| Blizzard Entertainment Signs Long-Term
Contract for Core Set of Bitstream's Asian Fonts
Well-known game creator joins list of interactive application developers licensing Bitstream's high-quality fonts Los Angeles, CA and Cambridge, MA — June 10, 2002 — Bitstream Inc. ( NASDAQ: BITS ) announced today and Blizzard Entertainment announced today that Blizzard Entertainment has signed a long-term agreement to license a core set of Bitstream's high-quality Asian fonts for their critically acclaimed Warcraft series of real-time strategy games. Blizzard Entertainment is a premier publisher of entertainment software. Since establishing the Blizzard label in 1994, the company has quickly become one of the most popular and well-respected makers of computer games. Blizzard Entertainment licensed Bitstream's high-quality Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai fonts for its Warcraft series. "As the market for interactive services continues to grow, text readability is a must," said Anna Chagnon, President of Bitstream. "Bitstream has a unique and wide selection of international fonts, including Asian fonts. As markets develop worldwide, Bitstream's high-quality fonts will play a key role in the rapid acceptance of interactive games and applications such as those that Blizzard Entertainment develops, assuring the level of legibility that customers demand." "To provide the quality experience that our customers have come to expect from us, we take into account every single aspect of our games, including the quality of the fonts we use," stated Paul Sams, Senior Vice-President of Business Development at Blizzard Entertainment. "By using Bitstream's fonts for the Asia-localized versions of Warcraft III, we are able to ensure that the text will be stylish, attractive, and legible." Since its debut in 1994, the number-one selling Warcraft series has won industry acclaim and shattered sales records worldwide with nearly 5 million copies sold (based on units shipped). In 1996, Blizzard followed the well-received Warcraft: Orcs and Humans with the critically acclaimed Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, which won multiple Game of the Year awards and is still considered by many critics to be one of the best games ever made. The latest release in the series, Warcraft III, continues the legendary saga, immersing players in a compelling, dynamic 3D world of incredible depth and detail. Daunting monsters roam a landscape filled with merchant camps, enemy strongholds, and magical fountains, while stunning environmental effects bring the world to life. The game includes a robust campaign editor for creating custom 3D maps and unique missions, with scripts for units, spells, and action-packed events. Expanded multiplayer options are also incorporated, allowing players to compete anonymously against one another over Battle.net. About Bitstream Inc. Founded in 1981, Bitstream is the first digital font foundry. In 1999, Bitstream created MyFonts.com, Inc. ( www.myfonts.com), the Web site for finding, trying, and buying fonts on line. Bitstream is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. About Blizzard Entertainment Bitstream and TrueDoc are registered trademarks, and Font Fusion and ThunderHawk are trademarks of Bitstream Inc. Other technologies and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Contact Bob Thomas Lisa Bucek |