CONTACTS: Alexis Mervin / Scott Fry
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alexis@oneprstudio.com
scott@oneprstudio.com
ONE PR Studio
510-893-3271
alexis@oneprstudio.com
scott@oneprstudio.com
SAN FRANCISCO - October 25, 2007 - Outspark today announces its official corporate launch in the videogame sector. The company is a new, unique publisher and operator of free online community games and includes a talented group of world-class artists, programmers and entrepreneurs with deep experience in online games, global portals, international business, digital animation and special effects technology. Outspark aims to help independent game developers contribute to and benefit from the company's virtual playground community where they can nurture homegrown properties into highly interactive online game experiences. The company is focused on building a portfolio of diverse online games that are both accessible and entertaining for players of all types.
Outspark is led by founder and CEO Susan Choe, whose background includes time as the COO of NHN USA and several roles at Yahoo!, from director of international operations to international director of Yahoo! Games. Ms. Choe is complemented by Nick Foster, who previously served as the CTO of Starz Media and as the head of global FX for DreamWorks Animation. Mr. Foster's honors include an Academy Award received for his feature film work. Other key members of the Outspark team have experience at leading companies including Blizzard, Nexon, Electronic Arts, Webzen and Yahoo!.
"We are extremely excited to be emerging and sharing our story, as Outspark has been a true labor of love for everyone involved," said Ms. Choe. "Our focus is to build and foster next-generation online gaming communities that new and experienced players will enjoy and find rewarding. Helping to ensure we deliver on our promise is the content we're providing, comprised of highly interactive games from fantastic developers located around the world."
Outspark will offer a broad range of multiplayer titles including fantasy role-playing, and advanced casual games like sports and racing, where players can meet, socialize, and have fun with friends old and new. Outspark's first game is Fiesta, is a fantasy role-playing title currently in open beta with a vibrant user community of new and experienced online gamers. The company's second game, Secret of the Solstice, is a role-playing adventure featuring twin princesses, a kingdom in peril, and a mysterious evil only the most resolute players can hope to overcome. Secret of the Solstice is currently in closed beta, and Outspark looks forward to launching additional games for its rapidly growing community of users.
Outspark games are free to play but let players customize their characters via an innovative online store filled with premium items that let players express themselves in unique ways. Items are designed for each game - in Fiesta they range from powerful potions to miniature pets and colorful clothes. Outspark games also feature dynamic content that changes on a daily basis to further entertain players and drive community engagement.
"The future of online entertainment lies in the type of immersive games and enchanting communities Outspark is building," said Chief Studio Officer Nick Foster. "We believe that our titles will help the online entertainment industry evolve - making it easier for media companies to establish a gaming presence online by offering them a complete platform that's easy to use and monetize."
Game industry research firm DFC Intelligence predicts the worldwide market for online games will be worth more than $13 billion by 2012, up from $4.5 billion in 2006. Outspark games - distributed free of charge via the Internet and generating revenue through the sale of digital in-game items like clothing and accessories - represent a segment of the market DFC predicts will account for 40 percent of revenues by 2012.
About Outspark
Outspark's headquarters are in San Francisco, CA, with subsidiary office in Seoul, Korea. The company is a unique publisher and operator of free online community games. Outspark's global reach enables it to select the most compelling social games from around the world to create the next generation of online entertainment. Backed by Altos Ventures and DCM, Outspark games cross multiple genres including role playing, puzzles and sports. For more information visit http://www.outspark.com.