June 25^th, 2003 (12:00am) - Gamers can suit up for top-secret covert operations with the release of Activision, Inc.’s highly anticipated first-person action game, Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix, for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. Based on the critically acclaimed PC title from Raven Software, the game features all of the intense, gritty action found in the original, plus full Xbox(tm) Live support for mayhem-packed, all-out multi-player combat. Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix for the Xbox is currently available at North American retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $49.99 and carries an "M" (Mature - Blood, Violence - content suitable for persons ages 17 and older) rating by the ESRB.

"The intensity and firepower of Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix can now be enjoyed by a whole new audience of console gamers," said Larry Goldberg, executive vice president, Activision Worldwide Studios. "With features like multi-player gaming supported by Xbox Live, new unlockable content and the random mission generator, Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix will have Xbox enthusiasts trigger happy to jump into action."

Developed by Gratuitous Games, Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix envelops players into the role of John Mullins, a Special Forces officer and military consultant working for a top-secret anti-terrorist agency known as "The Shop." As Mullins, gamers engage in fierce firefights throughout 55 fast-paced missions located in the world’s deadliest hotspots such as the deep jungles of Columbia, the frozen wastelands of Kamchatka and the streets of Hong Kong. Missions include a wide range of objectives from stealth infiltration and intelligence gathering, to search and destroy - each granting players access to an intense arsenal of 25 real-world weapons including the MK 23 US SOCOM, M4 with M203 grenade launcher, MSG90A1 military sniper rifle, MM-1 40mm grenade launcher and OICW next generation weapon system.

In addition to the intense single-player campaign, Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix also includes full multi-player action via System Link and Xbox Live support. Gamers can choose from 20 multi-player maps and six game types, including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Demolition, Infiltration, Elimination and Capture The Flag, as they run-n-gun against up to 12 players. Xbox Live consumers can look forward to additional unlockable content offered at a later date.