The playing pieces, called Spirits, combine familiar features of traditional board games with design elements previously found only in collectable trading card games.

With a heavy reliance on traditional mythology and folklore, SpiritWars appeals to strategy, fantasy and war gamers.  Because of the familiar board game design and stylish look, complete with an art gallery representing history’s greatest painters and colorful literary prose, SpiritWars appeals to casual gamers as well.

The game will remain available in two versions: an unlimited free-play version and an enhanced subscription version supported by the Kellogg Creek servers.  According to Chase, discussions are underway with several major gaming sites, and a new home for the free version of SpiritWars will be announced soon.

For regular players, the migration away from WON.net will result in only a few hours of offline time as control of the servers supporting the free game shift from the WON.net servers.  Chase explained that the underlying client-server technology uses no exclusive servers or services that rely on support from WON.net and the game migration will appear seamless to the existing player base.

The pay version of the game will continue to be supported by the Kellogg Creek game servers.  Access to the member version is available on a subscription basis ($65 for a year, $40 for six months, $25 for three months.)

Chase also emphasized that with the ending of the partnership with WON.net, Kellogg Creek Software retains full ownership of the product and all related intellectual properties and trademarks.  “The only thing that will be changing from the players’ perspective is that we will soon be introducing a new host for the free version of the game.”

Unlike other trading-card games currently offered online, Kellogg Creek offers unlimited play for the membership fee, with no additional purchases required.  “One of our primary goals,” Chase explained, “is to create a fair and level playing field, and to stay away from a business model that guarantees that the players willing to spend more money gain a playing advantage.”

Chase is available for media interviews, and press accounts can be set up, upon request, for the member (pay-to-play) version of SpiritWars by contacting Kellogg Creek Software.

For more information, please visit the web site supporting the game at www.spiritwars.com.  Additional information can be obtained by calling Randy Chase (503-653-2544) or contacting him via email at randy@kelloggcreek.com.

(SpiritWars is a registered trademark of Kellogg Creek Software, Inc.)