Product: Dolby, Activision Partner For 5.1 Surround Sound

Dolby Laboratories and major publisher Activision have announced a new partnership to optimize Activision's North American game development studios for Dolby technologies. Starting today, Dolby officials note that the company is assisting Activision in optimizing its audio production facilities in North America in order for more Activision releases to include support for Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. While select games have featured Dolby in the past, this is the first time a publisher has had Dolby come into its studios to standardize for all new games across the board in Dolby sound. Activision worked with Dolby last year to optimize Call of Duty 2 for the Xbox 360 for Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Activision officials now note that the majority of its future titles released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 feature similar support as well. “We are glad to be working so closely with a major publisher like Activision to help the company deliver more vivid and engaging surround sound experiences to gamers,” said Douglas Greenfield, senior director of Dolby Laboratories' Production Services Group. Activision's director of audio Adam Levenson added: “We are thrilled to be working with Dolby, the undisputed leader in surround sound technology...Gamers today want the realism and full emotional impact that only rich surround sound can deliver. Our partnership with Dolby is an important step we are taking to bring the very best game play experiences to gamers around the world.”