Konami Digital Entertainment - America hosts Yu-Gi-Oh! U.S. Finals Videogame Tournament

Duelists From Around the Country to Participate on June 24th in Redwood City, Calif.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - June 21, 2005 - Konami Digital Entertainment America, a division of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., today announced details of the Yu-Gi-Oh! U.S. Finals video game tournament. For the past few months, Konami searched the nation for the best Yu-Gi-Oh! players via an online contest that tested duelists' knowledge of the Yu-Gi-Oh! property. Winners from the Web contest will progress to the U.S. Finals, which will be held at the Konami Digital Entertainment - America offices, located in Redwood City, Calif. on June 24th. The tournament will pit 16 of the nation's best Yu-Gi-Oh! duelists against one another. The top five winners from the U.S. Finals will win valuable prizes as well as travel to Japan and compete against the best duelists in the world at the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2005 Tournament in Tokyo August 5^th - 7^th.

"The Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise is an important property in Konami's outstanding and diverse video game library," said Geoff Mulligan, Chief Operating Officer of Konami Digital Entertainment - America. "Through this tournament, we are supporting the Yu-Gi-Oh! community by giving the best duelists around the country the opportunity to show off their skills, share in their experiences and prove who will be the ultimate Yu-Gi-Oh! video game champion."

Konami launched its Web based search for the best Yu-Gi-Oh! duelists on April 1^st, 2005. Hundreds of people from all over the country chimed in at the chance to compete in the U.S. Finals video game tournament. Fourteen lucky duelists advanced to the U.S. Finals by correctly answering the numerous Yu-Gi-Oh! related questions posted to the Web site. In addition, two of the top participants from last year's tournament have also been invited to return this year to compete once again for a coveted spot on the U.S. Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship team. These 16 players will compete in the U.S. Finals using the Yu-Gi-Oh! 7 Trials to Glory World Championship Tournament 2005 videogame for the Game Boy® Advance.

Konami will host the Yu-Gi-Oh! U.S. Finals video game tournament on June 24th from 9:00am - 3:00pm at Konami Digital Entertainment - America's offices in Redwood City, Calif. Sixteen finalists will compete in a bracketed tournament for the opportunity to claim the Yu-Gi-Oh! U.S. Video Game Champion title, and an outstanding prize package, which will include a copy of Yu-Gi-Oh! Online (PC), Master Collection set and a limited edition booster pack of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards from Upper Deck(tm), Yu-Gi-Oh! branded merchandise, and a spot to duel in the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2005 Tournament in Tokyo, Japan. 

To learn more about the U.S. Finals and the Yu-Gi-Oh! 7 Trials to Glory World Championship Tournament 2005 video game, please visit: http://www.2005tournament.com . To get more information about the acclaimed new online game Yu-Gi-Oh! Online, please visit: www.yugioh-online.net . Yu-Gi-Oh! Online faithfully reproduces Konami's "Yu-Gi-Oh! Official Card Game" over the Internet and makes it possible to play, duel and interact online with players around the world.

About Konami Corporation
Konami Corporation is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties, specializing in the home video game market. Konami Corporation's action and adventure titles include the popular franchises Metal Gear Solid®, Silent Hill® and Castlevania®, among other top sellers. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Web at www.konami.com. Konami Corporation is a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan with subsidiary offices, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. in the US and Konami of Europe in Frankfurt, Germany. Konami Corporation, the parent company of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. is traded in the United States on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KNM. Details of the products published by Konami Digital Entertainment - America can be found at www.konami.com/gs.