April 1^st, 2004 (12:00am) - Gathering, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and Destineer Publishing Corp., today announced the next two titles in the Close Combat series; Close Combat: First to Fight and Close Combat: Red Phoenix, for the Xbox, PC, and Macintosh systems.

Close Combat: First to Fight, anticipated to be released in late 2004, is a team-based first-person shooter created under the direction of active-duty United States Marines. Close Combat: Red Phoenix is a real-time strategy game loosely based on the best-selling novel Red Phoenix by Larry Bond, and is anticipated for worldwide release in early 2005. Both games are being developed by Destineer and Atomic Games.

The Close Combat titles are being released under Take-Two’s previously announced exclusive multi-product, multi-platform, worldwide distribution and publishing agreement with Destineer. Under this agreement, Gathering will distribute all Destineer products in North America and publish them in Europe.

“We are pleased to add the next two installments of the Close Combat series to Gathering’s expanding portfolio,” said Jeffrey C. Lapin, Chief Executive Officer of Take-Two. “Destineer’s management team has substantial experience in delivering high quality entertainment products and we are excited to be working with them on these and other compelling titles.”

“Gathering understands how to market and distribute hit games,” said Paul Rinde, Chief Executive Officer of Destineer. "We chose to work with Gathering and Take-Two because of the strength of their global publishing and distribution capabilities."