NASCAR Racing 2003 Season Has Shipped

NASCAR 2003 has shipped to retailers! Sierra announced the news today.

Press release text below:

BE THE FIRST TO DRIVE THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE NASCAR® RACING FRANCHISE
Vivendi Universal Games’ NASCAR® Racing 2003 Season Has Shipped

BELLEVUE, WA (February 11, 2003) – Vivendi Universal Games announced that NASCAR® Racing 2003 Season has shipped to retail locations nationwide. Developed by Massachusetts-based Papyrus Racing Games and published by Sierra Entertainment, NASCAR® Racing 2003 Season features new 3D graphics, an enhanced physics model developed with the input of official NASCAR® team engineers, and informative driving aids for both seasoned and novice drivers. In addition, the game is the first to include 2003 NASCAR® Cup series teams, sponsors, and tracks.

“For over a decade, we have brought authentic and immersive driving experiences to the PC marketplace,” said Charles Holtzclaw, Brand Manager at Sierra Entertainment, Inc., “We’re confident that NASCAR® Racing 2003 Season will be a new benchmark in this successful line of outstanding titles.”

NASCAR® Racing 2003 Season showcases new dynamic 3D graphics including a populated pit row, team war wagons, pit signs, aerial objects such as planes, helicopters, blimps, and more. In addition, the enhanced AI automatically adjusts to match the player’s driving ability, allowing both rookies and veterans the opportunity to trade paint with the pros. Inspired by the exhilarating world of actual NASCAR® Cup racing, drivers can also choose to compete against a full field of 42 NASCAR® drivers online via Internet or LAN in NASCAR® Racing 2003 Season.

NASCAR® Racing 2003 Season ships with a suggested retail price of $49.99. The game is rated “E” for everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). More information about the game can be found at www.sierra.com.

ABOUT NASCAR

The NASCAR Licensing and Retail Development team that is based in Charlotte, NC, is committed to creating retail programs that provide value to NASCAR sponsors, promotional partners, licensees as well as drivers, teams and tracks. Under the direction of Mark Dyer, VP of Licensing & Consumer Products, and managing director Dee Scott, the department researches new categories, licenses qualified companies, handles quality control, and develops retail partnerships in an effort to drive sales of NASCAR-licensed product. NASCAR supports its line of licensed products through an integrated marketing strategy including annual trade advertising, a comprehensive retail guide, trade show exhibits, a quarterly newsletter and a dedicated web presence on NASCAR.com.

About Vivendi Universal Games

Headquartered in New York, Vivendi Universal Games is a global leader in multi-platform interactive entertainment. A leading publisher of PC, console and online-based interactive content, Vivendi Universal Games’ portfolio of development studios includes Black Label Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Coktel, Knowledge Adventure, NDA Productions, Sierra Entertainment and Universal Interactive. Through its Partner Publishing Group, Vivendi Universal Games also co-publishes and/or distributes interactive products for a number of strategic partners, including Bits Software, Crave Entertainment, Fox Interactive, Interplay, Majesco, Mythic Entertainment and Simon & Schuster, among others.

About Sierra

Sierra, a studio Vivendi Universal Games, is one of the earliest developers and largest worldwide publishers of interactive entertainment software. Based in Bellevue, Washington, Sierra has released critically acclaimed and award-winning titles that represent a wide variety of comp uter entertainment on game consoles and PC platforms.