Sparter Announces Gamer2Gamer™ Trading Platform for Virtual Currencies

Business Wire, June 13, 2007

Global Exchange Saves Gamers Money and Protects Publishers' Rights

MENLO PARK, Calif. -- Sparter, Inc. today announced the public beta release of its exchange platform designed to enable global Gamer2Gamer[TM] (G2G[TM]) trading of virtual currencies. The platform provides an open, transparent and secure environment for players of massively multi-player online games to trade with other gamers. Games currently supported include DOFUS, EVE Online, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Final Fantasy XI, Guild Wars, Lineage II, The Lord of the Rings Online, MapleStory, Silkroad Online, Star Wars Galaxies and World of Warcraft.

"Gamers in North America and Europe spend more than a billion dollars a year on virtual currency. This market is expected to grow significantly over the next few years, but all of this trade moves through inefficient B2C companies who overcharge for transferring digital currency from one gamer to another," said Dan Kelly, chief executive officer of Sparter. "We believe the industry needs a workable model that better serves the interests of gamers, developers and publishers. Our platform makes it possible for gamers to trade directly with each other, saving money in the process and lowering the cost of buying and playing games. Keeping that purchasing power in the pockets of gamers is good for the industry."

An Open, Transparent and Secure Trading Environment

By connecting gamers with each other, Sparter eliminates the middle man from the transaction. To promote a safe and efficient trading environment, the company has implemented features such as escrowing of buyer funds, reliability ratings based on actual transactional data, and price charts that show market trends. Users can even see the wholesale prices for several external B2C sites. These tools give gamers unparalleled information on virtual currencies, allowing buyers to make better informed purchases and sellers to optimize their pricing.

Kelly added, "Sparter has the potential to increase consumption of and investment in online games. Our typical seller is a gamer who has earned enough to cover his monthly game fees. The potential to earn some cash while enjoying a great game is likely to extend subscriptions and attract new consumers, growing the overall market for developers and publishers."

A Partner to Developers and Publishers

The Sparter platform is designed to serve developers and publishers as well as gamers. Sparter.com is only one example of how G2G(TM) trade can be enabled; the company is discussing with potential partners ways to provide exchange functionality in-game or at the partner's Web site. "Gamers have spoken with their dollars and clearly value the ability to trade currency," said Boris Putanec, chief technology officer of Sparter. "We want to partner with developers and publishers to support this demand wherever gamers gather."

Sparter requires that its users acknowledge the intellectual property rights of the developer and publisher. "It is imperative that we protect the rights of content originators," said Putanec. "By working together, everyone in the eco-system will benefit."

Veteran Management, Passionate Gamers

The Sparter management team has deep and broad experience in online commerce and the videogame industry. The company is led by gaming veteran Dan Kelly, the former SVP of Business Development at THQ, and Boris Putanec, a co-founder of Ariba, and includes executives from eBay, IGN, Expedia and PeerLogic. Sparter's lead investor is Bessemer Venture Partners, the oldest venture capital firm in the world.

About Sparter, Inc.

Sparter is a global online marketplace for Gamer2Gamer[TM] (G2G(TM)) trading of virtual currencies. The site offers a platform where gamers can buy and sell virtual currencies in an open, transparent and secure environment. The company currently supports the following games: DOFUS, EVE Online, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Final Fantasy XI, Guild Wars, Lineage II, The Lord of the Rings Online, MapleStory, Silkroad Online, Star Wars Galaxies and World of Warcraft. Further information can be obtained at sparter.com.