Nevrax Unveils Platform for First Commercial Free Software-Based Persistent World; IBM, Universal Interactive Studios and Free Software Foundation Execs Join Advisory Board

Business Wire, May 15, 2001

Business Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2001

Nevrax (www.nevrax.com), a developer and innovator of online persistent worlds, today unveiled NeL, its free software-based platform for massively multi-user online persistent worlds.

The first company to develop a commercial persistent world based on free software, Nevrax is making its source code available under the GNU General Public License (GPL), giving users the freedom to use the software and propose new elements in Nevrax's massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG).

"Our vision is to give power back to users," said Olivier Lejade, Nevrax chief executive officer and co-founder. "By making Nevrax's source code available under the GPL, we're shifting the gaming paradigm from publisher to player while building a profitable business on a MMORPG model that leverages free software."

The free software approach affords Nevrax a number of advantages, in addition to giving its users control. By making the source code publicly available, Nevrax's offering is made more robust and reliable with ongoing support from users.

As digital entertainment becomes increasingly interactive, massively multi-player games, in which hundreds of thousands of players can participate at any given time, have been at the forefront of enabling truly interactive entertainment experiences. Nevrax's free software approach has sparked the interest of investors including Part'Com and Viventures, the venture capital firm created by Vivendi Universal and 18 other groups.

In addition, three prominent players in technology, interactive entertainment and the open source movement will join Nevrax's advisory board -- Michel Teyssedre, vice president, Worldwide Telecom Server Sales, IBM Enterprise Server Group; Jim Wilson, president, Universal Interactive Studios (UIS); and Richard Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project.

Teyssedre has been with IBM for 24 years in a variety of sales and marketing positions. Previously Director of Sales, EMEA, RS/6000 Teyssedre was responsible for building and sustaining the RS/6000 hardware and software businesses in the EMEA territories. He also managed IBM's Unix Competency Centre. Teyssedre earned degrees in Economics and in Engineering and Electronics from Institut Superieur Electronique de Paris.

Wilson, who also joins the board, oversees the worldwide development and publishing of games across key interactive platforms at UIS. Under his direction, UIS developed the successful Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon franchises. Wilson joined Universal Studios in 1996 to head marketing and business development for the Consumer Products Group and previously held positions in the interactive divisions of both Philips and Virgin.

Stallman founded the Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project in 1984 to develop the free operating system GNU. Today's GNU/Linux operating system, which is GNU plus the free kernel Linux, has an estimated 20 million users. Stallman also wrote the GNU General Public License which is used by most GNU software, by Linux, by over half of all free software packages -- and now, by NeL. In 1990, Stallman was awarded a MacArthur Foundation fellowship and in 1998 was a recipient of Electronic Frontier Foundation's Pioneer Award, along with Linus Torvalds.

About Nevrax

Nevrax (www.nevrax.com), a developer and innovator of online persistent worlds, is the first company to develop a commercial persistent world based on free software. Making its platform, NeL, available under the General Public License (GPL), Nevrax gives users the freedom to use the software and propose new elements in Nevrax's massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG).

Based in London, Nevrax investors include Part'Com and Viventures, the VC firm launched by Vivendi and 18 major groups. Nevrax's first MMORPG title will be available in 2002.