Content To Be Released Two Days in Advance of Film's October 24(th) Worldwide
Launch
VANCOUVER, BC, and SANTA MONICA, CA, October 21, 2014 - Continuing to build its
presence in the game space, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation
global content leader, and Thunder Road Pictures will collaborate with
Starbreeze Studios (FN: STAR) and 505 Games, two independent creators,
publishers and distributors of computer and video games, on exclusive
downloadable John Wick content (DLC) for the PAYDAY 2 game worldwide, the
companies announced today. The unique package of branded game content will be
released tomorrow, October 22(nd), two days ahead of John Wick's October 24(th)
launch in theatres around the world.
The exclusive content produced by OVERKILL Software - a Starbreeze Studio, based
on the professional hit man from the movie, adds a playable John Wick character
to the PAYDAY gang. The DLC will be released as a free update for the PAYDAY 2
game on the Steam platform two days ahead of the film's worldwide theatrical
launch to mark the PAYDAY 2 community reaching the final 1.5 million member
Crimefest milestone. Beginning tomorrow, moviegoers purchasing tickets to John
Wick on Fandango will receive a free download of PAYDAY 2 on Steam.
"We're big fans of PAYDAY 2 and the team at Starbreeze, and we're thrilled to
kick off our partnership with such a cool movie," said Lionsgate EVP of Digital
Marketing Danielle DePalma. "The hyper-real action sequences in the film almost
make you feel like you're watching an insane video game, so we cannot wait to
see John Wick in theaters as well as experience him in the game."
"We continue working with great partners, this time with Lionsgate and their
movie John Wick," said Starbreeze Chief Executive Officer Bo Andersson Klint.
"We've finally got a real hitman on our team. Being able to play as John Wick in
PAYDAY 2 ahead of the movie's release is a great reward for our loyal PAYDAY 2
community, which reached the final milestone of 1.5 million members in our
PAYDAY 2 Steam group before our 12-day Crimefest event."
"Lionsgate's entry into the game space is continuing to build momentum with the
addition of another great partner and a tremendous piece of IP," said Lionsgate
President of Interactive Ventures & Games Peter Levin. "We're delighted to
capitalize on this opportunity to collaborate with a world-class partner like
Starbreeze whose unique action community includes millions of our target fans."
The exclusive package of DLC includes --
* John Wick, a new playable character in PAYDAY 2
* A new perk system called Hitman, which includes features such as Akimbo, the
ability to dual wield weapons, a favorite of John Wick himself
* A new pistol with accompanying weapon modifications and a new knife melee
weapon
* Three cool-looking sunglasses to customize and wear
Lionsgate has also recently announced partnerships with game developers Kabam
and Next Games. The John Wick film is already generating rave reviews and has a
perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
For more information about the PAYDAY 2 Crimefest event, please visit:
www.overkillsoftware.com/crimefest
For more information about the John Wick movie, please visit:
www.johnwickthemovie.com/
ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate, home to The Hunger Games, Twilight and Divergent franchises, is a
premier next generation global content leader with a strong and diversified
presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming
and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms
and international distribution and sales. Lionsgate currently has more than 30
television shows on over 20 different networks spanning its primetime
production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-
acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men and Nurse Jackie, the
comedy Anger Management, the broadcast network series Nashville, the syndication
success The Wendy Williams Show and the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange
is the New Black.
Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as the
blockbuster first two installments of The Hunger Games franchise, The Hunger
Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the first installment of the
Divergent franchise, Now You See Me, Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain, Warm Bodies,
The Possession, Sinister, Roadside Attractions' A Most Wanted Man,
Lionsgate/Codeblack Films' Addicted and Pantelion Films' breakout hit
Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever
released in the U.S.
Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-
DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a
prestigious and prolific library of approximately 16,000 motion picture and
television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as
the foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate
and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment
in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com
ABOUT STARBREEZE
Starbreeze is an independent creator, publisher and distributor of high quality
entertainment products, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. At Starbreeze we
create games by our own design and through licensed content, establishing
franchises that can live and prosper outside the game itself. We live and die by
gameplay.
Starbreeze is pioneering digital self-publishing, currently hosting the largest
community group on the digital distribution platform Steam. Starbreeze's most
recent products include PAYDAY 2, our adrenaline fuelled bank robbing co-op game
and the critically acclaimed adventure game Brothers -A Tale of Two Sons.
Starbreeze AB is publicly traded on Nasdaq OMX First North Premier under the
ticker STAR and the ISIN code: SE0005992831. Starbreeze's brands include
OVERKILL Software and the PAYDAY series.
See www.starbreeze.com for more information.
ABOUT THUNDER ROAD PICTURES
Basil Iwanyk is the founder and owner of Thunder Road Pictures, and his films
have collectively grossed $1.8 billion worldwide. Thunder Road's upcoming films
include the actioner John Wick and the fantasy adventure "Seventh Son" directed
by Sergei Bodrov, which stars Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore. Thunder Road is
currently in post-production on the tentpole film Gods of Egypt for Lionsgate
directed by Alex Proyas and Sicario directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring
Benecio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, and Josh Brolin. Also upcoming for Thunder Road
is a feature version of the highly successful video game Splinter Cell directed
by Doug Liman and starring Tom Hardy.
Thunder Road's past films include the epic action adventure Clash of the Titans,
the sequel, Wrath of the Titans, three installments of The Expendables,
Brooklyn's Finest, We Are Marshall and Firewall. Thunder Road most notably
produced the critically acclaimed drama The Town, directed by Ben Affleck.
ABOUT 505 GAMES
505 Games is a global video game publisher focused on offering a broad selection
of titles for players of all ages and levels. The company publishes games on
leading console and handheld platforms as well as for mobile devices and social
networks. Product highlights include, Sniper Elite 3, PAYDAY 2, Brothers - A
Tale of Two Sons, Terraria, How To Survive, Defense Grid 2, and the upcoming
ABZU and Adr1ft.
505 Games has offices in Los Angeles, Milton Keynes, UK, Lyon, Munich, Milan and
Madrid and a network of distribution partners within the Nordic territories and
Australia. For more information on 505 Games and its products please visit
www.505games.com.
For more information please contact:
Bo Andersson Klint, CEO, Starbreeze AB
Tel: +46(0)8-209 208, email: ir@starbreeze.com
Julie Fontaine, EVP Publicity, Lionsgate
Tel: 310-255-4970, email: jfontaine@lionsgate.com
Brandon Cox, 505 Games
Tel: 818-257-3622, email: bcox@505games.com
[HUG#1864546]
LIONSGATE AND THUNDER ROAD PICTURES ANNOUNCE WORLDWIDE COLLABORATION WITH GAME PUBLISHERS STARBREEZE AND 505 GAMES ON EXCLUSIVE JOHN WICK DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT FOR PAYDAY 2 GAME
| Source: Starbreeze AB