Official Xbox Mag Extension

Future Network PLC
05 July 2004

5 July 2004

                             The Future Network plc

             Official Xbox Magazine partnership extended until 2011

The Future Network plc, the international specialist consumer magazine group,
today announces that is has agreed with Microsoft a significant extension, to 31
December 2011, of the licence to publish the Official Xbox Magazine.

The new arrangement means that Future has the exclusive, worldwide rights
(excluding Japan) to publish official magazines for Microsoft Xbox products
until 31 December 2011.

The magazine was launched by Future in the US in October 2001, and in the UK,
France and Italy in February 2002. It is also published by Future in Germany,
and under licence in Spain, Australia, Portugal and Taiwan. Official Xbox
Magazine is the biggest-ever single format title in the US, with current monthly
sales of 400,000. To date, across the group Future has sold over 14 million
copies of the magazine.

Future's Chief Executive Greg Ingham said, 'This is the longest and most
extensive magazine deal in the computer games industry. Indeed, we believe it
may well be one of the most extensive international licensing deals of any sort
in the magazine industry. We are delighted and look forward to continuing our
successful partnership with Microsoft.'

For Microsoft, Corporate Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Publishing,
Peter Moore said, 'Future have done a great job for us since we launched Xbox.
We've got some incredible plans for the format, and see Future playing a key
role internationally for us as our official magazine publisher. The length of
this contract speaks to our continuing high regard for Future.'

Enquiries:


The Future Network plc

Greg Ingham, Chief Executive                Tel: [phone]
John Bowman, Finance Director               Tel: [phone]

Hogarth Partnership

James Longfield/Georgina Briscoe            Tel: [phone]


Notes to editors

The Future Network plc announced on 16 October 2000 that it had won the
exclusive international rights to publish the official magazine for Microsoft's
Xbox. The contract was initially for three years to March 2005 with an automatic
two-year extension to March 2007, subject to Future achieving certain
circulation targets.

As part of the extension announced today and in view of the success achieved to
date, the 2005 circulation targets have been waived and the contract now runs
until 31 December 2011.


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