PlaySpan Standardizes on IBM for Its Cross-Platform Game Commerce Service

PlaySpan, a leading provider of integrated and publisher-sponsored commerce for games and virtual worlds, is working with IBM (NYSE: IBM) to bring a fully integrated, cross-platform commerce service to the games and interactive entertainment market.

Gamers increasingly want to enjoy buying and selling goods with their peers without leaving the game. Many gamers also have an interest in buying and selling game-related merchandise outside of the game.

Santa Clara, Calif.-based PlaySpan has selected powerful IBM BladeCenter servers as its exclusive game-commerce server platform. IBM's high-performance and highly scalable servers deliver a powerful, reliable and secure platform for PlaySpan's software as a service offering that addresses demand for both in-game and out-of-game commerce.

"A flexible in-game commerce platform is necessary to deliver the experience that the end-user wants, whether it is player-to-player commerce, micro-transactions or more traditional models like credit or debit card transactions," said David Laux, IBM global executive for games and interactive entertainment. "PlaySpan delivers the cross-platform commerce engine that operators and publishers are seeking, with the flexibility to enable commerce for digital goods as the first publisher-sponsored marketplace."

By combining storage, networking and servers, the blade server systems simplify computing for PlaySpan. The company chose IBM BladeCenter to save space, increase density and decrease power consumption, while at the same time lowering total cost and improving infrastructure flexibility. IBM BladeCenter's flexible and scalable security features for protecting against online security threats are a mission critical feature for PlaySpan.

"IBM hardware provides us with a great platform to deliver our service, as well as deep expertise and experience in the Games and Virtual Worlds industry," said Karl Mehta, CEO of Playspan. "Working together for customers such as K2 Networks, many massively multiplayer online games have proven the scalability and performance of our Commerce Platform capabilities on the IBM BladeCenter platform."

About PlaySpan, Inc.

PlaySpan is game industry's first publisher-sponsored in-game commerce network. PlaySpan's patent-pending in-game search, commerce and micropayment technologies enable game publishers and developers to generate new revenues, acquire new users and extend the loyalty of existing users. Leading game providers and virtual world publishers have selected PlaySpan as their official marketplace for virtual goods commerce. Investors include MenloVentures, Easton Capital, South Korea-based STIC and Hong Kong-based Novel TMT Ventures. Additional information can be found at: www.playspan.com

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Media Contact: Clay Helm IBM Media Relations 415-545-2212 clayhelm@us.ibm.com