Editorial Contacts:

Brooke Hammerling                              Erica Rogers

PR21, Inc.                                            Kohnke Communications

212-299-8965                                     415-777-4000

brooke.hammerling@pr21.com                 rogers@kohnkecomm.com

XFIRE™ CROSSES 500,000 MARK

Users Report It Dramatically Changes the Way They Play Online Games

Menlo Park, CA – May 12, 2004 – Xfire, Inc. today announced that its free service, Xfire™, is now on over 500,000 gamers’ PC’s around the world.  Xfire automatically tracks when and where gamers’ friends are playing PC games online. With one click, gamers can instantly join their friends’ games or play with friends of friends.  Xfire also lets gamers message their friends who are in-game without crashing their game. 

To download Xfire for free please visit www.xfire.com.

Xfire is dramatically changing the way people play multiplayer games.  Before Xfire, surveys showed that gamers played online with their friends less than 25% of the time.  Now they are able to play with their friends – without the hassle – and having a lot more fun as a result.   "Xfire is the coolest thing I have ever seen.  In the past I tried to play with buddies all the time but it was too hard to find them. Xfire made it really easy,” said The Toppers, an avid Xfire user.  Joe Signorile, another Xfire user, adds, "I've never downloaded anything this useful in my life."  Jonathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, World Champion of Quake 3, UT2003, and Aliens vs. Predator 2 notes, “Xfire is an awesome tool that makes it easy for me and my clanmates to keep track of one another.  Xfire has completely changed the way gamers play online with their friends.”

Xfire has also attracted broad support among game publishers, hardware manufacturers, and big brand companies interested in the gamer market.  Publishers and developers are bundling Xfire with the hottest games, such as Ubisoft’s Far Cry and America’s Army.  Leading hardware vendors including NVIDIA, AMD, Alienware, and PNY will be distributing special skinned versions of Xfire.  “PNY is a strong supporter of PC gaming and is proud to be able to work with Xfire and offer an application to PC gamers that makes it a cinch for them to find their online gaming buddies,” said Craig Wiener, Sr. Marketing Manager for PNY’s Verto Graphic cards.  Other dynamic brands such as Mountain Dew and Spike TV will be creating special skinned versions of Xfire and promoting it with online contests.  For example, Xfire is partnering with Spike TV, the first network for men, to launch the "Build the Biggest Xfire Network" contest. One winner who builds the biggest Spike TV/Xfire network will receive an Alienware Area 51M Enthusiast Portable Gaming Platform.  Mike Cassidy, CEO of Xfire, Inc., said, “We’re proud to announce our newest distribution partners.  They are focused on the same thing we are: making it even more fun to play online PC games.”

Xfire will be exhibiting in America’s Army’s booth #1080 in the South Hall at E3.  To schedule an appointment please contact Kit Ellis at 415-777-4000 or via email at kit@kohnkecomm.com.

Games supported by Xfire currently include: America’s Army: Operations, Battlefield 1942, Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, Dark Age of Camelot, Dark Age of Camelot – Shrouded Isles, Diablo, Diablo II, Dungeon Siege, EverQuest, Halo, Lineage, Lineage II, Medal of Honor Allied Assault, Meridian 59, Neverwinter Nights, PlanetSide, Quake, Quake III Arena, Starcraft, The Temple of Elemental Evil, Unreal Tournament, Unreal Tournament 2003, Unreal Tournament 2004, Warcraft III, Wolfenstein – Enemy Territory, XEvil, Call of Duty, Final Fantasy XI, and many more.

About Xfire

Xfire is the leading online game platform in the world.  The Xfire service (www.xfire.com) is the first (and only) social networking tool for gamers.  Xfire helps gamers play with their friends much more easily.  Xfire is also an IM designed just for gamers.  Xfire is now on over 500,000 gamers’ PC’s in over 100 countries.  Xfire is also the leading platform where multiplayer gamers can play in online prize tournaments.  The company was founded by Dennis “Thresh” Fong (World Champion of Quake), Mike Cassidy (former CEO of Direct Hit), Max Woon, and David Lawee and is located in Menlo Park, CA.  Xfire is funded by Draper Fisher Jurvetson and NEA.