Disney Interactive Studios and Black Rock Studio Repeat as Best Racing Game Winner for Split/Second -- Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2009

Split/Second, the action racing game from Disney Interactive Studios and Black Rock Studio, was selected this morning as Best Racing Game in the Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2009. The award gives Black Rock Studio back-to-back victories in the category and marks the first time a development studio repeated in the racing category with different original properties.

"The award is tremendous recognition for the innovation and uniqueness of Split/Second, which distinguished it from other established racing franchises and new properties,” said Tony Beckwith, vice president and general manager, Black Rock Studio. "Being the first development studio to win this award consecutively with two different racing game properties recognizes the accomplishments of both of our development teams.”

Set within the world of a hyper-competitive reality television show in a made-for-TV city rigged for destruction, Split/Second is an intense action racing game in which competitors can trigger events that take out opponents or completely change the track as they compete for the ultimate prize – to become the season’s champion. Split/Second will be released in early 2010 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. Split/Second is currently available for pre-order at select major retail chains.

Split/Second was also selected for X-Play’s Best Racing Game of E3 2009 from G4 and was nominated for numerous other E3 awards.

The Game Critics Awards are chosen by a consortium of video games media representing 29 industry and consumer publications. The annual awards recognize the most outstanding products shown at the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) which was held June 2-4, 2009.

Black Rock Studio is also the development studio behind the critically acclaimed 2008 action sports game, PURE. PURE won numerous awards, including the Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2008 for Best Racing Game, and was named among the top 10 video games of 2008 by Entertainment Weekly. Formerly Climax Racing, Black Rock Studio is a development studio of Disney Interactive Studios and is based in Brighton, England.

About Disney Interactive Studios

Disney Interactive Studios, part of Disney Interactive Media Group, is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games, mobile games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California, and has internal development studios around the world. For more information, log on to http://www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.

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