April 29^th, 2002 (12:00am) - Santa Clara, CA., April 29, 2002 - Analog Devices, Inc. ADI, a global leader in high-performance semiconductors for signal processing applications, today announced that its advanced audio rendering technology, SoundMAX(R) SPX, has been incorporated into Fox Interactive’s new PC game Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza, developed by Piranha Games of Vancouver, Canada. SoundMAX SPX’s "animated audio" -- interactive, event-driven sounds that respond to game physics, environmental variables and user input - allows for hyper-realistic audio as the player navigates through 40 floors of under-construction office space. Co-published by Fox Interactive and Vivendi Universal Interactive, Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza shipped to stores last week.

"Creating a game to match the intensity of the Die Hard film series was a great challenge," said Russ Bullock, president of Piranha Games. "SoundMAX SPX allowed us to create individual audio effects and unique sounds for every single surface and footstep pattern in the game. It’s really quite impressive and it will bring players further into this action-packed world."

"SoundMAX SPX has many different qualities and applications, so it’s always exciting to see how developers choose to utilize it," said Beth Doherty, director of business development, Analog Devices, Inc. "The dynamic, realistic audio that permeates through Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza is a credit to the amazing work of the Piranha audio team."

"The Die Hard film series was one of the most explosive, and popular, in movie history, and SoundMAX SPX is helping bring the movie’s audio fireworks from the big screen to the computer screen," said Ivo Gerscovich, director of strategic alliance for Fox Interactive. "When every footstep can mean a player’s ultimate success or defeat, it is vital that the game has an audio solution that provides the best sound possible; Analog Devices’ SoundMAX SPX delivers."

Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza combines all the exciting elements of the original Die Hard movie in an action/adventure game set in the 3D environment of Nakatomi Plaza. With 40 floors of new office space under construction, John McClane must navigate his way through terrorists, civilians and hostages to save himself and his wife from the terrorists who have this high rise of horror under siege.