Turbine Opens West Coast Studio
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TURBINE POWERS OPEN NEW WEST COAST STUDIO, INDUSTRY VETERAN JASON BELL AT THE HELM
SANTA MONICA, Calif. Feb. 18, 2004 Turbine Entertainment Software Corp., a premier provider of online subscription entertainment, today announced it has opened a new studio in Santa Monica, Calif. The new facility will better position Turbine to work with important west coast publishers and Asia/Pacific business development.
The studio offers a strategic foothold in the Southern Californian technology corridor, one of the fastest growing and most competitive regions for the gaming industry. Likewise, it provides the company with even greater depth to develop its portfolio, which includes the award winning titles Asheron's Call® and Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings®, as well as its new online titles based on Tolkien's famous (The Lord of the Rings) books and the world-renowned (Dungeons & Dragons®) role playing franchise.
(The time was right for Turbine to open a new studio on the West Coast,) said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO, Turbine Entertainment Software. (The online entertainment industry is a truly global phenomenon. This expansion will afford us better access to West Coast partners as well as Asia, providing Turbine with a tremendous strategic advantage.)
At the helm of the new studio is industry veteran, and former Atari executive, Jason Bell, who joins Turbine as its executive vice president. Bell will oversee all day-to-day operations of Turbine's Santa Monica studio.
(Turbine has become one of the strongest brands in gaming, building a reputation as an industry leader,) said Jason Bell. (I am honored to be a part of this incredible team, and to have the privilege to lead Turbine's emerging presence in California and Asia. This new studio shows a real commitment to online entertainment as well as providing the basis for continued growth.)
Bell joins Turbine following three and a half years as a senior vice president with Atari, Inc. During his tenure at Atari, he managed the company's three West Coast studios, a portfolio of innovative mass-market products, and was responsible for Atari's online global strategy and production.
Prior to Atari, Bell was a senior producer at Electronic Arts, managing various multi-player and online games and game development, with responsibility for product design, service quality and development planning. Bell also previously served as creative director and executive producer at Kesmai Studios, where he contributed to or led development and launch of several stand-alone and four massively multi-player online games.
About Turbine Entertainment Software Corp.
Turbine Entertainment Software Corp. is a leading provider of online subscription entertainment. Formed in 1994 and employing more than 130 employees, the company is one of the largest and oldest online game studios in North America. The company's proprietary technology, the Turbine Engine®, generates some of the most sophisticated 3-D graphics in the world, producing such memorable projects as Asheron's Call®, Asheron's Call: Dark Majesty® and Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings®. Turbine is currently developing The Lord of the Rings™: Middle-Earth™ Online and Dungeons & Dragons® Online. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.turbinegames.com
