CDV Software Entertainment Pursues North American Market Expansion
June 28, 2005 -- Cary, North Carolina -- In conjunction with the relocation of its US headquarters to New Jersey, CDV Software Entertainment USA, the North American subsidiary of CDV Software Entertainment AG, announces the appointment of Tom Gross as new President and CEO.
Mr. Gross brings to the position more than ten years' industry experience, having previously served as Vice President of Sales at Atari Corporation and Vice President of Business Development at Ditan Distribution. "We are dedicated as a global company to expand on our successes in North America and have taken a number of steps to make our titles more accessible and attractive to audiences in the United States and Canada," stated Mr. Gross.
In addition, CDV Software Entertainment USA has retained Mario Kroll as Director, Marketing and Public Relations for North America. Mr. Kroll possesses extensive computer gaming industry experience and is best known as founder of Wargamer.com, a leading online gaming magazine that focuses on military and strategy titles. He previously served in a number of senior management and executive positions focused on marketing, sales and public relations. As a consultant, Mr. Kroll has been steering CDV's North American PR and marketing activities for the past year.
"Through improved collaboration with our German headquarters and with our developer studios throughout Europe and Russia, we have been able to positively influence and contribute to everything from game concept and design to coordinated global product promotion." stated Mr. Kroll. "As a result, we are very excited not only about the expansion of our enhanced legacy brands such as the Codename: Panzers and the Blitzkrieg series, but also our upcoming new titles like Hammer & Sickle and War Front: Turning Point."
Additional examples of CDV's increased focus on reaching North American gamers include the recent hiring of Peter Weller (Robocop, Buckaroo Banzai) as voice talent in its upcoming Codename: Panzers, Phase Two and the commissioning of experienced Hollywood writers that have contributed to television's Law & Order and Buffy the Vampire Hunter. Will Trotter, author of two American Civil War novels and a decade of strategy gaming columns for PC Gamer, was also recently retained to create the background stories and campaign content for CDV's upcoming American Conquest: Divided Nation.
CDV Software Entertainment is dedicated to publishing and distributing top-notch war and strategy games worldwide. The publicly traded company, founded and headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, has its North American offices located in New Jersey and North Carolina. As publisher of critically acclaimed titles like Codename: Panzers, Divine Divinity, American Conquest, Sudden Strike, Combat Mission, Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars and the Blitzkrieg series, CDV is Europe's leading publisher of PC strategy titles.
For additional information, please contact:
Ted Brockwood, ted@calico-media.com, at (971) 327-8350.
Mario Kroll, mario.kroll@cdvus.com, at (919) 386-3475.