Jolt signs with Turbine to run Asheron's Call in Europe
UK-based online gaming network Jolt has signed a deal with Turbine Entertainment which will see it publishing and operating the Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2 massively multiplayer RPGs in Europe.
UK-based online gaming network Jolt has signed a deal with Turbine Entertainment which will see it publishing and operating the Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2 massively multiplayer RPGs in Europe.
Under the terms of the exclusive deal, Jolt will provide hosting, operation, marketing, distribution and support for both the five year old Asheron's Call and its expansion packs, and the two year old Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings.
The online gaming firm, which operates over 1000 PC game servers and provides a range of services to games companies as well as to consumers, plans to first concentrate on a launch for AC1 and the migration of AC2 servers and infrastructure to its network, before finally transferring the entire billing mechanism later this year.
"Online gaming continues to grow in Europe and we recognize the importance of Europe in our future," according to Turbine's CEO and president, Jeffrey Anderson. "Jolt is the best choice to provide European players with the same levels of access, connectivity and customer support that our North American players enjoy."
A [report published this month by market research firm Screen Digest] suggested that Europe is set to become the largest growth market in the West for online games in the coming years, as its largely untapped markets start to outpace North America, where online gaming will reach saturation levels more rapidly.