Press Releases
Third Chapter of the Frogster Success Title ‘Runes of Magic’ to be released in May 2010
A Number of Innovations on the main Cash Cow with already over 2.5m registered Players
Frogster Interactive Pictures AG, international publisher of massively multiplayer online games (MMO games) with headquarters in Berlin and subsidiaries in Berlin, San Francisco and Seoul, announces that with ‘The Elder Kingdoms’, the third chapter of their success-title ‘Runes of Magic’ will be released already in May 2010. The virtual world’s first part was published in its German and English language full version in March 2009, the second chapter ‘Runes of Magic – The Elven Prophecy’ was released simultaneously with a French and Spanish language version in September 2009. Up to now, the adventure world which is considered to be one of the best so-called free-to-play MMO games, has already documented over 2.5 million customer registrations. In December, the Frogster group reached another monthly revenue record with over 2m Euro – also thanks to a surprisingly strong increase in players as well as revenue in its second cash cow ‘Bounty Bay Online’. In January, in both MMO games, new records with regards to the number of concurrent users present within the game have been reached which is the most important success index.
Growth Spurt expected
‘Runes of Magic – The Elder Kingdoms’ will amongst other things contain around 30% additional game territory and many new as well as partly unique functions. Altogether, the third chapter will deliver more benefit surplus for the players than the second chapter which was praised by the players. With the third chapter’s launch, Frogster expects both in Europe as well as in the USA and Korea a renewed growth spurt.
Market Launch in Poland
In addition to the German, English, French Spanish and Korean language versions that are already operated by Frogster, in February, a Polish language version shall enter the so-called “Open-Beta-Test” and be released as a full version about four weeks later.
Introduction of a Slim Client
From May on, customers shall get the option to, instead of downloading the entire software program of 6 gigabytes size, to at first download only a 1 gigabyte sized part of it (so-called “slim client”) in order to herewith dive into in the virtual world before the remaining 5 gigabytes are downloaded. The long download time and its technical challenges are so far the biggest hurdles for the access of new customers to the adventure world that is available free of charge, in which, later, they can choose between over 600 virtual items and services which each cost small Euro amounts and make the game-progress faster or more comfortable and the player’s avatar as well as his or her virtual flat look better. The hurdle caused shall be minimized significantly with the slim client.
Enabling of Impulse Purchases
At the latest from April on, the players shall furthermore gain the yet missing possibility to buy “Diamonds” directly in the game which serve to purchase the play money (“Gold”), virtual items and services there. To date, for this, an interruption of the game is required in order to access the game website, thus an impulse purchase of Diamonds and their immediate use in the running game is not yet possible.
New Awards
On February 5th, the editors of the renowned German gaming magazine ‘GameStar’ awarded the audience award “GameStar 2009” to ‘Runes of Magic’ in the category “Best Online Role-Playing Game of the Year” and named this readers’ choice result “surprise of the evening” after our free-to-play title was competing for the readers’ favor with a few full price subscription titles. On February 6th, ‘Runes of Magic’ was named “Best free MMOG”, in the first elections of the “European Level-Up Award”, a European special award for online games organized by the online magazine ‘Play-MMORPG’.
