Trion World Network appointments
Thor Biafore, Jack Wood and Erik DeBill join online publisher.
Redwood City, Calif. – Feb. 25, 2009 - Trion World Network, Inc. (Trion), the publisher and developer of server-based games and connected entertainment, has strengthened publishing and service capabilities with new hires Thor Biafore, Customer Support Manager, Jack Wood, In-Game Support Manager, and Erik DeBill, Senior Platform Billing Lead.
“As Trion continues to promote the industry’s shift from packaged-goods software to video games and entertainment as a service, Thor, Jack, and Erik will help us ensure that ultimately serving the gamer is the key differentiator of the Trion Server-based Games Platform,” said Lars Buttler, CEO, Trion World Network.
Biafore and Wood join Trion with more than 10 years each in customer service and management. Biafore spent the last five years as Global Director of Customer Service for Blizzard Entertainment where he was the driving force in building the largest and most respected support organizations in the gaming industry, taking World of Warcraft from launch to more than 10 million subscribers.
Wood, an industry veteran who has managed customer support teams on more than a dozen MMOG titles with Origin, NCsoft, and Ping 0, knows first-hand what it takes to create and maintain a robust, cost-effective, and successful customer service department for online gaming.
“It would be hard to fathom a better Customer Service team to have, with Thor and Jack,” Craig Parrotte, Head of Customer Service, Trion, commented. “They both bring such a wealth of knowledge and experiences in what to do - and more importantly, what not to do in regards to supporting the online gamer.”
Erik DeBill spent the last five years at NCsoft Interactive, where he was the Billing and Tools development manager and provided billing solutions and tools for five online game titles and numerous expansions.
“As we continue to build out the publishing and service capabilities of the Trion Platform in Austin, Erik is a key hire to lead our innovative billing efforts”, said Glen Van Datta, Trion’s Vice President of Engineering and GM of Trion Austin.
About Trion World Network
Trion World Network, Inc. is the publisher and developer of games and original entertainment for the connected world. Trion provides groundbreaking new capabilities and content to revolutionize global entertainment by combining the best elements of online, gaming, and traditional media. Headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., and with development and technology studios in Austin, TX, and San Diego, Trion combines unrivaled experience and vision in the online entertainment industry with a world-class team of Internet and gaming veterans.
Privately held, Trion has raised funding from investors including Act II Capital, Time Warner, Peacock Equity - the joint venture between GE Commercial Finance's Media, Communications & Entertainment business and NBC Universal - Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) - a wholly owned subsidiary of Bertelsmann AG, a leading international media company-, Rustic Canyon, DCM and Trinity Ventures. For more information, please visit www.trionworld.com
Contact: Sibel Sunar/Craig Sinel
fortyseven communications
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