newsbytes@clarinet.com (02/04/90)
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1990 JAN 27 (NB) -- Fujitsu is hoping to lure more Japanese buyers to its FM-Towns computer with the new online high-tech game called Habitat. Habitat, a multi-player network game, can only be played using an FM-Towns computer and special software. It was publicly launched on Fuijitsu's own NIFTY-Serve network January 26. While the game is attracting interest, it's also expensive. The cost is at least 30 yen or 20 cents per minute: the game charge is 10 yen, access charge for NIFTY-Serve is 10 yen and another 10 yen for the telephone charge. NIFTY-Serve, however, is offering a special campaign to attract more players. There is no charge for the game until February 9, and current users get a 60 percent discount until the end of July. The service time of the game is between 1 p.m. and 11 p.m. FM-Towns is a 32-bit personal computer with a standard CD-ROM (compact-disk read only memory) player. Fujitsu managed to sell 50,000 units of the machine last fall by marketing additional models with built-in HDD (hard disk drive) The lure of the game is expected to encourage more computer sales. (Naoyuki Yazawa/19900201/Press Contact: Fujitsu, 03-216-3211 NIFTY-Serve, Toll-free, 0120-22-1200)