Sidhe funding

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – May 5, 2009 – Sidhe, New Zealand’s largest and most successful game production studio, today announced that it has been awarded additional funding from TechNZ to enhance and extend the studio’s cross-platform development technology. The proprietary framework enables developers to save thousands of hours of programming and reduces console platform compliance issues and risks on multi-platform development projects.

"The TechNZ funding will enable us to reach our goals faster by accelerating our development of technology to address the largest issues for this and future generations of game production," said Mario Wynands, Managing Director and co-founder of Sidhe Interactive. “Every production would benefit from having issues surrounding compliance, usability, and standardized functionality addressed from the outset. The framework is already providing massive benefits to our original IP and publisher-funded projects.”

TechNZ is the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology’s business investment program, and it invests more than $50 million each year in New Zealand businesses to grow world-class companies through innovative technology.

"TechNZ invests in research that will have a significant impact on industries and the ability to have worldwide impact," said Joseph Stuart, a Senior Business Manager with TechNZ. "Sidhe has continued to grow its leadership position in New Zealand’s interactive entertainment industry, and its technology is an exemplar of what New Zealand companies are doing to address global innovation needs."

Sidhe Interactive is a licensed publisher and developer for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and licensed developer for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Nintendo® Wii™. The company has been developing titles across multiple platforms for over a decade, recognizing key components that could be addressed by an integrated cross-platform framework. With years of programming and design already invested into the project, the technology addresses core issues of platform compliance, usability, network functionality, and more, reducing development timeframes, budgets, and risk.

About Sidhe

Founded in 1997, Sidhe is an award-winning developer of console, handheld and PC games. The largest game production studio in New Zealand, Sidhe has a proven track record of creating high-quality, mass-market, licensed and original titles for a worldwide audience. The studio has produced more than 20 high-profile titles including GripShift® (Xbox 360, PS3, PSP), Jackass the Game (PSP, PS2), and Speed Racer (Wii, PS2), as well as multiple games based on the NRL Rugby League franchise. For more information on Sidhe, please visit: http://www.sidheinteractive.com

About the Foundation

The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology invests over $530 million a year on behalf of the New Zealand Government in research and development to enhance the wealth and well being of New Zealanders.

TechNZ is the Foundation’s business investment programme. It puts $50 million a year into research and development by New Zealand companies, targeting key sectors of the economy with strong growth potential including specialised manufacturing, information technology, biotechnology and food and beverages.

For more information visit www.frst.govt.nz

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Contacts:

Sean Kauppinen

International Digital Entertainment Agency

+1-415-299-2156

sean@ide-agency.com

Jill Rolston

Senior Marketing & Communications Advisor

Foundation for Research, Science and Technology

+64 4 916 5894

jill.rolston@frst.govt.nz