Runes of Magic Goes Browser

Frogster’s successful fantasy–MMORPG Runes of Magic will be entirely playable in a browser window and on Facebook starting in Q2/2011. The international publisher has closed a cooperation agreement with technology partner Kalydo. The Dutch middleware provider will realize the browser integration with a browser plug-in and a scalable server platform running on cloud computing that they developed. Using the so-called Kalydo Player, the originally client-based MMORPG can then be enjoyed through any browser on practically every Windows PC without any constraints.

The initial focus of the partnership will be Facebook integration. For the registration, the partners will use the social network’s user-friendly single-opt-in function, allowing every Facebook user to dive straight into the virtual world without having to complete any additional registration procedures. Once inside the social network, Runes of Magic can be played in either full screen or window mode without limiting any of the game’s functionality. The Kalydo team has already started with the technical implementation of the browser version. Frogster will show a first test version to selected media partners at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco from 28^th of February until 4^th of March. The publisher can be found on a common booth with Gameforge in the North Hall of the Moscone Center, booth No. 702.

“We are expecting to see a marked increase in the numbers of players for Runes of Magic through this cooperation with Kalydo. Powered by the impressive Kalydo technology the browser version will enable us to attract new target groups who previously have found the download, installation and registration process too complicated”, commented Andreas Weidenhaupt, Chief Licensing Officer of Frogster Interactive Pictures AG on the signing of the contract.

Doki Tops, CEO of Kalydo agrees with him:  “This is the future of gaming. Players enter the game with a single click of the mouse instead of spending hours on a download and installation and get the exact same experience. We praise Frogster for recognizing this potential and taking a leading role with us in pioneering this massive new style of gaming.”

To sign up and play Runes of Magic: Click Here!

RockYou Signs Game Development Agreenment With John Romero’s New Studio, Loot Drop

RockYou, a leading social entertainment company, has signed a development agreement with Loot Drop to fund and publish the new studio’s first title. Led by John Romero, co-founder of id Software and designer of the Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein 3D series, Loot Drop develops innovative games with true gameplay that push the boundaries of social game design.

The deal between RockYou and Loot Drop builds on RockYou’s commitment to create and publish the very best social games, and to invest in world-class creative talent. RockYou enables independent developers to reach a broad audience with its publishing and distribution expertise, and with strategic investments such as the agreement with Loot Drop.

“Our partnership with Loot Drop allows RockYou to work with some of the industry’s most creative minds,” said Jonathan Knight, RockYou’s SVP of Games. “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with John Romero, a game design visionary, as we aim to inspire innovation in the social gaming space and expand our games portfolio throughout the year.”

“The social space is where the excitement and the players are at, hundreds of millions of them, and I’m excited to make another game on the platform,” said John Romero. “RockYou’s support will drive Loot Drop’s first project forward. I believe social games have an incredible future, and we’ve barely explored their potential.”

After John Romero’s early success pioneering the first-person shooter genre, he became a recognizable figure in the industry, establishing independent studios and designing games for over thirty years. Most recently Romero shifted his attention to the social gaming space to design and develop the popular family-friendly game, Ravenwood Fair for Facebook. Launched in October 2010, Ravenwood Fair is notable for bringing role-playing game (RPG) elements to the social gaming space, and boasts a 4.2/5 user review score, five million monthly active users (MAUs) and over 700K daily active users (DAUs).

Tom Hall joins Loot Drop as Studio Head and Game Designer at the company’s Austin studio. Hall is a 30-year veteran of the game industry, and a frequent business partner of Romero’s. Together, the two have founded three companies, including id Software. Robert Sirotek serves as the company’s CEO. Like Romero and Hall, Sirotek is a veteran entrepreneur, VP and CEO with over 30 years’ experience in the game industry. Sirotek co-founded Sir-tech Software in 1980, and during his 26-year tenure at the company, the firm released over 150 games, including the award-winning Wizardry and Jagged Alliance series.

Details for Loot Drop’s first game are not announced yet, and the terms of the investment were not disclosed.

For more information about RockYou, visit www.rockyou.com.

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