Turbine Launches Dungeons & Dragons Online in Japan
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TURBINE AND SAKURA INTERNET LAUNCH DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINEâ„¢: STORMREACHâ„¢ IN JAPAN
WESTWOOD, MA August 28, 2006 Turbine, Inc. and SAKURA Internet Inc. announced that DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™: Stormreach™ (DDO), the first massively multiplayer online ((MMO)) roleplaying game inspired by the legendary pen-and-paper game, has launched today in Japan. DDO is based on the world-renowned DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® brand franchise from Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS). DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is under license from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc. DDO is published by Atari, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATAR) in North America.
Following on the launch of DDO in North America and Europe, Turbine and SAKURA worked together to localize the award-winning game for the Japanese market including the development of Asian-themed armor, weapons and content. DDO is a unique experience where players must use their combat skills and wits to survive dangerous dungeons, fiendish traps and foes that punish the foolish. The game seamlessly combines the beautiful world of Eberron®, the classic D&D® v3.5 version rules, and the latest innovations in online technology into a breathtaking gaming experience.
(DDO offers fresh and exciting game play that captures the true spirit of the D&D adventures that have been around for over 30 years,) said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. (We are confident that the game will appeal to both MMO gamers and D&D fans in Japan.)
(Today's launch of DDO marks a major milestone for SAKURA as we continue to lead the growth of online games in Japan,) said Ryo Sasada, president and CEO of SAKURA Internet Inc. (Players in Japan will appreciate Turbine's faithful adaptation of D&D's party-based adventures that have made the game a premium title in the industry.)
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE: Stormreach recreates the essence of the classic pen-and-paper roleplaying experience - with an emphasis on non-grinding, instanced quests that provide a unique, immersive experience for each party. Authentic features in the game include customizable characters; dungeons filled with devious traps; monsters and stories from the Eberron campaign setting; an on-screen d20 (20-sided die) and a dungeon master. The unique online world of Stormreach is a bustling city with thousands of players from around the world. It represents a new paradigm for the MMO genre with unique features including party-based quests, integrated voice chat, real-time action combat, and award winning graphics.
Key features:
Authentic D&D Characters & Monsters
Create a custom character from D&D's newest campaign setting, Eberron, choosing from nine classes (barbarian, bard, cleric, fighter, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorcerer and wizard) and six races (human, elf, halfling, dwarf, drow and warforged) plus hundreds of skills, feats and looks. The result is a countless number of possible combinations. Characters will need both wit and brawn to complete quests and advance over time as they encounter monsters from the D&D universe, including the Mindflayer, Ogre Magi, Red Dragon and Warforged Titan.
Gripping Combat
A unique active combat control system requires tactical thinking and quick reflexes as much as character abilities and skill. Characters will battle in real-time and have the ability to block with shields, dodge to the side and tumble away from enemy attacks. Unlike other online roleplaying games, the outcome of the battle is not solely determined by statistics - player skill is an important factor in succeeding in combat against fierce monsters in the dungeons.
Dangerous Dungeons
Players must face devious traps, intricate puzzles and fierce monsters in their quest for treasure and rewards. Private instanced adventures minimize the interference from party outsiders and reward players for the cooperative completion of quest objectives, eliminating the sense of repetitive combat found in certain other massively multiplayer online games.
Authentic Party-Based D&D Gameplay
Coordinate tactics with the game's integrated voice chat system to experience D&D the way it was meant to be played - in a small party setting. Players will need to create balanced parties including a variety of character classes in order to complete their quests. Players can also choose to participate in solo adventures to hone their skills for more advanced party-based quests.
DDO is currently available in retail stores throughout Japan for 5,040JPY (tax included). Additional information can be found at http://www.ddo-japan.com.
About Turbine, Inc.
Turbine, Inc. is a premier developer, publisher and operator of online subscription entertainment and is headquartered in Westwood, Massachusetts. The company is one of the largest privately-held online games company in North America. Turbine's catalogue includes some of the most famous online entertainment brands, including Asheron's Call®, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™: Stormreach™, and The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™. For more information on Turbine and its services, please visit www.turbine.com.
About SAKURA Internet Inc.
SAKURA Internet Inc. is a provider of collocation, the Internet telecommunication connectivity, dedicated server service and rental server service and is headquartered in Chuo-ku, Osaka. The Company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange MOTHERS Market. SAKURA is a premier data communication connection service provider based on 75Gbps high-capacity and high-speed backbone through its independent data centers with technological strength backed by over seven-years of experience of hosting and data center operation.
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 The Matrix™ (Enter The Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo) and Test Drive®; and mass-market and children's franchises such as Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues™ and Dora the Explorer™, 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.
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, digital media, lifestyle and entertainment platforms, HPG is able to surround fans worldwide with consumer products that expand Hasbro's core brands, such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, MY LITTLE PONY, MONOPOLY, G.I. JOE, TONKA and PLAYSKOOL.
