Hypothetical Software Launches Sleuth: Shades of Mystery to User Acclaim

March, 2008

SEATTLE, WASH. – March 29, 2008. Earlier this month, Hypothetical Software (Hypoware) launched a new online detective game, Sleuth: Shades of Mystery, which connects players of all ages from all over the globe one gumshoe at a time. Sleuth: Shades of Mystery is an open-ended, detective role playing game, in which players can solve countless mysteries in an online community made up of users that hail from Australia to Malaysia to Croatia.

Technical Director, Ben Ringold, says that the game is distinctive from other detective and mystery games on the internet because it is not just about logic puzzles; it is also about making friends. “What’s great about Shades of Mystery is that it combines the entertainment and popularity of a point-and-click game with the community of a social network.” Players can solve crimes solo by searching for clues, questioning suspects and interviewing witnesses or they can form a detective agency with other players. So, a typical agency could house a diverse array of users such as a stay-at-home mom in Michigan, a Marine stationed in Iraq, and a retired school teacher from the Philippines.

Sleuth: Shades of Mystery can be found online, along with the first game in the series, Sleuth: Noir, at www.playsleuth.com. Limited game play is free, but premium content is available with a monthly subscription. Currently, a subscription to Sleuth costs $9.00 a month, per detective. Players may subscribe for more than one month at a discount rate.

Established in 2004, Hypothetical Software first found success with Sleuth, a fun on-line mystery game with a devoted player base. Hypoware continues to explore the crossroads between gaming and community by creating rich, unique and satisfying virtual environments for all kinds of people. More information at www.hypoware.com.

About Sleuth

Sleuth (www.playsleuth.com) is an open-ended, detective role playing game (RPG) where you solve mysteries by searching for clues, questioning suspects and interviewing witnesses. Every mystery is unique with different victims, suspects and clues. All mysteries are solvable, in fact there are always two ways to solve any single mystery, but player skill and a small amount of luck are necessary to nab the guilty suspect.

Sleuth is published by Hypothetical Software Inc.