Poker News

Multi-Player Texas Hold 'Em Game First in a Series of World Poker Tour-Branded Mobile Applications MFORMA Will Bring to Market

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 24, 2005-- MFORMA Group, Inc. and WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:WPTE), announced the release of World Poker Tour(TM) Texas Hold 'Em, a new multiplayer mobile poker game that is coming soon to mobile phones everywhere and incorporates elements of World Poker Tour (WPT), the highest rated TV series in the history of the Travel Channel. World Poker Tour, one of the world's leading poker brands, and MFORMA, the world leader in mobile entertainment, are collaborating to capitalize on the current poker phenomenon and the accelerating demand for casino-style mobile games. World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em features real-time, six-player capability. World Poker Tour, which reinvented poker as a televised spectator sport, will launch its third season on March 2, 2005 and airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the Travel Channel.

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"We set out to make the best mobile poker game, and we are very pleased to be working with World Poker Tour to bring World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em to market," said Scott Jensen, vice president, head of licensing and brand partnerships for MFORMA. "The World Poker Tour has vastly increased the audience for poker and this game, associated with the leading poker brand, delivers the most realistic poker environment in mobile. This game incorporates the style of the popular TV show and each of our WPT-branded applications will allow interaction with the show or WPT events through promotions, on-air commentary, tournaments, and prizes."

World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em features superior graphics and a unique way of displaying the environment as the camera pans smoothly from side-to-side to follow the action. Gamers can play against five others at one time, simulating a real six-player-to-a table-game. Play against friends or foes and increase career chip counts or play in an online elimination tournament for prizes.

"The tournament play and weekly awarding of prizes will not only be fun, but will also keep users engaged on a continual basis," said Audrey Kania, executive vice president of WPT Enterprises, Inc. "Our collaboration with MFORMA has yielded a very exciting mobile multiplayer poker experience and we are very pleased to see World Poker Tour go mobile."

MFORMA and World Poker Tour are working closely together on marketing and are offering unique opportunities to maximize the user experience. Players can compete to win WPT-branded merchandise that will be awarded as prizes to winners every week. Unique grand prizes, such as trips to view a live taping or participate in a WPT televised tournament, will also be awarded. MFORMA and World Poker Tour will promote the prize offerings through many channels, including online and on-air marketing, and joint promotions with wireless operators.

World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em will be available beginning next month to leading wireless operators in North America, and then Europe and Asia.

The licensing relationship between MFORMA and WPT was developed and negotiated by Brandgenuity LLC, WPT's strategic product licensing and merchandising agency of record.

About WPT Enterprises, Inc.

WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:WPTE - News) is a media and entertainment company engaged in the creation of branded entertainment through the development, production and marketing of televised programming based on poker and other gaming themes. To date, operations have principally revolved around the creation of the WORLD POKER TOUR brand through the production and licensing of a reality television series exhibited on the Travel Channel that is based on a circuit of previously-established high-stakes poker tournaments that has been affiliated under the "WORLD POKER TOUR" brand. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq:LACO - News). Photos and media information can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com.

About MFORMA Group, Inc.

MFORMA is a leading global publisher and distributor of mobile entertainment. MFORMA provides wireless operators and their customers with the world's best content and brands, and provides developers and brand owners with the shortest route to market. MFORMA's customers include more than 100 of the world's leading wireless carriers. In addition to the industry's most comprehensive catalog of BREW, Java, SMS, MMS, and WAP games, MFORMA also provides sports, lifestyle and information services subscription products. MFORMA's carrier-grade platform manages the delivery of downloadable games and applications for some of the world's largest carriers. With MFORMA, wireless operators can choose to utilize any or all of the MFORMA resources -- tools, platforms and/or content. MFORMA is headquartered in Bellevue, WA, USA with facilities in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego; London and Bollington, England; Shanghai and Beijing, China; and Seoul, Korea. (www.mforma.com)

World Poker Tour is a trademark of WPT Enterprises, Inc. © 2005 WPT Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved