Press Releases
Frogster enters browser games business
Purchase of licenses to two very promising next-generation Browser MMO Games
Berlin, 26.03.2010:
Frogster Interactive Pictures AG, international publisher of massively multiplayer online games with headquarters in Berlin and subsidiaries in Berlin, San Francisco and Seoul is entering the browser games business. For five years each, Frogster has purchased the European license rights on two next-generation browser MMO games from the successful Chinese developer Snailgame. Frogster has already been working together successfully with Snailgame for years concerning the title ‘Bounty Bay Online’. ‘Lord of the Dragons – Knights of Honor’ is a novel strategic role play game with a world of knights and dragons and passionate attention to detail. One of the many specials is the cooperative team-based building of castles together with co-players – all in latest flash technology. ‘Lord of the Dragons – Knights of Honor’ shall be released already in 2010. ‘Bounty Bay Web’ is a world of sailors set in the 15th to 17th century, thus a setting similar to the successful, client-based Frogster MMO game title ‘Bounty Bay Online’ of which the branding will be adopted for the browser-version. Also in the highest graphic quality, the player can make a career as a merchant, blacksmith or captain, explore foreign countries and fight armada battles. For such a browser game, the housing-system with which the player can purchase and expand their own house and land, is completely unique. ‘Bounty Bay Web’ shall also be released already at the beginning of 2011. Both browser MMO games, will be operated by Frogster in the free-to-play business model with micropayments just like ‘Runes of Magic’ and ‘Bounty Bay Online’ where the players purchase and hire durable and consumable virtual goods as well as services.
Browser Games
Even in the business model of “free-to-play” games which are available for free online and with “item sales” used by Frogster compared to client-based MMO games, browser MMO games have the additional advantage that the hurdle before entering is even smaller for the player as they can access and take part in the virtual world without the download of a client taking several hours. The German competitors Gameforge and Bigpoint which are not listed are already very successful in the browser games business. Both competitors have, according to their own statements, by now crossed the annual revenue level of 100m Euro after they were situated in a revenue dimension similar to Frogster’s current one two years ago. Frogster believes ‘Lord of the Dragons’ and ‘Bounty Bay Online’ to be very strong within the competition environment.
Update on the pool of shareholders
Concerning the intention of a pool of Frogster shareholders to acquire an anchor shareholder, the Frogster management has had numerous appointments with strategic and financial investors together with Corporate Finance Partners (CFP) in the last few weeks in China, Germany and the USA. The buying interest in the just under 40 per cent pooled Frogster shares is high. The interested buyers do now have the opportunity in April to build their opinion to address further questions to Frogster and to present their acquisition interest in the form of a LOI. The due diligence is scheduled for May.
Bounty Bay Online
Pirates, Merchants & Explorers
With Bounty Bay Online players enter the historic Age of Discoveries when famous circumnavigators were roaming the seas. Since 2007, they start an online career as a merchant, sailor, fisherman, pirate, explorer or in one of several other professions in a charming sailor setting. Alone or with a guild of players they follow gripping quests, start a flourishing overseas trade and discover monumental sights. Following exciting player vs. player battles on land and sea, powerful guilds can take control of cities and entire colonies and thus control their destinies.
More information on www.bountybayonline.com.
Mythos
Gripping Action MMORPG in popular comic look
Mythos brings the highly successful Hack'n'Slash formula into an action-packed online role-playing game. Mythos offers players a virtual fantasy world based on an atmospheric comic book style where they hunt countless monsters in a variety of diverse dungeons. There is a choice of four races and three character classes which can be heavily customized. Mythos was originally developed by Flagship Studios and since 2010 has been further continued and prepared for its release in Europe by the Korean publisher HanbitSoft. The action-packed online game is due to throw open its gates in early 2011.
More information can be found on www.mythos-europe.com.
Runes of Magic
a world full of wizardry and adventure
Runes of Magic has redefined the standard for free-to-play MMORPGs since 2009 with its massive amount of features. The online role-playing game carries an exciting, multi-layered story, driven by more than 2,700 quests set in the atmospheric fantasy world of Taborea. ‘Runes of Magic’ features a unique dual class system enabling players to combine one of eight primary classes with a secondary class. Thanks to a comprehensive crafting system, individual player homes, arenas and battlefields, guild castles and siege wars, challenging dungeons and many other features ‘Runes of Magic’ offers plenty of online adventures for all kinds of players.
More information can be found on www.runesofmagic.com.
TERA
online game world to set new standards in the genre
An impressive and highly-detailed virtual world with triple-A quality claim awaits thousands of players with TERA. Entirely developed in Unreal Engine 3, TERA transcends current representatives of the genre with breathtaking 3D graphical environments, thrilling animations and spectacular effects. With six races and eight character classes, TERA offers an abundance of possibilities for character creation and development. The dynamic real-time combat system of TERA gets players engaged in battles considerably more actively than all conventional MMORPGs available on the market. TERA is set to be released in 2011 based on a subscription model.
More information can be found on www.tera-europe.com.
Throne of Fire
Gripping Dragon Combat in a Browser Window
With Throne of Fire, Frogster’s first browser-based fantasy world will cast open its gates. PC adventurers will receive free access to a medieval-themed mythical world offering impressive wide-screen landscapes using the latest Flash technology. Players will be able to take on the role of a warrior, mage, priest, warlock or paladin to fight fearsome dragons in individual or group-wise turn-based fights. Only those who can defeat the formidable boss opponents in the diverse and demanding raid instances will get the opportunity to ascend to the throne of the kingdom.
More information can be found on www.throne-of-fire.com.
Christoph Gerlinger
CEO | Frogster Interactive Pictures AG
Despite having left the games industry more than two years ago Christoph received a call from his former colleague and friend Dirk Weyel at the end of 2004, that a small computer games publisher with 11 staff was for sale. From 1996 to 1999 Christoph had co-built the German computer games business of Psygnosis, a Sony group company. 1999 he had co-founded CDV Software Entertainment AG took it public as MD in the CFO role in 2000 and co-managed it until end of 2001. Psygnosis and CDV were a big success during his time. So why not buy a small company and switch to the driver seat completely? Opportunities in the games hit business are large but so are the risks. Even more if you are a small challenger required to move ahead into innovative niches. Christoph bought the company beginning of 2005 together with Dirk, friends and family. Under the new name Frogster Interactive Pictures they have since focussed the company as one of the first in Europe on the growth market of virtual worlds, so called massively multiplayer online games. For the purists - Christoph was born 1967, has started his career with a "Banklehre" and holds a master degree in business admin from JW Goethe University in Frankfurt.
