Netmarble Enters into Share Purchase Agreement to Acquire Global Mobile Casino Games Company, SpinX Games

Netmarble Adds New Gaming Genre to Its Global Catalog with $2.19 Billion Acquisition of the World’s Third-Largest Mobile Social Casino Game Company

LOS ANGELES – August. 2, 2021 – Global mobile game publisher Netmarble Corp. today announced that it has entered into a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of SpinX Games, one of the fastest-growing companies in the mobile Social Casino game industry. Under the agreement, Netmarble will acquire 100% of shares of SpinX Games at $2.19 billion (appx. ₩2.5 trillion), to continue its global expansion by adding a new genre of games to the current extensive roster.

Established in 2014, SpinX Games is a Social Casino game company with multiple hit titles in the category including Cash frenzy™, Lotsa Slots™ and Jackpot World. In the second quarter of 2021, the company ranked third in global sales in the mobile Social Casino genre.

SpinX Games showed the most accelerated growth amongst the top 10 players in the Social Casino game industry in recent years, recording $432 million (₩497 billion) in sales in 2020. In the first quarter of 2021, the company generated $141 million (₩162.2 billion) in sales, totaling sales of $286 million (₩328.9 billion) for the first half of the year, marking a 46% increase, YoY.

Social Casino is a globally popular casual game genre along with Match 3 Puzzles.

“The Social Casino genre shows continued global growth, and we are very excited to execute a share purchase agreement with SpinX Games, one of the leading companies in the genre,” said Seungwon Lee, CEO of Netmarble. “Through the acquisition, Netmarble will add the Social Casino genre alongside its existing main genre of RPG to further strengthen its lineup of casual games. With this diversified portfolio, we expect to fortify our competitive edge in the global mobile gaming market.”

“We are very excited to be joining the Netmarble family, one of the fastest-growing mobile game companies in the world,” said Paul Zhang, CEO of SpinX Games. “The mobile Social Casino business is a constantly evolving sector, and we plan to take the most advantage of this opportunity to strengthen global competitiveness for both companies as part of the extensive synergies with Netmarble.”

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About Netmarble Corporation
Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a top developer and publisher pushing the boundaries of the mobile gaming experience with highly innovative games including Lineage 2: Revolution, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, Blade & Soul Revolution and MARVEL Future Fight. As a parent company of Kabam, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble strives to entertain audiences around the world with a variety of mobile games based on its powerful franchises and collaborations with IP holders worldwide. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com

Torrance, Calif. — August 6, 2021 — Aksys Games staged the “All Aksys” event today on their official Twitch channel, AksysGames, unveiling several new titles for 2022 and beyond, and revealing additional details and live gameplay for upcoming games currently in the works.

Otome fans have a wealth of exciting titles to look forward to, including:

Lover Pretend (NSW) – Chiyuki lives alone, spending all her time studying for university and doing part-time work. She has two dreams in life: to become a scriptwriter—also a dream of her late mother—and to find her father whom she never met. From clues left behind, it seems her mother was writing a drama script before she was born. Chiyuki lands a job as an assistant to a scriptwriter for a film that the sons of the drama staff are making. She searches for information while working her new job, but in a twist of events ends up cast in the role of their love interest…? This is a pretend love role, not true love. Can Chiyuki create a script about fake lovers, while not knowing anything about falling in love herself?

Paradigm Paradox (NSW) – The year is 25XX, a world where mankind lives only in isolated colonies. The protagonist, a student at the academy, is bored with the drudgery of everyday life, a day-to-day existence untouched by gossip about “Heroes” and “Vermin,” the enemy of mankind, and unnoticed by the good-looking guys at the academy. One night she slips out of the dormitory and encounters colony-invading Vermin, landing herself in danger! Four girls appear suddenly and repel the Vermin with miraculous abilities. The protagonist decides to work as a Hero, leading a busy life as both a student and champion of justice. But why is it that she has more opportunities to talk to the good-looking guys everyone is whispering about…? What is their (the girls’ / guys’) secret…? And what is the enemy’s true identity…?

Kimi wa Yukima ni Koinegau [English title pending] (NSW) – The first year of the Kyoho era. The land is ruled by the eighth shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune. Repeated incidents caused by monsters in the town of Edo upset and frighten the people so the Tokugawa shogunate establishes the “Oniwaban” to maintain public order and secured the town. Seasons passed—to year 11 of the Kyoho era. A girl in a village far from Edo has the power to see a “black thread” before every catastrophe and the panicked villagers drove her away into the snowy mountains. One day, a young man going by the name of Oniwaban appears before her. This is a story in which a girl encounters “non-humans,” and learns about love. Piofiore: Episodio 1926 (NSW) – The full sequel to last year’s hit Piofiore finds Liliana immersed once again in the dangerous Mafia turf wars and intrigues that tear apart the city of Burlone.

View the trailer playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9BHUh5K1IrZQA3VP-ziJC9YW6zhoK3Lm

Other upcoming games featured at the event include:

RICO London (NSW, PS4™, Xbox One/Fall 2021) – The door-kicking, gang-busting crime fighters are back and this time they’re in 1999 London. RICO London is a first-person shooter about making an impactful entrance, blasting the bad guys, and taking care of business.

Olympia Soirée (NSW/September 9, 2021) – With her entire clan wiped out years ago, Olympia has been isolated for most of her life. Now she lives as the only person on Tenguu Island who can perform the ritual that restores light to a world shrouded in darkness. The heads of each Primary district—Red, Blue, and Yellow—lead a society governed by the island’s rigid class structure. As Olympia travels between the districts, she discovers their wonders and their weaknesses, as well as an entire underground community of shunned individuals whom she becomes determined to help. If she can find the person destined to be her soulmate, she will finally be able to open her heart and reveal her true name, continue her bloodline, and save the world before it is destroyed.

Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi (PS4™, Xbox One, NSW, PC/October 28, 2021; PS5™/2022) – Tokyo, 1979. When a massive, mysterious structure suddenly rises from the ground, the government sends a team to investigate. You have been selected to join an elite group of underground explorers employed by Cassandra Company. Unfortunately, you are not the only one searching these caverns. Terrifying monsters lurk in the shadows. Dangerous criminals hunt for resources. Large numbers of people are missing. The test of your survival skills begins now…

Dairoku: Agents of Sakuratani (NSW/December 2, 2021) – Ever since she could remember, Shino Akitsu has had the ability to see what others could not: spirits, apparitions, and indescribable creatures. As an adult, this talent leads her to join a secret government agency: The Occult Action Department. Her assignment is with the Sixth Special Preventions Office, and her job is to monitor the powerful beings who travel between her world and the worlds beyond. From her office in Sakuratani, a town in a different dimension, Agent Shino meets several otherworldly individuals with vastly different personalities and abilities: a nine-tailed fox spirit, a mischievous oni, and more. Part gatekeeper, part travel guide, she does her best to get to know these entities and keep them from getting into inter-dimensional trouble.

Pups & Purrs Animal Hospital (NSW/November 11, 2021) – Become the very best veterinarian ever! These adorable pets aren’t feeling well, so let’s give them the care they need! Pups & Purrs Animal Hospital is a simulation game in which you can have a dream job taking care of cute, fluffy friends.

Variable Barricade (NSW/February 2022) – A member of a prestigious family and heiress to a fortune, Hibari learns that her eccentric grandfather is determined to find her a husband. He arranges to house her in a luxurious villa along with four handsome, hand-picked bachelors and her private butler. As her suitors try to win her hand by any means necessary, Hibari endures endless everyday trials and temptations. Has grandfather chosen poorly, or is there more to these fellows than meets the eye? Through all of this, Hibari has two important goals: frighten off each of these marriage candidates, and absolutely refuse to fall in love.

Blazing Strike (PS4™, PS5™, NSW, PC/2022) – Inspired by classic arcade fighting game series from industry greats such as Capcom and SNK, the upcoming 2D fighting game from developer RareBreed Makes Games is Blazing Strike evokes the excitement and nostalgia of 2D pixel art genre pioneers while incorporating a unique games system with modern mechanics.

To stay up to date on all the news, follow Aksys Games on Twitter and Instagram at @AksysGames, and join our Thursday livestreams on Twitch at AksysGames, with stream highlights and trailers on our YouTube channel.

About Aksys Games

One of the Top 10 Metacritic Publishers of 2020, Aksys Games Localization, Inc. is a visionary video game publisher committed to publishing unique and high-quality interactive content for all current-generation platforms since 2006. Its lineup of games includes the wildly successful BlazBlue, Under Night In-Birth, and Guilty Gear franchises, Little Dragons Café, the award-winning Spirit Hunter: Death Mark and Spirit Hunter: NG adventures and Code: Realize titles. More information about

Aksys Games and its unique products can be found on the company’s website, www.aksysgames.com.

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Hit the Streets with Up to 10 Friends in New Online Mode

Easy Day Studios announced today the launch of Skater XL’s Online Multiplayer Free Skate Mode on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam. Available now as a free downloadable update, Free Skate Mode allows up to 10 players the ability to jump into an online skate session together.

The Skater XL Online Multiplayer Free Skate Mode allows players to join a random public room or start their own and invite friends to join using a passcode. Adding to the experience, the same replay editor functionality found in single player can be used in the new online mode, giving players the ability to save and edit group party lines, individual tricks and memorable in-game events.

Watch the new Skater XL Multiplayer launch trailer featuring skateboard pros Tom Asta, Tiago Lemos, Evan Smith, and Brandon Westgate HERE:

The update also includes months of work on performance improvements for consoles, with increased frame rate and a significantly smoother feel to gameplay especially on base model units. Whether it’s mastering a complex trick line in DTLA offline, or soaring off the Big Ramp with a squad online, Skater XL’s gameplay and controls are feeling better than ever.

Need some fresh new gear to premiere during an online Skater XL session? We got you covered as this update includes new shoes from New Balance and éS Footwear, as well as an apparel capsule from Dickies with more gear and accessories on the way.

Skater XL is $39.99 USD on PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam, and at brick and mortar retailers for PS4 and Xbox One. For the latest news and updates on Skater XL, follow the game on Instagram and Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook, and visit the official website, SkaterXL.com.

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The First Wearable Role-Playing Game Arrives with the Tricorder Collector’s Edition Boxed Set along with three new Division dice sets, Gamemaster/Player Guides, and a Complete Campaign Setting: The Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide

London, UK (August 6, 2021) — Today, Modiphius Entertainment is pleased to announce several new additions coming to its popular Star Trek Adventures tabletop role-playing game product line. These include a special collector’s edition of the game featuring classic Star Trek Tricorder-themed packaging, new dice, two new guide books, and a new campaign setting book: the Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide.

Starfleet Division Dice:

Launching today are newly designed and manufactured Starfleet Division dice sets. Each pack contains 2d20’s in specific department colors (red, gold, or blue) and four black six-sided Challenge Dice.

Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide:

Set for release this fall is the massive, full-color, 312-page campaign guide centered around the Shackleton Expanse, a little-explored region of the Beta Quadrant unique to Modiphius and the Star Trek Adventures game. The Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide is the first campaign setting book for the Star Trek Adventures product line and includes setting material to make the Shackleton Expanse your own, as well as an epic 10-part campaign that begins in the original series era and continues into The Next Generation era (and can be adapted for use in any era of play). 

Tricorder Collector’s Edition Boxed Set:
 
Coming this fall is the Star Trek Adventures tricorder boxed set, the ultimate collectible for tabletop fans of the original series. The tricorder is the world’s first wearable roleplaying game for tabletop fans on the move and cosplayers alike. The set contains a 300-page digest-sized core rulebook, campaign booklet, rules summary sheets, dice, tokens, and character cards for both the crew of the NCC-1701 U.S.S. Enterprise and the crew of the U.S.S. Lexington (featured in the Star Trek Adventures living campaign and forthcoming Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide).
 
Every component has been designed to immerse you in the style of the original series, with the full-color digest edition core rulebook featuring a graphic design based on the screen displays and color scheme of the original series’ Enterprise, with lavish illustrations of the era. Its unique collector’s edition dice match the colors of Captain Kirk’s tunic in green and gold.
 
Opening with a magnetic flap at the top of the box, it features paneling and texture designs based on the original tricorder prop. The tricorder is made from durable ultra-density board, while the components inside are robust but lightweight.
 
The core rulebook was edited to reflect playing during the Kirk era, giving players all the tools and rules needed to play in the 2260s. This box set is a must-have for Star Trek Adventures fans running an original series campaign, as well as fans of original Star Trek who want an entry into the contemporary roleplaying game.
 
The boxed set also contains an exclusive original campaign, The Keyhole of Eternity, designed to be played with either a pre-generated crew contained in the tricorder boxed set or original characters you create.

Player’s and Gamemaster’s Guides:
 
Exploring the wonders of the Shackleton Expanse and the rest of the Star Trek universe requires even more crews of players eager to play the game and new gamemasters to run the game to create exciting new game experiences. To that end, the Star Trek Adventures team developed two brand-new full-color digest-sized guides, set for release this Christmas season — the Player’s Guide and the Gamemaster’s Guide – to be companion volumes to the various core rulebooks (regular core, Klingon core, or tricorder digest.) Each guide is packed full of advice designed to help players and gamemasters create amazing Star Trek game experiences.
 
Both guides contain:

• A primer on the essential elements of Star Trek
• An overview of key Star Trek setting details and technology
• Definitions of six key Star Trek eras
• Contents adaptable for use with groups of pioneering Starfleet officers, fearless Klingon warriors, or daring crews of any polity 

The Player’s Guide also contains:

• Guidance on how to be an engaged, active, and supportive player, and insights on building characters collaboratively
• Additional details on existing character roles and quick-build options for each role
• A wealth of new character options, including new character roles and talents 

The Gamemaster’s Guide also contains:

• Detailed guidance on how to plan a campaign, find players, conduct an effective Session 0, and be an engaged and supportive gamemaster
• A detailed discussion on how Star Trek stories are structured, and advice on developing scales of stories
• Deep insights on effectively using the game mechanics, gleaned from four years of feedback and development
• A wealth of optional rules and gamemaster tools, including extended consequences, advanced traits, stress and injury variants, and advanced combat rules
• A dozen sample encounters and over 20 sample extended tasks

More info about Modiphius Entertainment can be found by following them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the official website: https://www.modiphius.net.

About Modiphius Entertainment

Modiphius is a British entertainment publisher working with global creative talent to develop unique creative properties. ​We publish roleplaying games, board games, miniatures, novels, cool accessories, and more. Our aim is to inspire those who read, play, or encounter our work with tales of heroism, adventure, and courage.

As well as our own IP: Achtung! Cthulhu, Modiphius has also published other major licensed properties from Star Trek Adventures the roleplaying game, Fallout Wasteland Warfare wargame, and Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms miniatures games, the Kung Fu Panda co-operative board game, and Dune: Adventures in the Imperium roleplaying game.

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Today, Modiphius Entertainment released the PDF version of Fallout: The Roleplaying Game, their pen and paper tabletop RPG based on the videogame series of the same name. Available on the Modiphius Web Store and at Drivethrurpg, the game features Modiphius’ 2d20 roleplaying system and creates a fantastic post-apocalyptic tabletop experience for players and Game Masters alike.

This digital version of the 438-page physical rulebook contains rules and lore for roleplaying in the Fallout world, as well as concept art from the Fallout videogames. Utilizing Modiphius’ celebrated 2d20 cinematic role-playing system, the Fallout RPG will take players on an exciting journey into the post-apocalypse!

Create your own survivors, super mutants, ghouls, and even Mister Handy robots. Immerse yourself in the iconic post-nuclear apocalyptic world of Fallout, while gamemasters guide their group through unique stories and encounters. The 2d20 edition of Fallout is as close to the bottlecap bartering, wasteland wandering, Brotherhood battling excitement as you can get!

• Immerse yourself in this genre-defining setting with the official Fallout tabletop roleplaying game.
• Create your group of original characters including vault dwellers, ghouls, super mutants, and even robots. Tell your own stories of survival in post-nuclear America using a host of non-playable characters and horrifically mutated creatures.
• Use iconic weapons, armor, chems, and items transferred straight from the video game. Scavenge the ruins of the old world and make your mark on the Wasteland.
• Utilize the 2d20 System — a roleplaying rules set that supports both story-led adventures and detailed gameplay. Use Action Points to power your incredible wasteland wanderers, and augment their actions with your fantastic Perks.
• Use an extensive catalog of creatures and characters from the world of Fallout.
• Gamemasters can kick things off with story hooks immersed in the Fallout universe, roll and build random encounters from tables inside the book, and even randomly generate locations and loot for their players.
• Includes the “With a Bang or a Whimper” 18-page introductory adventure

Keep current with everything Modiphius Entertainment by following them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the official website: https://www.modiphius.net.

XSEED Games Gets Warmed Up by Kicking Off Retail Pre-orders

TORRANCE, Calif. – Aug. 6, 2021 – XSEED Games, the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., announced Knockout Home Fitness, a fitness game with high-intensity workouts featuring moves inspired by martial arts, will launch Sept. 28 for the Nintendo Switch™ system. Players looking to add a fitness title to their lineup can now preorder the physical version of the game at the XSEED Games Store and participating retailers. Pre-order details can be found at: knockout-homefitness.com.

Released as FiNC HOME FiT in Japan, Knockout Home Fitness offers a total package of intense moves to work the upper body, as well as kicks, knees, and squats to get the lower body involved for a workout sure to get blood pumping in half the time compared to exercising only the upper body. The release will be the company’s first fitness game, expanding its already diverse portfolio into a new category. 

About Knockout Home Fitness

Grab a Joy-Con™ in each hand and get ready to achieve great results fast with a workout program developed specifically for the Nintendo Switch™. Deliver a knockout blow to inactivity with short, intense full body workouts designed by experts to maximize calorie-burning with strikes based not just on boxing, but also other martial arts such as Muay Thai, karate, and kung-fu! Track progress and strive for long-term goals with Personal Training Mode, or jump into the high-efficiency 3-Minute Fitness Mode to blow off some steam. Knockout Home Fitness features over 25 diverse music tracks and four personal trainers, each with their own training style and personality.

Key Features

● Real full body fitness, 60 courses—Intense calorie-burning exercises with moves based on boxing and other martial arts such as karate, kung-fu, and Muay Thai with plenty of courses created for all fitness levels

● Daily workouts in about 15 minutes— Providing options for any lifestyle or schedule, players can choose from 3-Minute Fitness Mode, offering selectable high-intensity workouts, or a pre-programmed Personal Training Mode that offers a varied selection of daily exercise routines including stretches that can be completed in about 15 minutes.

● Track progress and stay focused on results— The sleek “My Report” function provides stats on workout frequency, length, calories burned, and logs completed actions all in one place

● Four personality-driven trailers— Four personal trainers with personalities to fit a player’s preferred coaching style ranging from friendly to strict, deliver customized daily routines aligned with individual goals and keep things fresh with new activities each day

Knockout Home Fitness is published in North America exclusively for the Nintendo Switch™ and will launch in North America on Sept. 28 and will be released in Europe from publisher Marvelous Europe on Oct. 8. The game is currently available for physical pre-order through the XSEED Games Store and participating retailers for a MSRP of $39.99, with more information about digital availability to be announced at a later date. This title has been rated “E for Everyone” by the ESRB.

More information about XSEED Games’ products can be found at www.xseedgames.com. Fans can also follow XSEED Games on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, get in depth info from their developer blog, and join the discussion on their Discord server at: http://discord.gg/XSEEDGames.

About XSEED Games

XSEED Games is the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Inc., which is a publicly traded company listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Formed in 2004 and located in Torrance, California, XSEED Games publishes interactive entertainment content for PC and consoles from the Marvelous portfolio as well as from a wide variety of third-party partners. Whether it’s Marvelous properties such as STORY OF SEASONS (Bokujo Monogatari), SENRAN KAGURA, and Rune Factory, or third-party titles such as the Corpse Party and AKIBA’S TRIP series or Granblue Fantasy: Versus, XSEED Games has grown its reputation among gamers with its critically acclaimed localizations and commitment to fans, remaining ever dedicated to its “indie spirit, player-first” approach.

Olympia, Wash. — August 6, 2021 — Good Luck Games announced today that Magic: the Gathering Hall of Famer Luis Scott-Vargas (commonly known as LSV) is joining the company as VP of Marketing. A veteran in the gaming industry, LSV is a founder of ChannelFireball.com, one of the premiere Magic websites and event companies. He also has a game design background from his time at Dire Wolf Digital, and has worked on numerous digital and physical games. GL Games recently launched the auto card battler Storybook Brawl in Early Access on Steam.

“LSV’s experience in content development, as well as his extensive background as both a professional player and game designer, add some powerful cards to our deck,” said Matt Place of GL Games.

The company also announced that the first big Storybook Brawl tournament will be held Saturday, August 14th at 2:00 p.m. PDT with $2.500 in prizes. LSV will be providing commentary. For more details, visit the Steam page.  Developed by a team of veteran designers from Magic: The Gathering, Hearthstone and Elder Scrolls Legends, Storybook Brawl is a lighthearted card-based autobattle game featuring characters from beloved fairy tales and myths. While the game is easy to jump into and simple to play, a wide variety of cards offers opportunities for deep strategy and accommodates different play styles.

Features of Storybook Brawl include: 

• Battle 7 other players over several rounds to be the last person standing
• Choose from over 30 different heroes with fun and unique powers to lead your battle
• Draft characters to your party, leveraging abilities, effects and combos to deal the greatest damage
• Match 3 characters to create a supercharged version and earn a treasure
• Level up to unlock stronger characters and spells

Storybook Brawl is available beginning tomorrow on Steam Early Access. For more information, visit store.steampowered.com/app/1367020/Storybook_Brawl.  

About Good Luck Games

Founded in 2019, GL Games is helmed by three veteran card game designers and former professional players. Magic: The Gathering Hall of Famer and Player of the Year Josh Utter-Leyton was a two-time US National Champion and six-time Pro Tour top 8 competitor. He was Lead Designer on three Elder Scrolls: Legends sets as well as Designer and gameplay engineer on Eternal and Elder Scrolls: Legends. In addition to serving as a lead designer on Elder Scrolls: Legends and a designer for Eternal, Matt Nass reached the Magic: The Gathering World Championship top 8, the Pro Tour Top 8 and clocked five Grand Prix wins. Matt Place is a Magic Pro Tour champion turned game designer. He’s had many roles during his 18 years in the game industry, including lead initial designer for Hearthstone at Blizzard Entertainment.” www.storybookbrawl.com

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Focus Home Interactive, a leading European publisher and developer of video games, announces the signing of a contract for the acquisition of 77.5% of the share capital of Dotemu, a world leader in retrogaming based in Paris. Dotemu is both a game developer and publisher, known for having released more than fifty retro games on Consoles, PC and Mobiles. 

Composed of a talented and passionate team of about thirty people, Dotemu has already demonstrated its expertise in discovering and updating old cult licences in order to transform them into critical and commercial successes at a global level. Positioned in a very attractive market, Dotemu is a fast-growing company which achieved a turnover of €14.6 million, and has a very ambitious growth plan for the years ahead.

Dotemu has become an expert in this field and has already developed and re-released legendary franchises such as Final Fantasy, Another World, Double Dragon and, most recently Street of Rage, which has been played by over 2.5 million people worldwide. Dotemu also develops games in-house via its development team, with titles such as Ys Origin, Heroes of Might and Magic III HD and the highly anticipated Windjammers 2.

Christophe Nobileau, CEO of Focus Home Interactive, declared:  “The arrival of Dotemu marks a key step in the acceleration of the Group’s growth and in the diversification of its expertise. By enriching our editorial line, we are opening up a new revenue stream and new market shares to conquer in a fast-growing sector.

We are delighted to welcome to the Focus Group talents such as Cyrille Imbert and his teams, who have succeeded in making games attractive and giving them new life for millions of players around the world. Finally, this deal is just another step in our growth story. Following the integration of the Deck13 and Streum On studios, we are actively looking for other high-potential companies to accelerate our development and expand our offer.”

Christophe Nobileau, CEO of Focus Home Interactive, declared: “The arrival of Dotemu marks a key step in the acceleration of the Group’s growth and in the diversification of its expertise. By enriching our editorial line, we are opening up a new revenue stream and new market shares to conquer in a fast-growing sector.

We are delighted to welcome to the Focus Group talents such as Cyrille Imbert and his teams, who have succeeded in making games attractive and giving them new life for millions of players around the world. Finally, this deal is just another step in our growth story. Following the integration of the Deck13 and Streum On studios, we are actively looking for other high-potential companies to accelerate our development and expand our offer.”

Cyrille Imbert, CEO of Dotemu, added: “Joining the Focus Home Interactive Group was an obvious choice for Dotemu. We share the same passion for video games, the same desire to improve, as well as the same values of respect and benevolence towards our partners and teams. While continuing its activities, this new collaboration will allow Dotemu to benefit from the incontestable expertise of Focus Home Interactive’s teams for the production of AA titles and thus launch the production of future remakes or sequels on licenses of first-generation 3D consoles (the games of the early 2000s).

While retaining the editorial and strategic independence that has made it so successful, Dotemu will be able to give even greater ambition to its projects and give itself the means to broaden the range of services offered to studios, in order to guarantee the success of their productions on the retro label as well as on the publishing label The Arcade Crew. Therefore, Dotemu is ideally positioned to achieve its ambitious growth plan to triple its turnover in the medium term. My mission will also be to share Dotemu’s expertise with Focus Home Interactive’s teams, to select and convince talented teams to join the Group in order to build, together, a key player in the video game industry on a global scale.”

Focus Home Interactive is expanding its offering and editorial line through the acquisition of Dotemu, which will continue to publish and produce unique titles with strong commercial potential, driven by cult video game and pop culture licenses such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Metal Slug Tactics, as well as other quality titles to be announced in the coming months. Above all, Dotemu will benefit from Focus Home Interactive’s expertise in the field of AA games, which will enable it to develop even more ambitious projects.

In addition, with this deal, Focus Home Interactive is building up its technical capabilities for the development of independent games. Dotemu’s teams will thus be able to provide even more ambition to the young independent publishing label The Arcade Crew. After successful productions such as The Last Spell or Dark Devotion, The Arcade Crew is preparing many other ambitious productions such as Young Souls and other quality titles to be announced in the months ahead.

ABOUT FOCUS HOME INTERACTIVE
FOCUS HOME INTERACTIVE is one of Europe’s leading video game publishers and developers. Its vocation is to support leading international studios in the development, production monitoring, marketing, sales and financing of their projects. As a publisher of strong brands such as The Surge, Vampyr, MudRunner, and A Plague Tale: Innocence, the Group generated revenues of €171 million in 2020/21, up 20% compared to the previous comparable period. FOCUS HOME INTERACTIVE generates 95% of its sales internationally.

ABOUT DOTEMU
Dotemu is a French video game company specializing in modern releases of beloved retro games. Our mission is simple: give every gamer access to yesteryear’s classic video games on today’s platforms, including console, PC, mobile and more. Working alongside the world’s most cherished and recognized publishers, the Dotemu team has published a number of global top-sellers across both PC and console including Streets of Rage 4, Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, with additional development and publishing work on Windjammers 1 and 2, several games in the Ys series, and more. Dotemu is currently working with different talented studios on promising titles like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Metal Slug Tactics and Pharaoh: A New Era.

Founded in 2007, Dotemu leverages its considerable technological and commercial know-how to maintain the original spirit of classic games while giving them a second life as rediscovered gems for a new generation of gamers.

ABOUT THE ARCADE CREW
The Arcade Crew is based in Paris as a separate division of Dotemu. The boutique publisher is dedicated to producing and publishing awesome original games with a retro feel from small creative teams. The Crew is thrilled to discover and support new talents and create a real community around classic inspired titles.

EARLY ACCESS TO TRAIN LIFE WILL BE READY FOR BOARDING ON AUGUST 31!

Lesquin, France, August 5, 2021 – NACON and Simteract are delighted to announce that Train Life: A Railway Simulator will be pulling into the next station on August 31: the game will be available for early access on Steam, before it pulls into the Epic Games Store at a later date.

Watch a trailer for Train Life: A Railway Simulator

Announced in February 2021 as part of NACON’s new Life range, Train Life: A Railway Simulator will be the first of 5 simulation games to be released. From August 31, train and management game fans will have early access to this ambitious project.

Train Life: A Railway Simulator puts you at the head of a railway company. For the first time in a game of this type, you develop your business to become the biggest rail company in Europe: hire drivers, buy new trains and achieve your contractual objectives! 

This unique management aspect is supported by the game’s detailed trains and driving system. NACON and Simteract have paid special attention to modeling the trains to ensure the game is both fun and authentic.

New content will be added regularly throughout the period of early access, including some legendary trains and, ultimately, 10,000 km of track across Europe. This detail and scope, along with dynamic weather, mean each voyage will be a unique experience. Get your ticket for Train Life: A Railway Simulator now!

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Train Life : A Railway Simulator will be available in early access August 31, 2021 on Steam and on the Epic Games Store.

Check Train Life : A Railway Simulator’s Steam page

• The multiplayer update “Nightshift with Friends” will be released on 26 August during gamescom 2021.
• The update includes the extensive 2-player co-op mode as well as new gameplay features such as Nightshift, tracking graffiti vandalism and more.
• Fans can test the new update extensively in an open beta test starting next week.

Duesseldorf/Germany, August 5, 2021 – Protecting the virtual city of Brighton as a police officer in Police Simulator: Patrol Officer has so far been a pure single-player experience. This is now set to change with the next major Early Access update of the successful police simulation: On August 26, 2021, astragon Entertainment and Aesir Interactive will release the big multiplayer update Nightshift with Friends during the course of this year’s gamescom game show. From then on, virtual officers will be able to go on patrol with another person in a 2-player co-op mode, and experience additional brand-new features.

Check out the first 50 minutes of gameplay as we give out parking tickets and the fines as we walk the streets of Brighton!

After the recently released Background Check update which added a new vehicle, an additional district and the police computer for checking suspicious vehicles and persons, fans of the popular simulation game can already look forward to the next content highlight: The Nightshift with Friends update introduces a 2-player co-op mode that allows players to patrol the streets of Brighton in pairs and have each other’s backs.

While doing so, they will also be confronted with some new legal violations: Not only are graffiti sprayers up to mischief on the streets of Brighton, smoking exhaust pipes on vehicles will also become a new problem that police officers should keep an eye on, if they want to maintain law and order in their neighborhoods.

For those who prefer the quiet of the night to go patrol, the newly introduced night shifts allow them to move their workday to the darker hours of Brighton. Of course, the Brighton PD will provide officers with new equipment such as torches and warning flares to investigate further new offenses such as too-loud engines on vehicles or driving without lights after dark.

As with every major update released for Police Simulator: Patrol Officers, fans of the game will be able to try out the Nightshift with Friends update in advance next week during an extensive beta test on Steam™, and thus contribute directly to its development and refinement. The exact date for the start of the open beta test will be announced soon on the game’s official channels. A detailed overview of upcoming content can be found in the official Police Simulator: Patrol Officers Roadmap.

Police Simulator: Patrol Officers is available for PC via Steam™ and the official astragon homepage for 19.99 Euro/USD 24.99/17.99 GBP (RSP). The game is supported by a game-grant of the German funding body FilmFernsehFonds Bayern. All contents of the update phases until the official end of Early Access are already included in the price.

More Information:

Steam™:  https://store.steampowered.com/app/997010/Police_Simulator_Patrol_Officers/
Homepage: www.patrol-officers.de
Roadmap: http://roadmap.patrol-officers.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PolSimulator
Instagram: https://instagram.com/PoliceSimulator
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PoliceSimulator

About astragon Entertainment GmbH
astragon Entertainment (founded on July 25, 2000 in Hagen/Germany, since 2019 based in Duesseldorf/Germany) is one of the leading independent German games publishers. The focus of the diverse product portfolio of our company, lies on high-quality technical simulation games such as Construction Simulator, or Bus Simulator, but also many other exciting games such as Police Simulator: Patrol Officers or Drone Swarm. The distribution of high-quality licensed and distribution products such as Farming Simulator, Transport Fever 2 and SnowRunner complete our attractive product range. astragon games are available world-wide on many different platforms such as consoles, smartphones, tablets, and PC. Find more information at: http://www.astragon.de/en/. 

About Aesir Interactive
Aesir Interactive is a German development studio based in Munich, Bavaria. Over 35 passionate designers, artists and programmers lay the foundation for engaging games and innovative interactive applications. As a leading Unreal Engine developer, Aesir established a formidable tech-stack and workflow for smooth continuous development and integration, creating lively and beautiful worlds for passionate gamers across the globe on all major consoles and PC.  
The diverse members of Aesir come from all over the world, yet they share a common path – Crafting memorable experiences through elegance, discipline, and excellence. For more information, visit aesir-interactive.com. 


About FilmFernsehFonds Bayern
FFF Bayern provides funding for story and project development, the production of feature and television films, international co-productions for feature films or high-end series, (web)-serial and virtual reality formats, distribution and sales, cinemas as well as games. Besides its funding activities, FFF Bayern is also involved in extensive consulting and information services for the film, television, and games industry. Shareholders of FFF Bayern are the Free State of Bavaria, the Bavarian regulatory authority for new media (BLM), Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), Zweites DeutschesFernsehen (ZDF), Seven.One Entertainment Group, RTL Television and Sky Deutschland Fernsehen. For more information, visit www.fff-bayern.de