Full-featured Gamebryo Casual Brings AAA Tools and Support To Casual Game Developers Worldwide
LEIPZIG, Germany – Aug. 21, 2008 – Emergent’s Gamebryo Casual is set to change the gaming landscape by providing casual game developers with the same powerful production software and design tools used by big budget AAA titles. Gamebryo Casual was designed to meet the needs of casual game developers’ limited budgets, timelines and high expectations. Emergent’s action is poised to support this growing market, who truly embraces the idea that there is no such thing as a small game.
Emergent’s CEO sees Gamebryo Casual as a way to help the industry expand the casual market beyond its origins by creating short format AAA titles. However, with smaller budgets and shorter development cycles that has not been possible until now.
“Emergent is looking to take the casual game industry beyond what is possible today. We see a future where short format games have the same level of graphics, interactivity and gameplay as big budget releases,” said Geoffrey Selzer, CEO, Emergent. “To get there casual developers will need the same world-class tools and support that AAA titles can afford today.”
Gamebryo Casual will have the full set of powerful production software and design tools available in Gamebryo 2.5 and be running on the AAA level runtime and framework. In addition to the capability to design games for any genre on any platform, Gamebryo has several features especially suited to the casual market where downloads need to be small. The flexible geometry pipeline can greatly reduce the size of downloadable titles and tools such as the scene designer, animation tool and terrain editor will be invaluable. Gamebryo Casual has an optional integration with ProFX, Allegorithmic’s powerful texturing middleware that allows games to generate detailed textures on the fly while minimizing file size.
“We also see Gamebryo Casual as a good way to nurture new talent,” said Scott Johnson, president, Emergent, “A new company will be able to go from their first self-financed casual title to major publisher-financed AAA blockbusters using the same engine. There is no reason developers should have to learn new tools and workflow if they go from a casual strategy on the PC to a hardcore RPG for the console.”
Gamebryo Casual includes a customized licensing model based on the specific budgets and timelines of each casual game developer. All genres are eligible except Massively Online Multiplayer games (MMOs). For pricing, please contact Emergent sales team at sales@emergent.net or visit www.emergent.net
About Gamebryo
Gamebryo has been fully optimized for development on PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, PC and Wii. Gamebryo was recently selected as the development platform for the next gen console titles Civilization Revolution by Firaxis and Splatterhouse by BottleRocket. Gamebryo is also being used by EA-Mythic on its upcoming Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Gamebryo is a mature software product that ships with 3,500 pages of fully indexed, searchable documentation. To date, Gamebryo has been used in more than 200 shipped games titles ranging from massively multiplayer online games, high-end retail games across multiple genres, and casual games.
About Emergent
Emergent Game Technologies provides flexible technologies and services that give developers an unmatched range of integrated capabilities for building, testing and managing games. These proven, stand-alone solutions include the award-winning Gamebryo game engine used to create hit next-generation games for the Wii™, PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360™, and PC. Emergent gives developers the flexibility they need to fuel creativity while reducing risk.
Emergent is headquartered in Calabasas, Calif., and has offices in Chapel Hill, NC; Austin, Texas; London; Tokyo; China; and Korea. To learn more, visit www.emergent.net.
Media Contacts:
Derek Asato/Luis Levy
The Bohle Company for Emergent Game Technologies
(310) 785-0515 ext. 201/204
derek@bohle.com/luis@bohle.com