World Champion Crowned in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion International Tournament.

Byung Geon Kang From South Korea Takes Home U.S. $50,000

REDMOND, Wash. - Nov. 7, 2001 - Today on Microsoft Corp.'s campus, 16 champion gaming athletes from around the globe gathered for the Age of Empires® II: The Conquerors Expansion International Tournament, one of the world's most popular online-based tournaments. The finalists celebrated a passion for strategic gameplay while contending for prizes totaling almost $100,000. Byung Geon Kang from South Korea outplayed opponents from around the globe to stake his claim as the best Age of Empires II player in the world.

"Age of Empires II is recognized as one of the leading multiplayer games in the world," said Stuart Moulder, general manager, PC Games, Microsoft. "This tournament allows players from different cultures to come together with a sense of community that transcends geographical borders and highlights the worldwide popularity of real-time strategy games. We were very pleased to watch so many incredible players competing for the $50,000 grand prize."

Qualifying sessions were conducted worldwide for three months, with half the participating countries - including the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany - holding preliminary rounds on Microsoft's Zone.com online gaming service. Developed by Ensemble Studios Inc., Age of Empires is one of the most popular computer game franchises ever, with worldwide licensed sales of more than nine million units. The series has received numerous awards, including the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' "Strategy Game of the Year" awards for Age of Empires, Age of Empires II: Age of Kings and Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion.

For more information on all the players that competed in the final round, please visit the Zone.