Midway Reports 2008 Q3 Results

Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY) today announced results of operations for the three month period ended September 30, 2008. The Company also provided revenue and earnings guidance for the fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2008.

THIRD QUARTER RESULTS

Net revenues for the 2008 third quarter were $51.4 million, compared to the 2007 third quarter net revenues of $36.7 million and in line with prior guidance of approximately $52 million. The 2008 third quarter net loss was $75.9 million, or a loss of $0.83 per basic and diluted share, compared with a 2007 third quarter net loss of $33.5 million, or a loss of $0.37 per basic and diluted share, and below the Company’s revised guidance of a loss of $0.70, primarily due to additional amortization and writedowns of capitalized product development costs.

On a non-GAAP basis, excluding the impact of stock option expense and other non-cash items, the 2008 third quarter loss was $66.3 million or a loss of $0.72 per basic and diluted share, below the Company’s revised non-GAAP guidance of a loss of $0.60. For the 2007 third quarter, on a non-GAAP basis, the Company reported a loss of $28.0 million, or a loss of $0.31 per basic and diluted share. A reconciliation of non-GAAP results to GAAP results is provided at the end of this press release.

"In the second and third quarters of 2008 we have focused on addressing several critical issues that were affecting the ability of our company to achieve success, and the third quarter results and associated non-cash charges reflect that effort,” said Matt Booty, president and CEO. "Our current focus is the upcoming launch of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, which aligns our Company with the exceptional Warner Bros. brand of DC Comics. We expect that the fourth quarter will represent significant progress toward completion of these efforts, and that we will enter 2009 with a renewed focus on Midway’s key strengths.”

OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS

During the third quarter, Midway executed on several operational milestones, including the combination of its Southern California studios, the optimization of its Austin facility and cancellation of an associated unannounced game, and the entrance into a receivables factoring agreement to offset the costs related to manufacturing its fall game releases. These operational milestones, combined with the Company’s favorable exit from underperforming licenses early in the fourth quarter, are designed to ensure successful launches, minimize costs, and focus resources on Midway’s strongest licenses, core game franchises such as Mortal Kombat, TNA iMPACT! and Wheelman, as well as future licenses and new IP.

Other recent operating highlights include:

• During the third quarter, Midway released three well-received games: TNA iMPACT! for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, and Wii worldwide, and in North America Unreal Tournament III for Xbox 360 and Mortal Kombat: Kollection for the PS2.
• In August, Midway’s expansive line-up for this holiday season and beyond was received very positively at Games Convention 2008 in Leipzig, Germany, with more than 200,000 consumers and press in attendance.
• In October, Midway launched Blitz: The League II, with significant media support from the game’s cover athlete, Lawrence Taylor.
• On October 30, 2008, Midway announced that Matthew V. Booty was appointed by the Board of Directors as President and CEO of the company, and on November 5, 2008, Midway announced that Ryan G. O’Desky has been named CFO and Senior Vice President - Finance.

"During the quarter we executed on a series of strategic and financial moves that reinforce our commitment to developing games that meet clear profitability and scheduling goals. While some of those steps negatively impacted earnings, they were necessary to ensure we are better positioned for long-term success,” noted Matt Booty, president and CEO. "More importantly, we launched three high quality games, and completed the final touches on our highly anticipated fourth quarter releases.”

OUTLOOK

During the fourth quarter, the Company has already released worldwide Blitz: The League II for PS3 and Xbox 360, Game Party 2 for the Wii, and Touchmaster II and Mechanic Master for Nintendo DS. Midway also announced that it expects its flagship game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe for Xbox 360 and PS3 to be available in stores on November 16^th in North America and November 21^st in Europe. For the fourth quarter ending December 31, 2008, Midway expects the following:

• Net revenues of approximately $105 million, with net loss of approximately $0.20 per basic and diluted share.
• On a non-GAAP basis, Midway expects a fourth quarter loss of approximately $0.07 per basic and diluted share, which excludes approximately $0.13 of stock option expense, non-cash convertible debt interest expense, and deferred income tax expense related to goodwill.

For the full year ending December 31, 2008, Midway expects the following:

• Net revenues of approximately $210 million, with a net loss of approximately $1.78 per basic and diluted share.
• On a non-GAAP basis, Midway expects a full year loss of approximately $1.37 per basic and diluted share, which excludes approximately $0.41 of stock option expense, non-cash convertible debt interest expense, and deferred income tax expense related to goodwill.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Midway has included non-GAAP financial measures in its quarterly results and 2008 fourth quarter and full year outlook. Midway does not intend for the presentation of the non-GAAP financial measures to be isolated from, a substitute for, or superior to the information that has been presented in accordance with GAAP. In addition, information used in the non-GAAP financial measures may be presented differently from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. The non-GAAP financial measures used by Midway include non-GAAP basic and diluted loss per share.

Midway considers the non-GAAP financial measures used herein, when used together with the corresponding GAAP measures, to be helpful in providing meaningful additional information regarding its performance by excluding specific items that may not be indicative of Midway’s core business or projected operating results. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude the following items:

Stock Option Expense. Midway adopted SFAS No. 123R, "Share-Based Payment” beginning January 1, 2006, in which it began to recognize as an expense the fair value of its stock options. A non-GAAP measurement that excludes stock option expense identifies this component of compensation expense that does not require a cash outlay.

Non-cash convertible debt interest expense. In accordance with GAAP, Midway is required to record discounts on its convertible senior notes as a result of decreases in the conversion prices of these notes. These amounts are amortized as interest expense through the first date on which the holders may redeem the notes. There is no cash outlay associated with this interest expense. A non-GAAP measurement that excludes the convertible debt non-cash interest expense allows for a more direct comparison to prior periods, and also distinguishes this interest expense from the remainder of the interest expense, which requires (or required) a cash outlay by Midway.

Deferred tax expense related to goodwill. Midway recognizes deferred tax expense related to increases in the difference between the book basis and tax basis of goodwill. Goodwill is not amortized for book purposes but is amortized for tax purposes. This increase in the book to tax basis difference causes an increase in the related deferred tax liability balance that cannot be offset against deferred tax assets. Given the nature of this deferred tax expense, a non-GAAP measurement that excludes this expense is deemed appropriate.

In the future, Midway may consider whether other significant items should be excluded when arriving at non-GAAP measures of financial performance.

CONFERENCE CALL

Midway Games Inc. is hosting a conference call and simultaneous webcast open to the general public at 4:30 P.M. EST today, Monday, November 10, 2008. The conference call number is (866) 271-0675 or (617) 213-8892 (international callers). The passcode for the call is 23581791. Please call ten minutes in advance to ensure that you are connected prior to the presentation. Interested parties may also access the live call on the Internet at www.investor.midway.com or at www.earnings.com. Please log-on fifteen minutes in advance to ensure that you are connected prior to the call's initiation. Following its completion, a replay of the call can be accessed until November 17 by dialing (888) 286-8010 or (617) 801-6888 (international callers). The passcode for the replay is 37635497. Additionally, a replay of the call will be available for twelve months on the Internet via www.investor.midway.com.

ABOUT MIDWAY

Midway Games Inc. (NYSE:MWY), headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices throughout the world, is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for major video game systems and personal computers. More information about Midway and its products can be found at www.midway.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 concerning future business conditions and the outlook for Midway Games Inc. (the "Company") based on currently available information that involves risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the performance of the interactive entertainment industry, dependence on new product introductions and the ability to maintain the scheduling of such introductions, decisions by Sumner Redstone or his affiliates with respect to his ownership or trading of our common stock and other risks more fully described under "Item 1A. Business - Risk Factors" in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, and in any more recent filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Each forward-looking statement, including, without limitation, financial guidance, speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Midway undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances, except as required by law.

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