Runes of Magic Goes Browser-Based! (ish)

Runes of Magic Goes Browser-Based! (ish)

Frogster and Kalydo are working on a fully playable browser and Facebook version of Runes of Magic, the first glimpses will be at GDC in San Francisco.

Runes of Magic will be entirely playable in a browser window and on Facebook starting in Q2/2011. The international publisher has closed a cooperation agreement with technology partner Kalydo. The Dutch middleware provider will realize the browser integration with a browser plug-in and a scalable server platform running on cloud computing that they developed. Using the so-called Kalydo Player, the originally client-based MMORPG can then be enjoyed through any browser on practically every Windows PC without any constraints.

The initial focus of the partnership will be Facebook integration. For the registration, the partners will use the social network’s user-friendly single-opt-in function, allowing every Facebook user to dive straight into the virtual world without having to complete any additional registration procedures. Once inside the social network, Runes of Magic can be played in either full screen or window mode without limiting any of the game’s functionality. The Kalydo team has already started with the technical implementation of the browser version. Frogster will show a first test version to selected media partners at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco from 28th of February until 4th of March. The publisher can be found on a common booth with Gameforge in the North Hall of the Moscone Center, booth No. 702.

“We are expecting to see a marked increase in the numbers of players for Runes of Magic through this cooperation with Kalydo. Powered by the impressive Kalydo technology the browser version will enable us to attract new target groups who previously have found the download, installation and registration process too complicated”, commented Andreas Weidenhaupt, Chief Licensing Officer of Frogster Interactive Pictures AG on the signing of the contract.

Doki Tops, CEO of Kalydo agrees with him:  “This is the future of gaming. Players enter the game with a single click of the mouse instead of spending hours on a download and installation and get the exact same experience. We praise Frogster for recognizing this potential and taking a leading role with us in pioneering this massive new style of gaming.”

Kalydo has already incorporated the 3D role-playing game GodsWar into Facebook, which has gone from strength to strength.