ArenaNet Press Releases
Triforge Games Will Be New Venture For Senior Blizzard Programmers
Irvine, March 7, 2000 - Triforge, Inc. will be the next venture for Pat Wyatt, Mike O’Brien, and Jeff Strain, the three senior-level programmers who recently departed gaming giant Blizzard Entertainment. The Triforge team includes the creators of Battle.net, the world’s largest online gaming service, the developers of the network code for all of Blizzard’s best-selling Internet games, and the developers of Blizzard’s 3D rendering technology. Their new venture, Triforge, Inc., will focus exclusively on producing top-notch original titles that advance the state of the art of multiplayer Internet gaming.
Pat Wyatt was Blizzard’s Vice President of Research and Development, and was the current Team Lead and Lead Programmer of Battle.net. Mike O’Brien was the Team Lead and Lead Programmer of Warcraft III, and was the original creator and Lead Programmer of Battle.net. Jeff Strain was the Team Lead and Lead Programmer of Blizzard’s unannounced project, and was developing shared technology for Warcraft III. Since announcing their resignations on Monday, February 28, the three founders of Triforge have been working closely with Blizzard to train replacements.
“We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the incredible enthusiasm of our fans,” said Pat Wyatt. “The Triforge web site has received thousands of encouraging messages from all over the world during the past 24 hours, and we looking forward to continuing our strong relationship with our fans.”
“Over the last five years, the Triforge team has had a leading role in the creation of four of the world’s best-selling games,” said Mike O’Brien. “We are looking forward to working together in a small, highly creative environment to advance gaming to new levels. While we can’t discuss details, we feel sure that fans will be incredibly excited when we announce our new project.”
Triforge, Inc. (www.triforge.com) will be a developer of original multiplayer games, with offices located in the Seattle area. Triforge will build a team of dedicated and talented game developers, working together in an energetic, small company environment.
Blizzard Entertainment (www.blizzard.com) is a premier publisher of entertainment software. The company’s free Internet gaming service Battle.net reigns as the largest in the world with millions of unique users. Blizzard is part of Havas Interactive, a division of the French conglomerate Vivendi.
About ArenaNet
ArenaNet, located in Bellevue, Washington, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NCsoft® Corporation. ArenaNet has built a state-of-the-art, interactive game network and develops premier multiplayer online games for dedicated game players. ArenaNet's first title, Guild Wars, is a global online roleplaying game that allows gamers to play with anyone, anytime and anywhere in the world. The novel business model, which requires no subscription fees and emphasizes instant action rather than time spent playing, has undoubtedly contributed to the huge commercial success of Guild Wars. More information about ArenaNet can be found at www.arena.net.
About NCsoft Corporation
Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, NCsoft Corporation is the world's leading developer and publisher of online games. Founded in 1997, NCsoft is home to Lineage®, the world's most successful online role playing game. NCsoft has joint venture offices located in Japan, Taiwan, and China, as well as branches in North America and the United Kingdom. In fiscal year 2004, NCsoft posted revenues of KRW (Korean Won) 246 billion or approximately US$246 million. More information about NCsoft can be found at http://www.ncsoft.net
NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, Guild Wars, ArenaNet, Lineage, and all associated NCsoft logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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