SAN FRANCISCO, CA – May 06, 2008 – Gameforge AG a German developer and publisher of browser-based multiplayer games, today announced the opening of a San Francisco office to house its newly-formed United States branch, Gameforge Productions INC. With over 52 million registered players worldwide, Gameforge is focusing on business development and building awareness in the US, while working to translate and localize its catalogue of titles for the North American audience.
Lars Koschin, co-founder of Gamigo, one of the biggest online game magazines in Germany, and former CTO of Curse.com, a portal for massively multiplayer online gamers, has signed on to manage the new San Francisco office.
“Gameforge has held the top spot in the European browser-based gaming sector for several years, and expanding into other continents is a strategically important step,” said Lars Koschin, president and CEO of GameForge Production INC. “I look forward to contributing my experience to Gameforge as we join the North American market.”
Gameforge’s first flagship title is Ikariam, a multiplayer game set in the Greek islands that focuses on trade, warfare, and city-building. Players can manage resources and trade valuables with gamers from around the globe as they turn a small patch of coastal land into a full-fledged empire spanning dozens of islands. Free-to-play and completely browser-based, Ikariam requires no client downloads and can be played at the pace of the players’ choosing. Registration details and additional information can be found at HYPERLINK "http://www.ikariam.com/" www.ikariam.com/.
More information about Gameforge is now available at www.gameforge.com.
About Gameforge Productions INC.
The Gameforge AG is the largest independent supplier of browser- and client-based MMOGs (massively multiplayer online games) worldwide. More than 52 million players in 36 countries have already registered for Gameforge games, and more than nine million people actively play the company’s online titles. OGame, a strategic space simulation game with thousands of players across the world, is one of the best known browser-based MMOGs from the Karlsruhe gaming specialist. In addition, Gameforge offers a catalogue of top titles such as Ikariam, WarpFire, Gladiatus and BiteFight to the rapidly growing market of browser-based games. The company also publishes client-based online titles such as the action-oriented Metin2 or the fantasy-rich NosTale.
Klaas Kersting and Alexander Roesner established Gameforge in December 2003. The investment firm Accel Partners has claimed a share in the company since August 2007.
