THREE RINGS TO GIVE AWAY AUTHENTIC 18TH CENTURY GOLD DOUBLOON FOR IN-GAME FIVE MILLIONTH DOUBLOON PURCHASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
San Francisco, CA - April 21, 2006 - Three
Rings Design, Inc., a premier developer of multi-player
online casual games, announced today that it will give away a
1787 Spanish Gold Escudo Doubloon, rescued from pirate loot,
to the player that purchases the five millionth doubloon for
their popular online game "Puzzle Pirates."
The company expects to reach the five millionth sale mark
later this week and will announce the winner shortly after.
In light of some strong market trends, the company recently
shifted its strategy from subscription pricing to a
"free-to-play" model that includes the option of purchasing
micro-currency. Players can then spend their micro-currency
on in-game upgrades and additional content.
The sale of five million doubloons is an important milestone
for the company and points to the broad acceptance of that
model. In fact, the company is launching a new game "Bang!
Howdy," a multiplayer online tactical strategy game for the
PC which uses the same payment structure and online
distribution model.
"Three Rings has led the charge for micro-currency in the US
market, and the success of 'Puzzle Pirates' doubloons has
convinced us that it represents the future for online
entertainment," said Daniel James, Three Rings' CEO. "We were
inspired by the Korean market, where 'free to play, pay for
item' is the ubiquitous business model for online games. As
the US market matures to meet Korea, we intend to keep
leading the way."
The company is riding some powerful trends in digital
entertainment - the popularity of casual games, a move
towards the massively multiplayer, and the ascent of digital
downloads. With the shift to "freemium" pricing, the company
recently became cash-flow positive and funds the distribution
and development of its games internally. To date, over 1.5mm
individuals have downloaded Puzzle Pirates.
To learn more about Three Rings and or Puzzle Pirates, please
visit their site at: http://www.puzzlepirates.com for more
information.
About Three Rings
Three Rings is a premier developer of multi-player online
casual games.
Since launching "Puzzle Pirates" to international acclaim in
2004, the company has quickly become one of the most popular
and well-respected makers of online games. The games are free
to play and have virtual economies with unique
micro-currencies. The company's games are currently played in
more than 50 countries. More information on Three Rings can
be found at http://threerings.net/ and
"Puzzle Pirates" can be found at http://www.PuzzlePirates.com/
CONTACT:
Rannie Yoo
Kohnke Communications
(415) 777-4000
rannie@kohnkecomm.com