iGames, Exent and Incycent Announce “GCL: Games-on-Demand” for Game Centers and Their Players
New Service Provided by Incycent with Technology Developed by Exent to Offer iGames Members Exclusive, One-Click Access to Popular Titles; Flexible Pricing Structure
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF, December 7, 2005 - iGames, the world's leading game center organization, Exent, the market leader in digital distribution of games, and game center service provider Incycent today announced GCL (Game Center Licensing): Games-on-Demand, a service that allows game centers immediate, Web-based access to popular titles, along with a flexible pricing structure.
The service launched with Atari, Inc.'s DRAGONSHARDTM, in addition to Atari's real-time strategy game Act of War®: Direct Action. In the coming months, other titles from mainstream publishers will also be added to the service. The GCL: Games-on-Demand service will be provided by Incycent, with technology developed by Exent. DRAGONSHARD, the first-ever real-time strategy game based on DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and set in Wizards of the Coast's new campaign setting of EberronTM, is under license from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS) and parent company of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
"Game center owners have been asking for a system that leverages the power of the Internet to eliminate both geographical barriers and retail bottlenecks," said Mark Nielsen, Executive Director of iGames. "Thanks to Exent and Incycent, we are now able to bring our members a service that offers such immediacy, as well as a cost scalability that allows center owners to choose from a variety of billing options. With DRAGONSHARD as the newest title to be distributed in this fashion, we know GCL: Games-on-Demand will enable more publishers to offer their games to the game center community."
"With our technology, GCL: Games-on-Demand offers unique value for publishers. With on-demand access, publishers can track usage patterns, ensure that their intellectual property is well protected and reach out to the core audience visiting game centers," said Yoav Tzruya, VP Products & Markets Strategy at Exent Technologies.
"As a marketing partner for this service, iGames was the obvious choice," said Jerry Gable of Incycent. "Their established network of over 600 affiliated game centers provided us with the market presence we were looking to reach."
GCL: Games-on-Demand is a next-generation extension of the existing licensing programs that iGames offers its members.
For a list of these programs, along with further details and additional business benefits of GCL: Games-on-Demand, please visit www.igames.org.
About iGames
iGames, Inc. offers a wide range of services to help independent and franchised game centers. iGames' mission is to promote and develop the growth of the game center industry. Its services unite game centers with the goal of establishing them as the driving force enabling the interactive entertainment industry to become the number one form of entertainment around the world. iGames has established strong relationships with industry leaders to provide a wide variety of products, services and programs to member game centers and gamers including software licensing, hardware discounts, exclusive game premiers, tournaments, and leagues. Today the company counts well over 600 centers and 45,000 gamers, initiating and co-organizing more than 200 events a year. To learn more about iGames, go to www.igames.org.
About Exent Technologies
Exent is the global market leader in secure digital delivery of video games for service providers seeking to distribute, manage and monetize an on-demand service. Exent delivers technology, products and solutions that support video game publishers, broadband service providers, hardware manufacturers, media companies, brand owners, consumer portals, retailers and others.
Exent enables all standard business models - purchases, subscriptions, rentals, and try-before-you-buy. Exent's DRM solution lowers software piracy and enforces licensing restrictions. Exent's EXEtenderTM-based products and services are currently in commercial use by Comcast, Yahoo!, Verizon, Turner Broadcasting, Bell Canada, RCN, Metaboli, Deutsche Telecom, Portugal Telecom, France Telecom, Telefonica, KPN, Telstra, Swisscom and other leading service providers worldwide.
Exent's major shareholders include Time Warner, Comcast, Concord Ventures and New Enterprise Associates. For more information visit http://www.exent.com.
About Incycent
Incycent provides innovative online solutions and services to game centers and PC kiosk businesses. Incycent inspired and drove the iGames GCL: Games-on-Demand service to fruition and will continue to build and maintain the service through innovative solutions and efficient services. Incycent owns and maintains all the hardware and databases that delivers the Games-on-Demand services. For more information about Incycent or GCL: Games-on-Demand, please contact us at info@incycent.com.
About the Hasbro Properties Group
The Hasbro Properties Group (HPG), the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc., (NYSE:HAS), translates one of the industry's richest portfolios of brands into a world of fun and excitement for children and adults globally. Through a host of publishing, lifestyle and entertainment platforms, HPG is able to surround fans worldwide with consumer products that expand Hasbro's core brands, such as TRANSFORMERS, DUEL MASTERS, MY LITTLE PONY, MONOPOLY and CANDY LAND, beyond the toy and game aisle, creating rich lifestyle experiences.
HASBRO is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. and is issued with permission. WIZARDS OF THE COAST and DRAGONSHARD are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the USA and other countries and is used with permission. ® 2006 Wizards.
About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) develops interactive games for all platforms and is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company's 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining franchises such as DRIVERTM, The MatrixTM (Enter The Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo), StuntmanTM and Test Drive®; and mass-market and children's franchises such as Nickelodeon's Blue's CluesTM and Dora the ExplorerTM, and Dragon Ball Z®. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext - ISIN: FR-0000052573), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit www.atari.com.
Press Contact:
Bill Lessard
iGames
(914) 476-6089
wlessard@igames.org