Arena.net To Publish Games Exclusively Over The Internet

Market Wire, 20050229

Arena.net today announced that it will publish games exclusively over the Internet, bypassing the traditional retail model used by existing game publishers. Gamers will be able to download and play Arena.net games directly without the need to visit a retail store.

Internet publishing will create a direct link between Arena.net and its customers. Gamers will be able to try out any of Arena.net's games as a free download from the Arena.net site. After playing the demo version, they will be able to upgrade to the full version just by entering their order information, without ever needing to leave the game. All game content will be streamed directly to the player's computer as it is needed, eliminating the need for a game CD and allowing Arena.net to continually add new features and scenarios to its games.

Arena.net intends to combine the power of direct Internet distribution with exclusive, internally developed games that are expressly designed for Internet play to offer a unique gaming experience to its customers.

"By developing games solely for the Internet, Arena.net can focus on creating a multiplayer environment tailored to the desires of online game players," said Mike O'Brien, original creator of Battle.net and one of the cofounders of Arena.net. "We've seen gamers build incredible online communities around their fan sites, and we'd like to extend their capabilities by providing them tools that link directly into the play experience."

In addition to publishing its games online, the company is also building an online gaming network to support the community aspects of its games. The Arena.net network will enable players to chat, enter online discussion forums, and compete in worldwide ladders and tournaments, all without ever leaving the game. The network will also be designed to facilitate team play by enabling players to create and manage guilds -- groups of players with shared goals -- then play games with their fellow guild members and engage in combat with rival guilds.

Arena.net was founded in March 2000 as Triforge by three senior developers from Blizzard Entertainment. The name change to Arena.net reflects the company's mission to build multiplayer Internet games for dedicated gamers. The founders of Arena.net are known throughout the gaming community for their leading roles in the development of some of the best selling and most critically renowned games of the past five years, including the Warcraft series, Starcraft, and Diablo. The founders also created Battle.net, the world's largest Internet gaming network, with over five million active users.

"Because of the successes we've had with Starcraft, Diablo and Warcraft, we've received an immense outpouring of support for our new venture. We believe the name change to Arena.net, with its image of gamers battling against each other in an online forum, makes it very clear that we're spending all our energies to create a great multiplayer experience," said Patrick Wyatt, who left his position as Vice President of Research and Development at Blizzard to cofound the company.