First-Person Horror Game for PC and Xbox Based on
Renowned Author’s Famous ‘Cthulhu Mythos’

May 7, 2003 (Rockville, MD) - Bethesda Softworks® today announced that it will publish Call of Cthulhu - Dark Corners of the Earth™, a first-person horror game for PC and the Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft. Developed by Headfirst Productions, Call of Cthulhu is a mix of horror, investigation, puzzle solving, exploration, and combat as you are faced with the seemingly impossible task of battling evil incarnate.

Call of Cthulhu combines intense action and adventure elements that require keen investigative skills to overcome. Other than fighting, you have the ability to interact freely with characters and the gaming environment. To increase the sense of immersion, there is no interface or ‘HUD’ on screen at any time during normal gameplay, making you feel as if you are really part of the game world.

"We chose to work with Bethesda because they understood what makes Call of Cthulhu a game worth getting excited about," said Mike Woodroffe, president of Headfirst Productions. "It’s a game that will feel very comfortable to anyone who’s played first-person shooter or horror-based games, while at the same time it does a lot of new and innovative things that make the experience more intense."

Set during the 1920s, Call of Cthulhu is based on the Cthulhu Mythos of HP Lovecraft, an American writer of fantasy and horror and is produced in conjunction with the developers of the Call of Cthulhu pen and paper RPG, Chaosium Inc. Lovecraft’s stories tell of unthinkable evil, psychic possession, and mythical worlds and his work has profoundly influenced numerous fantasy and science fiction writers, including Stephen King and Anne Rice.

"With Call of Cthulhu, Headfirst has taken the soul-crushing horror of Lovecraft's universe and turned it into a thrilling game experience," said Vlatko Andonov, president of Bethesda Softworks. "Our success with games like Morrowind demonstrates that gamers are ready for experiences that push the boundaries and try things that nobody else has done, and Call of Cthulhu definitely fits that description."

The technology powering Call of Cthulhu has provided Headfirst with the means to present an incredibly detailed and accurate depiction of the sights and sounds of this unique 1920’s New England setting. A diverse range of cutting edge special effects is utilized to ensure both unprecedented levels of realism and an exact portrayal of your mental degradation.

Call of Cthulhu is scheduled for release in early 2004 and will be on display at E3 this year.