Avid to Showcase Game Creation and Asset Management Solutions at GDC 2004TEWKSBURY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2004--Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID) today announced that it will demonstrate industry-leading technology at the 2004 Game Developers Conference (GDC), to be held in San Jose, Calif. March 24 - 26. Avid will exhibit at two separate locations on the show floor: booth # 1528, featuring Softimage^® nonlinear 3-D animation content creation tools; and booth # 423, displaying NXN's industry-leading digital asset management solutions. Technology demos in both locations will offer attendees a look at new, innovative tools that streamline the complex production processes associated with game development.

"The gaming industry is experiencing tremendous growth, with unit sales for video game consoles from major manufacturers increasing by more than 26% from January 2003 to January 2004 - fueled by the growing number of consumers who have an insatiable desire to play interactive games that deliver near-reality experiences. Our 3-D animation software and digital asset management solutions are enabling the world's leading developers to create new games at an extraordinary pace," said Joe Bentivegna, vice president of video development and operations for Avid.

"Each year, GDC brings together some of the most talented game developers in the world, making it the perfect venue for Avid to demonstrate its commitment to advancing cutting-edge game creation technology," continued Bentivegna. "This year, developers will experience major improvements to the asset management capabilities of alienbrain Studio, as well Avid's assurance to retain openness and support for a range of third-party 3-D content creation applications in the product. In addition, Softimage will extend its arsenal of animation tools - with a free version of SOFTIMAGE|XSI that will work with the highly anticipated Valve game Half-Life 2."

During GDC 2004, Avid's 3-D animation division, Softimage, will showcase SOFTIMAGE^®|XSI^® EXP for Half-Life^® 2 - a free version of its award-winning 3-D nonlinear production environment designed to work exclusively with Half-Life 2, the sci-fi adventure game created by Valve (announced today in a separate release). The software, which is expected to be available for download from the Softimage website (www.softimage.com/HL2) by Wednesday, March 24, allows developers to create and modify characters, props, and scenery within Half-Life 2 and other Valve Source^™ engine-powered titles, and then output their creations directly into the games.

NXN, which was acquired by Avid in January of this year, will use GDC as the venue to launch version 7 of alienbrain Studio, its next-generation asset management system. Users will experience powerful enhancements to alienbrain Studio 7, all of which allow creative development teams to significantly improve their performance through process optimizations, enhanced usability, and innovative feature upgrades, including new change management functionality.

For more information about SOFTIMAGE|XSI EXP for Half-Life 2, please visit: www.softimage.com. For more information about alienbrain Studio 7, please visit: www.nxn-software.com.

About Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology, Inc. is the world leader in digital nonlinear media creation, management, and distribution solutions, enabling film, video, audio, animation, games, and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively, and creatively. For more information about the company's Oscar^®, Grammy^®, and Emmy^® award-winning products and services, please visit: www.avid.com.

^© 2004 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice. Avid, Digidesign, Film Composer, Pro Tools and SOFTIMAGE and XSI are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. NXN and alienbrain are trademarks of NXN Software AG in the United States and/or other countries. Avid received an Oscar statuette representing the 1998 Scientific and Technical Award for the concept, design, and engineering of the Avid^® Film Composer^® system for motion picture editing. Digidesign, Avid's audio division, received an Oscar statuette representing the 2003 Scientific and Technical Award for the design, development, and implementation of its Pro Tools^® digital audio workstation. Oscar is a trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Emmy is a registered trademark of ATAS/NATAS. Grammy is a trademark of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc. Valve and Half-Life are trademarks of Valve Corporation. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

NOTE TO EDITORS: In the name SOFTIMAGE|XSI noted in this news release, there is a pipe symbol between SOFTIMAGE and XSI. This symbol may not appear properly in some systems.

CONTACT: Avid Technology
Carter Holland, 978-640-3172
carter_holland@avid.com

SOURCE: Avid Technology