Immersion Launches Gaming Software That Immediately Enables Force Feedback for the Vast Majority of PC Games; TouchWare Gaming Turns Sound Waves into Touch Sensations
SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct 1, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Immersion Corp. (Nasdaq:IMMR), a leading developer and licensor of force feedback technology, today released TouchWare® Gaming, a breakthrough software product for the PC gaming industry that adds force feedback effects to the vast majority of all PC Windows-based games, whether they were originally designed with force feedback or not.
Force feedback, also referred to as haptics or simulated touch, can dramatically enhance a game by allowing a user to actually feel on-screen events, user movements and commands. Despite force feedback's broad appeal, over 90% of PC games still have limited or no haptic effects. To solve this problem, TouchWare Gaming® analyzes a game's sound effects, converts them using sophisticated algorithms, and maps them into appropriate force feedback effects on old and new PC games running on Windows 95 or higher. Games come alive with a wide range of touch sensations such as the crushing force of totaling a car in Rock Star Games' Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the blast of a spell in Electronic Art's Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets, and the boom of a corner kick in EA's FIFA Soccer.
"The few hundred force feedback PC games on the market today pales in comparison to the worldwide installed base of over 4 million force feedback gaming peripherals," said Dean Chang, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Technology Adoption and Partner Services at Immersion. "We developed TouchWare Gaming so the owners of those 4 million peripherals plus future buyers of force feedback gaming peripherals can experience realistic and fun force feedback in thousands of new and old PC games, regardless of whether a game developer explicitly added force feedback support or not."
In the five years since 1998, the number of installed force feedback peripherals has grown to 4.62 million. It is estimated that today only 15 percent of all gamers have force feedback peripherals. Now the other 85 percent will have compelling reasons to buy products made by Immersion's licensing partners, including Logitech, Microsoft, Saitek, Thrustmaster and Belkin. TouchWare Gaming software fundamentally changes the gaming experience, enabling players to enjoy force feedback in PC games by easily installing the downloaded software.
Chang continued, "After years of research, we have created an intelligent way to turn sound waves into haptic effects. This technology breakthrough shows our long and deep commitment to the gaming industry."
Pricing and Availability
TouchWare Gaming is available as an easy-to-install download for gamers at http://www.immersion.com/twg/ for $39.95. For a limited time only, Immersion is now offering TouchWare Gaming at a discount price of $29.95.
About Immersion (http://www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corp. is a recognized leader in developing, licensing and marketing haptic technology and products. Bringing value to markets where user/product interaction needs to be made more compelling, safer or productive, Immersion helps its partners develop and increase competitive advantage and broaden market reach by making the use of touch sense feedback as critical a user experience as sight and sound. Immersion's technology is deployed across personal computing, entertainment, medical training, automotive and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion and its wholly owned subsidiaries hold more than 190 issued patents worldwide.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including in particular statements about the impact of TouchWare® technology on the PC gaming and force feedback peripherals markets. Forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on current information, which we have assessed but which by its nature is dynamic and subject to rapid and even abrupt changes. Immersion does not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with Immersion's business which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for Immersion's touch-enabled technology products.
Risks and uncertainties related to Immersion's business in addition to those described above are further outlined in Immersion's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These reports are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Immersion is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
TouchWare is a trademark of Immersion Corporation.
SOURCE: Immersion Corporation
Immersion Corporation Bridget McQueen, 408-350-8778 bmcqueen@immersion.com or A&R Partners for Immersion Elizabeth Conrady, 650-762-2815 econrady@arpartners.com
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