Club Connect is the first WorldsAway virtual world to open its doors to other Internet communities. Corporate partners will have exclusive customized rooms within Club Connect where their community members or customers can interact using avatar-based chat technology.

The first corporate partners to participate in Club Connect are CRIPmedia, NetNoir, PlanetOut, and XOOM. Each of these companies is developing a large Internet community focused around specific issues, interests, or affinities. The partners benefit from revenue generated by monthly subscriptions and the additional time members spend with their brand. Members benefit from having a safe place to conduct meaningful real-time communication with one another.

PlanetOut is the largest gay and lesbian Internet community, and it receives more than 500,000 unique monthly visitors. "PlanetOut chose Fujitsu's WorldsAway technology for its avatar-based chat because the user experience is the best of all the visual chat technologies we evaluated, and because of its proven, stable track record over many years," said Tom Rielly, founder and CEO, PlanetOut. "We hope our members will enjoy a richer community experience, and will come back more frequently and stay longer, as a result of their using WorldsAway-based chat." (http://www.planetout.com)

NetNoir, the Soul of Cyberspace, is the number one online community for black interactive culture and entertainment. "NetNoir is partnering with Fujitsu to provide users of the NetNoir Online service with the ultimate interactive experience in chat on the Internet," said E. David Ellington, President and CEO NetNoir, Inc. "We know our users will love the avatar-driven virtual world and high level of interactivity. There is a significant difference between just 'reading' a discussion and actually being able to 'see' an audience." (http://www.netnoir.com)

XOOM helps consumers build free web sites organized into diverse communities and was ranked 21st among U.S. sites with the largest traffic on the web in June 1998 by Relevant Knowledge. "XOOM is pleased to announce a partnership with WorldsAway," said Laurent Massa, President and CEO, XOOM. "This alliance will enable XOOM's two million member base to communicate with a face in cyberspace. Members of XOOM's 300 online communities and XOOM's growing chat hub will be provided with the opportunity to use WorldsAway avatar-based chat technology, providing members with an added dimension to their online experience." (http://www.xoom.com)

CRIPmedia operates CRIPworld, the largest online service for disabled people. "Many disabled people find enormous freedom in virtual worlds where avatars can walk, jump, and dance for them," said Kimberley Barreda, President, CRIPmedia. "We are pleased to be able to offer our members this avatar-based chat technology as a natural extension of our CRIPworld web site." (http://www.cripworld.com)

"We are extremely pleased with the very high caliber of Internet community that has been drawn to the Club Connect concept," said David Andrews, Vice President of WorldsAway Products and Services Business Unit. "Traffic to partner suites will be generated through promotion on the partner's web site as well as by cross-promotion with other WorldsAway virtual worlds."

Live Interactive Press Event
Fujitsu will host an open house on Friday July 24, 1998 to celebrate Club Connect's grand opening. All members of the press are invited to attend a virtual press conference from 10 to 11 am. From 11 to 12 pm, the four corporate partners - CRIPMedia, NetNoir, PlanetOut, and XOOM - will host open houses within their exclusive Club Connect rooms. All day grand opening events will include guided tours, games, activities, and prizes. Contact Leslie Majors at (310) 664-6710 (ext.109) or leslie@iagency.com to get a free software client and a complimentary account to enter the virtual world.

WorldsAway Virtual Worlds
WorldsAway technology from Fujitsu Systems Business of America (FSBA) enables the development and management of virtual worlds inhabited by electronic avatars. It is proven software for fostering a cohesive online community as evidenced by the several hundred thousand subscribers of Dreamscape, Hotel Silicon, and Habitat II (Japan). WorldsAway technology is now available to any web developer who wants to create and sustain a viable community on the Internet (http://www.worldsaway.com).