NCsoft said it will publish NetDevil's massively-multiplayer (MMP) game, temporarily titled "Wreckage," a move that it hopes will highlight a new game genre in the fast-growing online game market.

The company said Wreckage will unveil an entirely new style of play for the MMP genre, depicting post-apocalyptic car combat in a future-Earth setting. Players will have the ability to arm and upgrade their own vehicles, group with friends and take on other players in a full-fledged vehicle war.

Wreckage, which is in the development stage, is scheduled to debut in 2004 or 2005.

The publishing deal emphasizes NCsoft's focus to set up a lineup that goes beyond a major online game provider to embrace the worldwide publishing business for online-only computer games.

Previously announced deals include "City of Heroes" from Cryptic Studios and "Trade Wars" from Realm Interactive. Last month NCsoft launched service in Korea for Sony Online Entertainment's highly successful EverQuest.

"Our company's goal is not only to launch quality products worldwide but to leverage our position to bridge cultural barriers and bring gamers together in a global community," said Kim Taek-jin, president and CEO of NCsoft. "NetDevil's new game will bring a new level of excitement, action and community that we've not seen before in this space."

Scott Brown, president of NetDevil, said: "We're extremely pleased to be partnering with NCsoft to publish our next online game, and there were several companies for us to choose from, but NCsoft clearly offered the best combination of experience and publishing to a worldwide market."

Robert Garriott, CEO of NCsoft's North American subsidiary located in Austin, Texas, said that the NetDevil team is developing a unique concept for MMP games. "An auto combat-styled game opens up an entirely new setting and style of play for online gamers. We're pleased to add it to our growing MMP game lineup," Garriott said.

NCsoft, established in 1997, is leading the network-based game market in Korea with its flagship title "Lineage" carving out a 42 percent share.

NetDevil, which was also founded in 1997, is an independent game development company dedicated to the construction of massive multiplayer universes.

(insight@koreaherald.co.kr)

The Korea Herald
2002.09.28