TORRANCE, Calif.--Feb. 9, 2005, Leading third-party video game publisher Tecmo® announced today that they have commenced a lawsuit in federal court in Chicago against the members of an Internet message board dedicated to hacking some of the most popular video games available, including Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden®, Dead or Alive® 3, Dead or Alive® Xtreme Beach Volleyball and Dead or Alive® Ultimate(TM), all available for the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft. The Complaint alleges that the defendants, including website administrators Mike Greiling from Eden Prairie, Minn., and Will Glynn from Davie, Fla., as well as a number of as yet unidentified individuals, are responsible for creating, hosting and contributing content to a forum created to foster and facilitate the knowing infringement of Tecmo's proprietary software for its video game titles. Tecmo has pursued and will continue to conduct a widespread investigation to find and identify all offenders in this case.




"We are known for being a technological leader in the video game industry, and we clearly support and respect the innovations which push the boundaries of gaming. However, we believe it is our duty to uphold the integrity of our work," John Inada, General Manager for Tecmo, said. "Hacking of this kind will not be tolerated and we intend to take all necessary measures to protect our intellectual property."

Vigorously protecting its intellectual property rights in the content it publishes, Tecmo charges defendants with, among other things, copyright infringement, circumventing copyright protection systems in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and passing off and unfair competition in violation of both federal copyright law and the laws of the State of Illinois. Tecmo seeks injunctive relief against defendants, as well as recovery of damages for infringement and willful infringement under the Copyright Act.

"On behalf of the game industry, the gamers and all future innovations in gaming, the protection of intellectual property is a serious issue that affects everyone in the game industry, and can no longer be ignored," Inada said. "Ignoring the situation will ultimately hurt future gaming experiences for both casual and hardcore gamers, which is why Tecmo must take action to protect our intellectual property."

About Tecmo, Inc.

Tecmo, Inc., located in Torrance, is a whole subsidiary of Tecmo, LTD in Tokyo, and is a leader in the interactive entertainment industry, and now the wireless entertainment industry with its newest division, Tecmo Mobile. Tecmo develops and publishes video games and content for next-generation consoles and wireless platforms. Tecmo has gained worldwide recognition with product lines such as the brand new Tecmo Bowl® and Ninja Gaiden® for mobile carriers, and award-winning franchises, including Ninja Gaiden®, Dead or Alive®, Fatal Frame®, Monster Rancher® and Gallop Racer®.

About Xbox

Xbox (http://www.xbox.com) is the video game system from Microsoft that brings people together for the most exhilarating game and entertainment experiences. Xbox delivers an expansive collection of breakthrough games, powerful hardware and the unified Xbox Live online service. The new tagline, "it's good to play together," captures the spirit of Xbox as the social hub of the new digital entertainment lifestyle. Xbox is now available in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia.

Xbox is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.