http://bigpoint.net We do games. Wed, 16 May 2012 16:08:51 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://bigpoint.net/2012/05/square-enix-and-bigpoint-unleash-a-world-of-creativity-with-gameglobe/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/05/square-enix-and-bigpoint-unleash-a-world-of-creativity-with-gameglobe/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 09:04:33 +0000 c.paletta http://bigpoint.net/?p=3979 ]]> Square Enix Ltd. and Bigpoint are excited to unveil the first details on Gameglobe™ an innovative new online game platform to be published by the two companies.

Gameglobe is a unique browser-based experience that allows players free access to endless game worlds and creative possibilities, all in HD quality. Players can choose to either create their own game or simply play the multitude of levels available at launch.

“It’s never been easier to create your own game,” said Rune Vendler, Game Director. “We want Gameglobe to be a community where everyone can get involved in the fun: play new games every day, share your favourites, or flex your creative muscles with your own designs.”

“We’re very excited by the creativity unleashed through the collaboration between Bigpoint and Square Enix that allows us to bring an entirely new and innovative online gaming experience to players”, added Jan-Michel Saaksmeier, Executive Producer at Bigpoint. ”Gameglobe offers fun without limits and a vast selection of free-to-play adventures directly in your browser – and in full console quality HD graphics.”

Gameglobe is developed by Danish studio Hapti.co who are part of the Square Enix group and will be published exclusively by Bigpoint in Europe and North America, who will distribute the game through the Bigpoint.com Portal as well as across their network of partners.

Gameglobe is currently in closed beta and will be opened up to additional players in the coming months. To register for the beta, players can head to the official website.






]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/05/square-enix-and-bigpoint-unleash-a-world-of-creativity-with-gameglobe/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/05/battlestar-galactica-online-approaches-ten-million-players-humans-and-cylons-celebrate-one-year-anniversary-of-epic-space-combat/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/05/battlestar-galactica-online-approaches-ten-million-players-humans-and-cylons-celebrate-one-year-anniversary-of-epic-space-combat/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 14:37:31 +0000 c.paletta http://bigpoint.net/?p=3952 ]]> Bigpoint – a worldwide leader in online games – today announced that Battlestar Galactica Online has nearly achieved ten million registered players worldwide since the game’s launch one year ago. Based on the internationally popular Syfy television series produced by Universal Cable Productions, Battlestar Galactica Online (BSGO) is a free-to-play, browser-based space combat MMO that combines high-quality graphics with intense gameplay. To celebrate its birthday, Bigpoint is hosting a week-long party for all players. Running April 30 through May 6, Humans and Cylons who log-in will receive in-game gifts and bonuses. Battlestar Galactica Online is licensed through Universal Partnerships & Licensing on behalf of NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group.

“We are thrilled with the tremendous growth of BSGO and how the game has performed over the past year,” said Heiko Hubertz, Founder and CEO, Bigpoint. “BSGO is a breakthrough title that has empowered us to change perceptions of the kind of gaming experience that can be delivered through a web browser. We’re excited to move forward with this momentum, celebrate our achievements, and reward all of our players in the community who helped us get to this point.”

Since its launch, BSGO has benefitted from numerous content updates, including the introduction of new classes of ships (Escort, Line, Carrier), the ability to pilot Battlestar and Basestar capital ships, the integration of the Triad and Prophecy meta-game, custom ship paints, and an eight-foot tall Cylon giveaway contest. Within the past year, the game has enlisted close to 10 million registered players, and has received industry accolades such as the Unity Developers Award for Community Choice, and Best Browser Game at the European Games Awards.

Beginning April 30, Bigpoint will reward players with free items and bonuses. All players who log-in to Battlestar Galactica Online every day for the week will be able to collect their prizes. In addition, the Daily Merit Cap will be increased, and special offers will be made available for players to purchase in-game items.

Leveraging Bigpoint’s vast international distribution network of over 1,000 media partners, localization in 25+ languages, and team of worldwide community managers, Battlestar Galactica Online continues to attract over 25,000 new pilots every day. The 2012 development schedule calls for many new content releases, as well as more events, tournaments, and fast-paced space combat.

For more information and updates about Battlestar Galactica Online, visit the game’s news page, Facebook fan page, and community forums.

]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/05/battlestar-galactica-online-approaches-ten-million-players-humans-and-cylons-celebrate-one-year-anniversary-of-epic-space-combat/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/experience-the-ultimate-magical-gardening-world-in-new-bigpoint-online-game-fantasyrama/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/experience-the-ultimate-magical-gardening-world-in-new-bigpoint-online-game-fantasyrama/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:11:23 +0000 k.frank http://bigpoint.net/?p=3928 ]]> London / San Francisco, 26 April 2012 – The developers of the internationally renowned and award-winning casual game Farmerama (www.farmerama.com) are proud to present the enchanting new online game FantasyRama (www.fantasyrama.com). FantasyRama is currently in development at Bigpoint (www.bigpoint.com), and will launch in open beta at the beginning of May, playable across the world. This magical game has many of the most popular features of Farmerama and is set within a spellbinding, fantasy world.

“Judging from our early testing, FantasyRama looks set to be a great addition to our successful line of casual games,” says Heiko Hubertz, CEO and Founder of Bigpoint. “We are continually striving to raise the bar in casual games development and players can look forward to FantasyRama’s beautiful graphics and detailed designs, its challenging yet entertaining depth of play, and lots of opportunities for social interaction.”

Enchanted moments in the latest casual game
FantasyRama will lead players to a world full of magic: the game’s entire ecosystem is interconnected and all of the flora and fauna effuse a special energy that emanates from the game’s governing force, the tree of life. In this mystical setting players tend to their own enchanted gardens filled with fascinating and wonderful flowers, trees and animals allowing players to fully let their imagination run free.

In just a few weeks, FantasyRama will be playable online for free. All enthusiastic players can register now at www.fantasyrama.com or like the game on Facebook (www.facebook.com/fantasyrama) to keep up with the latest news and updates from the game.


]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/experience-the-ultimate-magical-gardening-world-in-new-bigpoint-online-game-fantasyrama/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/bigpoint-and-fox-consumer-products-herd-together-to-launch-ice-age-online-an-entertaining-online-browser-game/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/bigpoint-and-fox-consumer-products-herd-together-to-launch-ice-age-online-an-entertaining-online-browser-game/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:32:53 +0000 c.paletta http://bigpoint.net/?p=3902 ]]> Bigpoint – a global leader in online games – today announced its partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products to develop an online game based on Ice Age, the hit motion picture franchise. With access to the most popular characters and settings from the films, the free-to-play browser game – Ice Age Online – will give fans a new way to experience the entertaining prehistoric storylines.

“We’re excited to work with one of the most successful film franchises of all time,” said Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder, Bigpoint. “We’re equally happy to begin working with Fox on this project and are eager to give Ice Age fans another way to enjoy the fun they’ve had at the movies.”

In Ice Age Online, players assume the role of a sloth that recently discovered the perfect place for animals from the herd to live. Along the way, the herd gets separated and lost. Players must rescue the lost animals and build up a camp for them to live. In the adventure mode, players collect precious acorns and construction materials – such as wood, flowers, coconuts, and mud – from locations based on the film franchise, including Ice Age: Continental Drift, the fourth animated film from the franchise releasing from Twentieth Century Fox in theaters in 3D July 2012. Acorns and materials are used to build camps for the rescued animals to live.

“Video games and film have an organic connection, and the online game space offers virtually limitless creative opportunities to extend the cinematic experience and the Ice Age brand,” said Jeffrey Godsick, President of Fox Consumer Products. “Bigpoint, the market-leading pioneer among online video game companies, is the natural choice for us to partner with in building the world of Ice Age Online.”

Customization & Socialization
At the beginning of the game, players have the opportunity to customize their sloth character. Options include gender selection, multiple color and fur combinations, special haircuts and headdresses, and a number of wardrobe choices. The game will also offer a number of socialization features, including friend lists and activity trackers, leaderboards, and the ability to challenge other players and friends. Friends can also visit each other’s camps to see which animals have been rescued and leave gifts of food and construction materials.

As players progress through the game they will unlock bonus levels. In these special levels, players will compete as other popular characters from Ice Age in specially-designed gameplay that puts each character’s unique strengths to the test.
Ice Age Online will be built atop the Unity development platform, which allows high-end graphics to be displayed in common web browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.

]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/bigpoint-and-fox-consumer-products-herd-together-to-launch-ice-age-online-an-entertaining-online-browser-game/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/farmerama-goes-green-fashion-and-sows-seeds-for-a-great-cause/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/farmerama-goes-green-fashion-and-sows-seeds-for-a-great-cause/#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:55:49 +0000 k.frank http://bigpoint.net/?p=3895 ]]> Hamburg, 10. April 2012 – Farmerama is going green! The latest in-game event in Farmerama – one of the most popular online games anywhere on the web – is sowing, harvesting and designing for a great cause. For two long weeks, Farmerama (www.farmerama.com) farmers can plant and harvest organic cotton to make some stylish t-shirts. The event will showcase everything that goes into producing the latest, real-time fashion craze by depicting the process in the virtual world, and will focus on sustainable and fair production methods. No step of the production process has been overlooked. All the agricultural, production, dyeing and social standards which must be adhered to to earn the Fair Trade or GOTS symbol, are depicted in Farmerama in order to raise awareness for a fantastic cause. But we haven’t stopped there! In order to create an authentic community atmosphere, Farmers and Fans alike can look forward to exclusive t-shirts by trailblazing eco-friendly fashion label armedangels.

All the proceeds generated from the armedangels’ Farmerama t-shirts will be donated to the Plant for the Planet initiative.
Plant for the Planet is an unprecedented initiative founded by children, which has played a major role in planting countless trees around the world in an attempt to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the initiative is aimed at planting a million trees in every country on the planet. Plant for the Planet was founded in 2007 in the wake of a school presentation by Felix Finkbeiner. At present, the initiative has approximately 100,000 children in over 200 countries taking part in the “Stop Talking. Start Planting.” campaign.

A total of 1,800 limited edition Farmerama t-shirts are set to produced, and can be purchased online on the armedangels homepage at www.armedangels.de/farmerama.

German celebs Birte Glang and Florian Frowein to aid this great cause
Birte Glang is known all over Germany from the hit series “Unter uns” for her role as Heidi. Additionally, Glang actively uses her role as an actress and model to raise awareness for social issues and environmental causes, including being an ambassador for Fair Trade. This October, Glang will be starring in her first major motion picture entitled “Agent Ranjid.”

Florian Frowein is known for his work in the German TV series “Wege zum Glück – Spuren im Sand.” Beginning this May, Frowein’s fans will have a chance to see him each and every day in his role as the environmentalist “Leon,” and Mr. Frowein himself could not be more thrilled to be taking part in such a great cause.


]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/farmerama-goes-green-fashion-and-sows-seeds-for-a-great-cause/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/square-enix-and-bigpoint-team-up-for-exciting-new-project/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/square-enix-and-bigpoint-team-up-for-exciting-new-project/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:40:55 +0000 c.paletta http://bigpoint.net/?p=3882 ]]>
The new game, which is already well into development at Square Enix, will be exclusively published and marketed by Bigpoint in Europe and North America. The title will be distributed on the Bigpoint.com portal, as well as by other media partners. Focusing heavily on social gameplay and encouraging user generated content, the game will be unveiled in the near future.

“We’re very excited to have teamed up with Bigpoint who are leaders in browser gaming,” said Phil Rogers, CEO Square Enix Europe. “This is the start of both an exciting new project and a strong relationship.”

“We are so excited to have the opportunity to work with Square Enix. The combination of Square Enix’s long-standing experience in providing digital entertainment and Bigpoint’s expertise in developing browser games promises to yield quite the exciting new game,” said Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder of Bigpoint.

More detailed information about the game will be made public within the next few weeks. In the next six months, the game should be available and fully playable on the Bigpoint portal as well. In the meantime, fans can access additional information about the game on Facebook.

]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/04/square-enix-and-bigpoint-team-up-for-exciting-new-project/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/03/rent-the-looney-tunes-the-famous-comedy-characters-are-coming-to-your-farm/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/03/rent-the-looney-tunes-the-famous-comedy-characters-are-coming-to-your-farm/#comments Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:26:15 +0000 c.paletta http://bigpoint.net/?p=3851 ]]>
From late March 2012 through 30 June 2012, the Looney Tunes will be hanging out on Farmerama, giving farmers a chance to participate in “Rent the Looney Tunes.” In “Rent the Looney Tunes,” farmers will have the chance to rent their favorite figures for a limited time, during which the Looney Tunes are not just guests on your farm, but are also bringing special daily gifts. The Easter event will also be decked out in Looney Tunes flair. These two events mark the beginning of a collaboration set to continue to excite farmers through Summer 2012. More than 150 sheep on the e-pastures of Farmerama can hardly wait to meet the most famous Bunny on the planet and all of his friends.

“Farmerama is a one-of-a-kind game that can look back on an impressive string of successes. For this reason, Farmerama is the perfect online game for our Looney Tunes, which will bring a combination of charm and energy to the game and will cause quite the stir on the farm. We are excited about the partnership with Bigpoint and fans can look forward to many a special game highlights,” said Bruno Schwobthaler, Senior Vice President of Sales & Business Development, Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA.

Phillip Reisberger, Bigpoint’s Chief Revenue Officer, added, “The Looney Tunes are one of the most successful and reconizable brands in the world, and we are extremely excited to be able to welcome them to Farmerama, as this announcement is sure to delight our more than 38 million players around the world.”

Farmerama: a success story
Farmerama is not only one of the most successful online games, as evinced by its numerous awards, including the German Developer Award 2010, the LARA Online Award 2010, European Games Award 2010, but also one of the most entertaining and crazy casual games found anywhere on the web. Since its launch in 2010, more than 35 million gamers have begun a virtual life on the farm. With Farmerama: Harvest Time, Farmerama can now be downloaded as an app for portable Apple devices.


]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/03/rent-the-looney-tunes-the-famous-comedy-characters-are-coming-to-your-farm/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/03/bigpoint-opens-offices-in-london-and-paris/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/03/bigpoint-opens-offices-in-london-and-paris/#comments Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:42:58 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=3764 ]]> Additional Bigpoint locations to open in 2012

Hamburg, 6 March 2012 – The Hamburg-based online video game company Bigpoint is significantly expanding its operations in Western Europe by opening up regional offices in the English and French capitals. Bigpoint is set to hire five to ten staff members in each of the newly-formed branches. These positions will focus on expanding the sales network, in order to promote Bigpoint’s portfolio, which currently consists of approximately 70 games.

Bigpoint banks on extensive experience

Bigpoint has already appointed managing executives at both its Paris and London locations. Overseeing the French and Italian sales networks is new Managing Director Cédric Génin, who has over 15 years of experience in the interactive entertainment industry. Mr. Génin most recently worked at SFR, where he helped to launch the world’s first on-demand games service via IPTV (Cloud Gaming). He was also responsible for SFR’s games which, because of his push to offer mobile games, led to the company becoming one the market leaders in all of Europe. Before his time at SFR, Mr. Génin worked for various game publishers (like Activision Blizzard and Infogrames, to name a few) for whom he helped to develop over 40 game titles from their inception.
Entrusted to lead operations in London is Paul Raven, who has been with Bigpoint since 2011 as head of the Product Marketing division. Before joining Bigpoint in the UK, Mr. Raven held a number of senior marketing positions including interim Head of Product Marketing for Bigpoint in Hamburg, Marketing Director of British TV network ITV’s international distribution division, head of marketing for global production company FremantleMedia, and a consultant for media companies including Shine Group (News Corp).
The Spanish and Italian offices are set to open in the second quarter of 2012.

Expanding successfully around the world

“With over 1,000 media partners from all corners of the globe, we have created a one-of-a-kind sales and distribution network for online games,” stated Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz. Mr. Hubertz went on to say that efforts will be “aimed at cultivating our regional contact partners in Western Europe to expand our position as market leader.”

Bigpoint is currently represented around the world at four international locations. Company headquarters are located in Hamburg, Germany, where close to 700 staff members from over 35 countries are employed. The main areas of focus in Hamburg are development, controlling and marketing. Two years ago Bigpoint opened its second German location in Berlin directly on the Alexanderplatz. Approximately 50 developers are employed by the Berlin office, where the award-winning 3D action-adventure saga Drakensang Online is produced. Bigpoint expanded its market presence by opening its first international office in San Francisco, which employs an additional 100 staff members, making it the second largest location in the company’s growing portfolio. In 2010, Bigpoint opened offices in Sao Paolo – its first dedicated exclusively to sales operations. Bigpoint employs a team of five in the South American metropolis that effectively supports local media partners and conducts regional-based marketing activities.
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/03/bigpoint-opens-offices-in-london-and-paris/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/02/bigpoint-presents-game-of-thrones-mmorpg-at-game-developers-conference/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/02/bigpoint-presents-game-of-thrones-mmorpg-at-game-developers-conference/#comments Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:33:19 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=3725 ]]>
“With a rich and complex story, expressed through an amazing level of detail, it’s easy to see why the HBO series, Game of Thrones, has amassed an army of fans worldwide,” said Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder, Bigpoint. “We intend to build a game that resonates intimately with its diehard community of followers, while also creating an authentic gaming experience that attracts newcomers to the franchise. The excitement of online games is that, over time, their collective input will help shape the game’s destiny; we’re eager to see how the story unfolds.”

Bigpoint’s design goal is to capture the show’s compelling drama and action and create a visceral gaming experience via an unprecedented level of visual fidelity. The bloodthirsty struggle for power, corruption, and deception will persist. To ensure survival of their dynasty, players must master combat and politics.
“Game of Thrones is set in a mythical fantasy world and features compelling stories of honor, adventure and the struggle to conquer your opponents, a narrative that lends itself perfectly to gaming,” states Martin.


“The creation of a Game of Thrones online role-playing game is a perfect natural extension to the series. The show has resonated extremely well with fans so we think they will be terribly excited to have an opportunity to be personally immersed in all the action,” explained series executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. “As a gamer I couldn’t be happier seeing the series translated to this medium and can’t wait to play it,” added Weiss.


Bigpoint has selected seasoned Norwegian development studio, Artplant, as its development partner for this project. The title will be built atop the Unity development platform, the technology behind several of Bigpoint’s breakthrough titles, including Battlestar Galactica Online, which Artplant also helped develop. Over 80 million consumers have installed the Unity plug-in, which enables them to play extremely high-fidelity games through their web browsers.

The design and the pre-production phase of the game began last summer, and an initial closed beta is planned for fall 2012. Journalists interested in receiving an overview of the project should contact Bigpoint’s U.S. PR team to schedule a briefing. All briefings will take place in Bigpoint’s booth, (North Hall, #702). Fans are encouraged to visit: http://www.GameofThronesMMO.com/ for more information.


About HBO Licensing & Retail
HBO Licensing & Retail officially licenses the HBO® brand for the development and merchandising of innovative product lines inspired by the network’s award-winning programming. With products created around classic series like the The Sopranos® and Sex and the City® to current hits like True Blood® and Entourage®, items include fashion apparel, jewelry, digital and CD soundtracks, games, books as well as exclusive, premium collections in partnership with upscale, designer brands. Merchandise can be purchased in retail stores nationwide, at http://store.hbo.com, and at the groundbreaking HBO retail hub, the HBO Shop®, located at 42nd and 6th Avenue in New York City. HBO Licensing & Retail products are also sold internationally across Europe, Asia and Australia.
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/02/bigpoint-presents-game-of-thrones-mmorpg-at-game-developers-conference/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/02/anchors-aweigh-pirate-storm-is-going-live/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/02/anchors-aweigh-pirate-storm-is-going-live/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:28:07 +0000 m.mirlach http://bigpoint.net/?p=3627 ]]>

In addition to the classic “Seafight,” Bigpoint is now happy to present “Pirate Storm” – yet another dynamic pirate game that can be played for free directly in your browser.


“Pirate Storm” is a more contemporary version of one of our favorite game concepts,” says Executive Producer at Bigpoint Marco Matz. “Complete with gripping duels on the high seas, “Pirate Storm” is an exciting addition to our portfolio that is aimed at pleasing the many players who really enjoy playing pirate-themed games.”


“Pirate Storm” is also intended for beginners by offering uncomplicated game entry and an enthralling introduction into the world of buccaneers. Alone or with other pirates in their guild, players must face monsters from the darkest depths of the ocean and greedy, enemy pirates. Players must give their all – because waiting for them at the end of this Flash game’s challenging missions is legendary treasure … or death!


Pirate Storm is internationally available as of now in over 24 languages. Click here to play for free http://www.piratestorm.de.


Additional links:
- http://www.piratestorm.de
- http://www.bigpoint.net
- http://www.bigpoint.com
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/02/anchors-aweigh-pirate-storm-is-going-live/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/01/party-for-millions-farmerama-the-popular-casual-game-is-turning-2-years-old/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/01/party-for-millions-farmerama-the-popular-casual-game-is-turning-2-years-old/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:51:51 +0000 k.frank http://bigpoint.net/?p=3599 ]]> Hamburg, January 25, 2012 – Bigpoint’s (http://www.bigpoint.com) casual game Farmerama (http://www.farmerama.com) is celebrating its second birthday with over 35 million registered users and close to 500,000 Facebook fans. This impressive number of fans and players makes Farmerama one the most successful casual games of all time. Farmerama’s great success can be attributed not only to ever-increasing user registrations and the millions of active and satisfied players, but also – and most importantly – to Farmerama becoming a core game in Bigpoint’s portfolio within just two years.

Farmers around the world are partying until the cows come home – Farmerama’s turning 2!
It’s Farmarama’s birthday: reason enough to go hog-wild! It doesn’t matter if you are a new or an experienced farmer, everyone is invited. So lay down those pitchforks and start hanging streamers and blowing up balloons until you just can’t decorate anymore! Farmerama is having the rootin‘est, tootin‘est hoedown for farmers all around the world! 2 years of Farmerama – that entails a whole lot more than planting and harvesting crops and cleaning out stalls. Rather, players can expect weekly quests and events like an emotionally stirring royal wedding, Oktoberfest complete with delicious pretzels or the hair-raising full moon event. Farmerama’s players have earned a raucous shindig, complete with exciting quests, colorful decorations and a heap of cooky surprises. Loyalty will be rewarded: the top prize for hard-working farmers is a reward that gets better the longer a player has been registered.

“In developing Farmerama, we have finally created a game that is played by as many men as women, and with just as much pleasure. The game’s continued success is thanks to the team, who has captured the hearts of millions of virtual farmers with their always-fresh and increasingly creative game ideas, “says Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder of Bigpoint. He is grateful for all their hard work!

Farmerama: A Success Story Farmerama
Farmerama is not only one of the most successful online games and one of the zaniest casual games ever, but its simulated farming situations have won many awards (including the German Development Prize 2012, the LARA Online Award 2012, and European Games Award 2010). Since its release in 2012, over 35 million players have chosen a simpler life down on the farm. Now available for Farmerama: Harvest Time, the Farmerama Companion, which is also compatible with all Apple mobile products.

]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/01/party-for-millions-farmerama-the-popular-casual-game-is-turning-2-years-old/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2012/01/bigpoint-exceeds-250-million-registered-players/ http://bigpoint.net/2012/01/bigpoint-exceeds-250-million-registered-players/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:23:56 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=3593 ]]>
San Francisco – January 31, 2012 – Bigpoint (www.bigpoint.com) – a worldwide leader in online games – today announced that it has surpassed 250 million registered players for its free-to-play (F2P), browser-based online games. Bigpoint – which has established a global publishing network of 1000+ game portals, social networks, and media sites – attracts over 250,000 new players to its key titles every day, such as Battlestar Galactica Online, Drakensang Online, Dark Orbit, and Farmerama.

“Since 2002, we’ve strived to bring high-quality games and experiences to the widest possible audience,” said Heiko Hubertz, CEO and Founder, Bigpoint. “With players hailing from every corner of the globe, today’s milestone underscores our success – and we’re not done. We’ll continue to challenge the notion of what online games are and can be.”

Bigpoint introduced the concept of F2P games, a business model that allows players to spend small amounts of money on virtual items and in-game bonuses, to the western world with the launch of IceFighter in 2002, which Hubertz personally developed. Since then, Bigpoint has amassed a portfolio of 60+ casual, core, and hardcore games. In addition to its own internally-developed titles, Bigpoint outsources the development of several projects, and also publishes games from other companies.

Over the past decade Bigpoint has radically improved the quality of the online games. Beginning with relatively simple Flash-based titles, Bigpoint has released a number of high-quality games built atop the Unity development platform in the past year. The company is planning a series of new launches in 2012, including new titles that leverage world-class Hollywood intellectual property.

Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, Bigpoint made international expansion a top priority in early 2010 when it established its first North American office in San Francisco. Presently, the company maintains operations in Hamburg, Malta, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, London, France, and Spain – with more scheduled to open in 2012.
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2012/01/bigpoint-exceeds-250-million-registered-players/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/12/no-sign-of-international-crisis-skyrama-now-has-comprehensive-economic-system/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/12/no-sign-of-international-crisis-skyrama-now-has-comprehensive-economic-system/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:34:37 +0000 m.kuhnert http://bigpoint.net/?p=3343 ]]> Hamburg, December 7, 2011 – Successful airport managers need to utilize all their skills in Skyrama (www.skyrama.com), the newest title in Bigpoint’s (http://www.bigpoint.com/) casual gaming series: The largest most recent content update incorporates a comprehensive economic system in which players manage production, trade and freight logistics at their airports.

Skyrama lets players manage their own airport, including air traffic controlling and maintaining passenger and customer satisfaction. Now there are exciting new features: Players can dispatch their airplanes all over the world to import exotic raw materials. Subsequently, the materials can be processed at the airport and the products sold to passengers. The already existing buildings have been integrated into the new system and a few modifications have been made to increase economic benefit: Old warehouses have been removed to make way for freight parking spaces which provide sufficient storage space for raw materials. In addition to new freight airplanes, freight parking spaces and warehouses, there are now many new airport shops from which players can choose. The previously available duty-free goods have been adapted to fit the new system. Another new feature is that passenger waiting times at the airport have been reduced. Now passengers only wait a maximum of two nights at the online airport before they decide to go elsewhere and are thus no longer available to the airport manager.

“By increasing the number of tasks an airport manager has, we are taking the concept of an airport development game to a higher level”, says Tobias Reisberger, Chief Games Officer at Bigpoint. “The focus is no longer on just coordinating airplanes in the air, but now includes all facets of a busy airport.”

Play the live version of Skyrama on the official website http://www.skyrama.de. Fans are invited to find out more about Skyrama on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/skyrama/) or watch the trailer on the official Bigpoint YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/bigpoint.
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/12/no-sign-of-international-crisis-skyrama-now-has-comprehensive-economic-system/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/11/bigpoint-scoops-european-business-award/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/11/bigpoint-scoops-european-business-award/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:15:10 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=3276 ]]>
Barcelona, November 23, 2011 – Bigpoint (http://www.bigpoint.com/), an international leader in online games, was celebrating last night after being named the Infosys Business of the Year with Turnover of €26-150m (Germany) at the European Business Awards.
Regarded as Europe’s toughest business competition, Bigpoint was one of 11 winners selected from the shortlisted 111 Ruban d’Honneur recipients participating from across the continent, in a programme which engaged with over 15,000 organisations in over 30 countries. Showcasing the best in class, the European Business Awards winners represent a diverse range of industries including cosmetics, engineering, fashion, online businesses, manufacturing and transport. The awards were held in Barcelona and presented in front of an audience comprising heads of state, leading industrialists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, media owners and academics from across 30 European nations.

The award is another notable achievement in what has already been a phenomenally successful year for Bigpoint. Reflecting the company’s rapid growth, it secured $350million worth of investment in April and subsequently passed the 200 million user milestone in June. Furthermore, in September of this year, CEO and founder Heiko Hubertz was named ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the Investor AllStars Venture Capital Awards.

Commenting on the award win, Bigpoint CCO Nils Henning said: “This award win is another terrific accolade for Bigpoint. The European Business Awards honour the most elite businesses from across multiple industries and we’re tremendously proud to have been recognised as a company which is driving a high level of growth and innovation in such a challenging economic environment.”
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/11/bigpoint-scoops-european-business-award/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/11/bigpoint-unearths-the-mummy-online-closed-beta/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/11/bigpoint-unearths-the-mummy-online-closed-beta/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:55:00 +0000 k.frank http://bigpoint.net/?p=3256 ]]>
San Francisco – Nov. 15, 2011 – Bigpoint (www.bigpoint.com) – a worldwide leader in online games – today announced that The Mummy Online (http://themummy.bigpoint.com/) has begun accepting registrations for its closed beta period. Developed in collaboration with Universal Partnerships & Licensing, The Mummy Online is a breakthrough, action-adventure RPG that delivers high-end gameplay through an engaging story inspired by the massively successful film franchise.

“We’re excited to get The Mummy Online into the hands of the fans,” said Arash Amini, Producer, Bigpoint. “As is the case with our entire portfolio of games, which can be improved and optimized on the fly, community feedback will be critical to this project’s success.”

Participants interested in joining The Mummy Online’s exclusive closed beta can register for access at http://themummy.bigpoint.com/. Once in-game, players will fight their way through a single-player tutorial level before selecting their allegiance (Raider or Cultist) and class (Gunslinger/Assassin, Brawler/Enforcer, or Scholar/Priest). As players gain experience through both PvE and PvP gameplay, they will be able to learn new skills, unravel special capabilities, and purchase more powerful equipment.

Battle across Cinematic Environments
Based on the existing terrain of Egypt, players can explore the map of Amarna with several PvE regions that include the Dunes, River, Maze, and Rocky Fields. Here, players will confront a range of monsters, including several types of scarabs, scorpions, pygmies, Anubis warriors, and mummies. Within the PvP areas of the Tomb, Oasis, and Ruins, players can battle against players of opposing allegiances and capture ancient obelisks to dominate the playing field.

With the closed beta expected to last several weeks, Bigpoint will unlock player accounts in waves to ensure game stability and performance. At the conclusion of the closed beta period, Bigpoint will review all feedback, optimize virtually every aspect of the game, and ready The Mummy Online for the official open beta launch.

Players are encouraged to follow the closed beta’s progress and provide input through the community forum: http://en.board.bigpoint.com/mummy/.
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/11/bigpoint-unearths-the-mummy-online-closed-beta/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/one-page-one-account-over-60-games-the-new-bigpoint-com/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/one-page-one-account-over-60-games-the-new-bigpoint-com/#comments Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:18:59 +0000 m.mirlach http://bigpoint.net/?p=3164 ]]> Multiphase portal relaunch at Bigpoint.com

Hamburg, October 31, 2011 – Bigpoint, a leading international provider of online games, has concluded several months of intense development on its game portal at Bigpoint.com (http://www.bigpoint.com) and is raising the curtain on the new Bigpoint.com: one central hub offering access numerous online game highlights in a clear, modern layout. The site’s 225 million registered users – and all new users as well – will appreciate the major improvements to the design and in some cases completely reworked functionality.

One significant change at Bigpoint.com is the account management system: Currently registered gamers can now link their access data for various games to their Bigpoint portal login, meaning only one login is now needed to enjoy a variety of immersive worlds of gaming. The same also applies of course to new registrations to Bigpoint.com – the portal login offers immediate, free access to all games. Facebook members can also log in directly to Bigpoint.com using the Facebook account and then start playing immediately.

“Bigpoint brings joy to millions of gamers through its modern, high-quality online games that can be played directly and for free using an internet browser,” says Heiko Hubertz, CEO and Founder of Bigpoint. “Even during the first phase of its relaunch, Bigpoint.com promises an outstanding framework for our gaming universes – there’s something to draw in every kind of gamer and make them feel at home!”

Action, casual, strategy, MMORPG and sports: Over 60 games in five categories serve the broadest possible range of gaming preferences. Among the biggest hits are games developed in-house at Bigpoint as well as casual gaming phenomenon Farmerama, the action MMORPG Drakensang Online and the deep space classic DarkOrbit, as well as highly regarded titles from partner publishers EA and mail.ru. The game lineup is continually being expanded; gamers can always find a quick overview in the News section and Top Games category to ensure they’re in early for the newest hits. All games are presented at Bigpoint.com with extensive information, videos and screenshots. By integrating social network services like Facebook and Twitter and the portal-wide rating function, gamers can quickly determine based on their fellow gamers’ opinions which Bigpoint highlights they can’t afford to miss.

The new Bigpoint.com will be launched in several phases: After the initial start phase, a number of new functions will be introduced to the site in the coming weeks and months, including additional social content. With its accessible, user-friendly design and simple navigation, a visit to check out the new portal at http://www.bigpoint.com as always time well spent.

The renovations have extended beyond the new Bigpoint.com portal. The corporate website at www.bigpoint.net has also been completely redeveloped in recent days.


Additional online links:
- http://www.bigpoint.com
- http://www.bigpoint.net
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/one-page-one-account-over-60-games-the-new-bigpoint-com/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/ramacity-is-booming-new-features-pump-life-into-the-city/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/ramacity-is-booming-new-features-pump-life-into-the-city/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:04:30 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=2967 ]]> • Multiphase portal relaunch at Bigpoint.com

Hamburg, October 27, 2011 – Bigpoint, a leading international provider of online games, has concluded several months of intense development on its game portal at Bigpoint.com (http://www.bigpoint.com) and is raising the curtain on the new Bigpoint.com: one central hub offering access numerous online game highlights in a clear, modern layout. The site’s 225 million registered users – and all new users as well – will appreciate the major improvements to the design and in some cases completely reworked functionality.

One significant change at Bigpoint.com is the account management system: Currently registered gamers can now link their access data for various games to their Bigpoint portal login, meaning only one login is now needed to enjoy a variety of immersive worlds of gaming. The same also applies of course to new registrations to Bigpoint.com – the portal login offers immediate, free access to all games. Facebook members can also log in directly to Bigpoint.com using the Facebook account and then start playing immediately.

“Bigpoint brings joy to millions of gamers through its modern, high-quality online games that can be played directly and for free using an internet browser,” says Heiko Hubertz, CEO and Founder of Bigpoint. “Even during the first phase of its relaunch, Bigpoint.com promises an outstanding framework for our gaming universes – there’s something to draw in every kind of gamer and make them feel at home!”

Action, casual, strategy, MMORPG and sports: Over 60 games in five categories serve the broadest possible range of gaming preferences. Among the biggest hits are games developed in-house at Bigpoint as well as casual gaming phenomenon Farmerama, the action MMORPG Drakensang Online and the deep space classic DarkOrbit, as well as highly regarded titles from partner publishers EA and mail.ru. The game lineup is continually being expanded; gamers can always find a quick overview in the News section and Top Games category to ensure they’re in early for the newest hits. All games are presented at Bigpoint.com with extensive information, videos and screenshots. By integrating social network services like Facebook and Twitter and the portal-wide rating function, gamers can quickly determine based on their fellow gamers’ opinions which Bigpoint highlights they can’t afford to miss.

The new Bigpoint.com will be launched in several phases: After the initial start phase, a number of new functions will be introduced to the site in the coming weeks and months, including additional social content. With its accessible, user-friendly design and simple navigation, a visit to check out the new portal at http://www.bigpoint.com as always time well spent.

The renovations have extended beyond the new Bigpoint.com portal. The corporate website at www.bigpoint.net has also been completely redeveloped in recent days.


Additional online links:
- http://www.bigpoint.com
- http://www.bigpoint.net
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/ramacity-is-booming-new-features-pump-life-into-the-city/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/gamesville-expo/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/gamesville-expo/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:06:13 +0000 bigpoint http://bigpoint.net/?p=2815

Philip Reisberger Keynote “Viral is a myth”


]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/gamesville-expo/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/g20-young-entrepreneur-summit/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/g20-young-entrepreneur-summit/#comments Sun, 02 Oct 2011 14:02:41 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=2836 ]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/g20-young-entrepreneur-summit/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/19-21-oktober/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/19-21-oktober/#comments Sun, 02 Oct 2011 10:03:09 +0000 bigpoint http://bigpoint.net/?p=2812 ]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/10/19-21-oktober/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/an-army-against-evil-drakensang-online-and-one-million-players/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/an-army-against-evil-drakensang-online-and-one-million-players/#comments Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:58:35 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=2762 ]]>

Drakensang Online sets new milestone after less than two months

Various new features expand game world and thrill the community

Hamburg, September 27, 2011 – Bigpoint (http://www.bigpoint.com/) celebrates a huge success story: With over one million players registered for Drakensang Online (http://www.drakensang-online.com) since the official launch of the Open Beta on August 8, 2011, it’s not just the registrations that are on the rise, but the excitement too: With the first big update launched as well as many more to come, such as the community’s highly anticipated PvP features, Bigpoint Berlin is keeping players on their toes with new adventures and challenges in the epic fantasy world of Drakensang Online.
“Drakensang Online helped us prove, only after just a few short weeks, that it’s possible to launch browser games with the same level of quality as traditional PC or console games,” says Philip Reisberger, Chief Games Officer at Bigpoint. “Action RPG fans looking for an outstanding gaming adventure should definitely get in on this game now and experience the free-to-play Drakensang Online for themselves!”
Since the launch of the first big update just a few short weeks ago, Drakensang Online players have had the chance to delve into “Teganswall” and discover not only many new quests and new items but also a completely new game region. The development team also plans on expanding the game with other PvP features, including a guild system, arena battles, statistics, buddy lists and a PVP-only server.
“Our community keeps us supplied with a continual pool of ideas to further improve Drakensang Online,” says Bernd Beyreuther, Head of Development of Bigpoint Berlin. “We already have a plethora of new content updates planned – and Drakensang Online is just in its infancy. As a developer, it’s a great feeling to be able to develop the game world together with the game fans themselves.”
Drakensang Online’s free-to-play and browser-based Open Beta is available to play on the official website http://www.drakensang-online.com/ in a variety of different languages such as German, English, French not to mention Spanish, Italian and Polish. Additional game information can be found on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/drakensangonline/) as well as Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/drakensang/).
Further online links:
- http://www.drakensang-online.de/
- http://www.facebook.com/drakensangonline/
- http://www.twitter.com/drakensang/
- http://www.bigpoint.com/
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/an-army-against-evil-drakensang-online-and-one-million-players/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/skyrama-clears-its-first-large-update-for-takeoff/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/skyrama-clears-its-first-large-update-for-takeoff/#comments Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:53:32 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=2756 ]]>

Transition from beta phase to live version

Over three-million users registered already

Hamburg, September 22, 2011 – Skyrama (www.skyrama.com) leaves its beta phase behind: More than three-million registered users will move onto the live version. Now the latest addition to the Bigpoint (http://www.bigpoint.com/) casual games arsenal will include new expansions and special features. Get a taste of things to come in Skyrama and feast your eyes on the new official trailer at http://www.youtube.com/bigpoint!
Skyrama lets players manage their own airport, prepare airplanes and take care of travelers. Airport managers can now look forward to exciting new additions to their virtual airports, such as Ramacopters and a new map that will allow them to send their planes across the ocean to the Americas. Now users will not only be able to see which of their friends are currently online, but they’ll also be able to try out all the new decoration items to give their airport a more personal touch.
“We never expected to see over three-million registered users in the start phase of Skyrama,” says Tobias Reisberger, Chief Games Officer at Bigpoint. “This clearly shows us that an online airport is just what many casual gamers were looking for.”
The live version of Skyrama can be played on the official website: http://www.skyrama.com. Fans can also get more info on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/skyrama/.
Further online links:
- http://www.skyrama.de/
- http://www.facebook.com/skyrama/
- http://www.bigpoint.com/
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/skyrama-clears-its-first-large-update-for-takeoff/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/%e2%80%9ckultan-the-world-beyond%e2%80%9d-launches-the-international-open-beta/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/%e2%80%9ckultan-the-world-beyond%e2%80%9d-launches-the-international-open-beta/#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:12:22 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=2733 ]]>

“KULTAN: The World Beyond” launches in multiple languages

Latest Bigpoint title geared towards fantasy MMORPG fans

http://bigpoint.net/wp-admin/post.php?post=2733&action=edit&message=1
Hamburg, September 13, 2011 – Bigpoint (http://www.bigpoint.com/) is sailing into international waters this month with the action-packed new fantasy MMORPG “KULTAN: The World Beyond”. English, French, Spanish, Italian and Spanish versions of the game will allow intrepid explorers to set sail on an epic voyage of discovery to the mystical, once-forgotten continent of Kultan. “KULTAN: The World Beyond” can be played for free directly in browsers at http://www.kultan.com. The German version of the game has been online since September 1, 2011.
Three factions ready for mystery and action
As fearless captains in “KULTAN: The World Beyond”, players develop seafaring skills to master the challenges and perils of the New World. The character development of the three available classes is just as important as recruiting the right officers to hone the player’s skills and strategy, and keep their crew’s morale high. Players can select their captain from one of three detailed factions: The proud and unrelenting kingdom of Tian, who obsessively pursue their goals and don’t hold back from using dark powers of mysticism to achieve them; the Almeerah Caliphate, who draw on the great wealth of their long history. Their wisdom and inexhaustible experience leaves them only to fear a prophecy that an ancient, unspeakable evil may rise out of the depths of the ocean once more. And the Republic of Gudtholm, which was recently united following a long war of succession, and now confidently faces a prosperous future.
The gripping story of “KULTAN: The World Beyond” can be experienced together with other players, cooperatively or competitively. Rival flotillas must battle it out in epic sea skirmishes for oceanic dominance and make their fortune from the great gold rush for Aicanum treasure. A passion for discovery, a heart full of courage and a dash of daring are all the qualities of a captain destined for greatness.
“‘KULTAN: The World Beyond’ is not a game for the unadventurous!” according to Philip Reisberger, Chief Games Officer at Bigpoint. “Fantasy MMO fans will be blown away by our latest game. The vast, beautiful game world, state-of-the-art graphics and a story full of twists and turns, secrets and dangers, make KULTAN a truly unique browser experience which is immediately available in multiple key languages.”
Kultan comes to life
In addition to its complex story, “KULTAN: The World Beyond” offers a gaming world brought to life with impressive Unity 3D graphics. The stories of competing nations, all from very different cultures, are as detailed and lifelike as the myriad of terrifying sea creatures and boss monsters featured in the game. Combined with 36 ship types to allow players to fully customize their crafts, the game offers players the ocean adventure of a lifetime.
Starting immediately, Bigpoint’s free-to-play game “KULTAN: The World Beyond” will be internationally playable in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish at http://www.kultan.com.
Further online links:
- http://www.kultan.com
- http://www.bigpoint.com
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/%e2%80%9ckultan-the-world-beyond%e2%80%9d-launches-the-international-open-beta/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/bigpoint-takes-over-the-entire-development-team-of-49games-gmbh/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/bigpoint-takes-over-the-entire-development-team-of-49games-gmbh/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:48:01 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=2747 ]]>

Renowned studio for sports-entertainment software sells its entire development team to Bigpoint

43 workers switch to a new employer and will be developing online games instead of console titles

Hamburg September 12, 2011 – Bigpoint, an international leader in online games, is immediately taking over the entire production team of the internationally successful development studio 49Games. More than 40 full-time employees will now become part of Bigpoint’s international team and will be developing online games instead of console titles. The current projects under development in 49Games will be completed by the production team. Aside from the production team, all rights to their multiplatform technology, assets, licenses etc. remain the property of 49Games GmbH.
Bigpoint will concentrate solely on the development of online and mobile games in the future. The veteran expertise of the recently taken-over developers will be put to use on upcoming Unity 3D projects.
“The team at 49Games is one of the best development teams in the console sports-games industry. We’re very excited to add them to the Bigpoint team for our online games,” explains Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder of Bigpoint. “Together with our development team, we’re going to continue our mission to deliver our users top-quality gaming fun.”
“I’m very pleased with Bigpoint’s acquisition of our development team and I’m confident that the team will deliver fantastic 3D MMOs for the quickly growing international online company,” claims Jan-Hendrik Ohl, CEO of 49Games GmbH.
After the takeover and merger of Radon Labs and Elofd in Berlin last year and the purchase of Planet Moon Studios at the start of 2011, this is the fourth takeover for the world’s largest browser-based online game provider Bigpoint.
“We plan on expanding,” states so Heiko Hubertz, “and so we’re still on the lookout for other excellent studios like 49 Games. In the future, we’re definitely going to make more international acquisitions.”
The 49Games GmbH – one of the leading development studios in Europe
The Hamburg-based game development studio, 49Games, is the leading independent development studio of console-sports games in Europe. The company spun off from the VCC entertainment company in 2004 and has developed 18 multi-platform sports titles since. These titles were published for the XBox 360, Wii, PS3, PS2 and PC.
The studio’s team is composed of 45 full-time developers who have developed the beloved games: Winter Stars, Winter Sports 2011 – Go for Gold, Summer Challenge 2010, RTL Wintersports 2010 and many other top titles.
Further online links:
- http://www.bigpoint.net
- http://www.bigpoint.com
- http://www.49games.de
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/bigpoint-takes-over-the-entire-development-team-of-49games-gmbh/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/battlestar-galactica-online-jumps-past-five-million-players/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/battlestar-galactica-online-jumps-past-five-million-players/#comments Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:25:52 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=2740 ]]> San Francisco – Sept. 7, 2011 – Bigpoint (www.bigpoint.com) – a worldwide leader in online games – today announced that Battlestar Galactica Online (http://battlestar-galactica.bigpoint.com/) has surpassed five million registered players worldwide since its February launch. Based on the internationally popular Syfy television series produced by Universal Cable Productions, Battlestar Galactica Online is a free-to-play, browser-based space combat MMO that combines high-quality graphics with intense gameplay. The Unity-based title recently won ‘Best Browser Game’ at the 2011 European Games Awards. Battlestar Galactica Online is licensed through Universal Partnerships & Licensing on behalf of NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group.
“As BSGO continues to evolve, we’re excited to offer new content to the fans and growing community,” said Sarah Levantine, Producer, Bigpoint. “We listen very closely to what the players ask for and are happy to announce that more features and items, including a number of new ships, are on the way.”
Since its launch, Bigpoint has added a number of new ships and game modes to the title. To bolster the available fleet, a new line of Fleet Recon ships will soon become available for both Colonial and Cylon players. Armed with the ability to “Jump-To-Target” in proximity of an erupting battle, these light freighters are built to aid in combat as Recon versions of the series’ classic Raptor and Heavy Raider. Bigpoint maintains a multi-tiered development schedule, which organizes the team’s activity into three key areas: ongoing optimization and bug repair, short-term updates, and long-term content additions.
Beginning mid-September, basic models of both vessels will be obtainable with Cubits, BSGO’s in-game premium currency that can be earned through gameplay or purchased with real money, along with advanced models that will enable greater mission flexibility. The recently unveiled Brimir Class Carrier is also scheduled to become available this fall, though its size, complexity, and impact on game balance must be optimized before its general release.
In the recent European Games Awards ceremony held in Cologne, Battlestar Galactica Online was presented the award for Best European Browser Game, Europe’s largest and most prestigious consumer-voted gaming award. Bigpoint’s vast international distribution network of over 1,000 media partners, localization in 25+ languages, and team of worldwide community managers has helped Battlestar Galactica Online attract over five million users to the game, with over 25,000 new pilots enlisting every day.
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/09/battlestar-galactica-online-jumps-past-five-million-players/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/4shared-com-eroffnet-entertainment-plattform-bigpoint-ist-exklusiver-kooperationspartner/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/4shared-com-eroffnet-entertainment-plattform-bigpoint-ist-exklusiver-kooperationspartner/#comments Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:25:25 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=2518 ]]> Hamburg, July 27, 2011 – The file-storage platform 4shared.com is expanding its online portfolio by offering a new, globally available gaming portal http://www.4shared.com/onlinegames/, where games won’t just be downloadable but available directly in the browser. The online-game provider Bigpoint (http://www.bigpoint.com/) is now 4shared.com’s exclusive cooperation partner and will pro-vide a large number of its games.
From the very start, Seafight, DarkOrbit, Farmerama, Zoomumba, SkyRama and Battlestar Galactica Online will all be playable on the 4shared gaming platform. More games will be added over the coming months. The games will be universally available and playable in English, German, Portuguese, Spanish, French and Italian.
4shared isn’t just looking to reach game-loving target groups with their new product offers but are trying to expand their platform beyond the bounds of just file storage. Bigpoint will now also reach out to the millions of new 4shared.com users around the world.
“4shared.com is a website with one of the highest user bases worldwide,” states Nils Holger Henning, CCO at Bigpoint. “We’re very excited to offer our successful games to new user groups via our latest cooperation partner 4shared.”
Andrew Liulko, Head of Sales and PR at 4shared had this to say: “The integration of Bigpoint games onto our portal will greatly expand our entertainment selection. This is the first time we’re integrating online games and are excited to see how our users will respond.”
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/4shared-com-eroffnet-entertainment-plattform-bigpoint-ist-exklusiver-kooperationspartner/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/tv-and-gaming-unite-tf1-and-bigpoint-enter-joint-agreement/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/tv-and-gaming-unite-tf1-and-bigpoint-enter-joint-agreement/#comments Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:38:39 +0000 katharinalohse http://bigpoint.net/?p=2532 ]]> In the new multiplayer section, users will be able to play casual games like the farm-simulation game Farmerama as well as core games such as the space-adventure game DarkOrbit. The ten games* can be played for free based on the “Free2play” business model: To advance through the game faster, users can purchase virtual goods with real money within the game. The portal launch will be accompanied by an extensive TV nation-wide campaign in France which will focus on the titles Farmerama and Seafight.
“TF1 is the largest entertainment provider in France and therefore a particularly attractive cooperation partner for Bigpoint,” states Nils Holger Henning, CCO at Bigpoint. We look forward to working with them to provide our games to a large online-friendly target group in one of our largest user markets.”
Claude Charpin, Deputy Director of New Media at eTF1: “We’re very excited about this cooperation with Bigpoint. It allows us to expand and complete TF1.fr’s range of games via a myriad of free-to-play games. The cooperation helps us to offer a wider range of products to our players and reach new target groups.”
*(Farmerama, Zoomumba, Skyrama, Darkorbit, Seafight, Battlestar Galactica Online, Deepolis, Waroftitans, Xblaster, Soccermanager)
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/tv-and-gaming-unite-tf1-and-bigpoint-enter-joint-agreement/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/baaa-rilliant-news-farmerama-prepares-for-shear-madness-as-shaun-the-sheep-joins-the-farm/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/baaa-rilliant-news-farmerama-prepares-for-shear-madness-as-shaun-the-sheep-joins-the-farm/#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:39:27 +0000 m.kuhnert http://bigpoint.net/?p=2291 ]]> Farmerama gets the flock treatment as Shaun the Sheep and the gang join the popular online game

Bigpoint launches one of the biggest updates to Farmerama with significant partnership with Aardman Animations and provider of branded virtual items, Iconicfuture

Hamburg, August 10, 2011 – Love Shaun the Sheep’s naughty antics, but reckon that if you were the farmer, you could manage to prevent some of his more mischievous mistakes? Well, with the arrival of Shaun the Sheep into Bigpoint’s popular online game, Farmerama (www.farmerama.com), now you can.

Shaun the Sheep and his flock including Shirley, Timmy and Timmy’s Mother will arrive in the game in the middle of August 2011 and Farmerama’s existing 150 million sheep are already getting excited to become part of Shaun’s flock. However, Bitzer the put-upon sheepdog is definitely concerned that with such a big increase to Shaun’s flock there may well be baa-mageddon!

Tobias Reisberger, Chief Games Officer, Bigpoint, says: “We know that Shaun the Sheep is one of the most popular TV shows across the world and we’re delighted to welcome him into Farmerama. With over 30 million players of Farmerama across the world, this addition is Shaun to be a star.”

So, here’s looking at ewe, let’s get playing this unbleatable game at: www.farmerama.com
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/baaa-rilliant-news-farmerama-prepares-for-shear-madness-as-shaun-the-sheep-joins-the-farm/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/drakensang-online-launches-its-open-beta/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/drakensang-online-launches-its-open-beta/#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:07:20 +0000 m.mirlach http://bigpoint.net/?p=1374 ]]>

Drakensang Online heralds the next generation of free-to-play online browser games

International release to go live in 19 languages

Hamburg, August 8, 2011 – Bigpoint’s (http://www.bigpoint.com/) quest for heroes and warriors to step into battle against the dark forces of the Anderworld has begun!
With the long-awaited launch of the Open Beta, fans of action RPGs will finally be able to explore the epic world of Drakensang Online (http://www.drakensang-online.com/), the free-to-play online browser game.The game invites players to take up arms as fearless Dragonknight freedom fighters or wise and magical Spellweavers to wage a brutal war against the terrifying dragons and savage monsters of the Anderworld. The international release of the game will be offered in 19 different languages including German, English, French, Spanish and Italian.
“Drakensang’s going online!” rejoiced Bernd Beyreuther, Head of Development at Bigpoint Berlin “The launch of this game allows us to realize a long-held ambition of developing a fully immersive action RPG game that can be enjoyed by all players from the first moment of playing, and is brought alive by its large community. We have developed a rich story within the game and will be constantly tailoring and expanding the game based on user demands.”

In addition to its two selectable character classes, Drakensang Online has been wowing fans in Closed Beta with a variety of different character skills, exciting and challenging quests, an impressive armoury of weapons and magic, and over 100 hours of gaming content.
The visually stunning game world, featuring picturesque medieval towns, green forests, murky swamps and dark caves, was developed by Bigpoint using their in-house “Nebula3“ engine, impressing players with a level of 3D graphics and effects that have not been seen in browser games before.
“Exactly one year ago we took over Radon Labs, one of Germany’s most prestigious developer teams and the creators of the original Drakensang PC games, and expanded our Bigpoint Berlin operations,” says Heiko Hubertz, Co-CEO of Bigpoint. “The fact that we’re releasing Drakensang Online’s Open Beta today exceeds all expectations we had for the game. The team has accomplished amazing work and Drakensang Online is not only an action-packed gaming experience but also a technical achievement which every gamer should test out, especially since it’s free to play online in your browser.”

Cooperation is the key to strength: Gamers will have to fight as one if they wish to survive Drakensang Online’s treacherous dungeons. Players can meet up in public gathering sites such as cities or military camps to get to know each other, take on challenges together and hatch plans to march into battle united. In addition to cooperative gameplay, gamers can also test their mettle against each other in the PvP arena located in the capital of Kingshill and find out who is the mightiest hero in Drakensang Online.

The start of the Open Beta is just the beginning for Drakensang Online: The team at Bigpoint Berlin is currently working on the first updates and new content in order to expand the world of Drakensang Online on a weekly basis.
]]> http://bigpoint.net/2011/08/drakensang-online-launches-its-open-beta/feed/ 0 http://bigpoint.net/2011/07/bigpoint-celebrates-30-million-registered-users-in-farmerama/ http://bigpoint.net/2011/07/bigpoint-celebrates-30-million-registered-users-in-farmerama/#comments Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:46:45 +0000 m.kuhnert http://bigpoint.net/?p=2057 ]]>
Since its launch one and a half years ago, more than 30 million gamers have chosen the a virtual life on a farm, either as wool cultivator, a farmer on a tropical island, a woodman in the forest planting cherry trees or palm trees – gamers everywhere can create their own virtual version of a rural lifestyle.

Farmerama: a success story continues
To celebrate this achievement, Bigpoint will reward its users with various mini events in the game, such as double drop chances for resources, double experience or double production in the mill. These fun events have been part of Farmerama’s unparalleled success story in the casual games genre, and numerous real-world events have also been incorporated into the game, including the Football World Cup, Oktoberfest and Halloween.
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