Funcom Announces Exciting Product Line-up for E3

'Exciting' means two new games and web and mobile entertainment developments.

Posted by Staff
Funcom will introduce gamers to the action-packed sport of jet sprint boat racing as well as a whole new world of massively multiplayer online gaming at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles this week.

The company will feature Jet Sprint MX, a thrilling boat racing experience for the Xbox game console system, and Anarchy Online, the highly anticipated massively multi-player online role-playing game set in a science fiction world for the PC. Also featuring games for mobile entertainment, Funcom will be located in the West Hall of the L.A. convention center at booth number 2332.

Well-known for making high quality console games such as Championship Motocross, Funcom's Dublin office is working now to bring Jet Sprint MX to life for the Xbox game console system. Jet sprint racing (also known as sprint boat racing) was started in the cool waters of New Zealand about 20 years ago. The sport came to the U.S. in the early nineties and has been thrilling fans nationwide since then. According to the United States Sprint Boat Association (www.ussba.org), these boats are only between 12 and 15 feet long, but pack a lot of power. With V8 motors providing 300 to 1200 horsepower in a twist and turn race against the clock, you can imagine the excitement from start to finish.

Jet Sprint MX from Funcom will bring a true adrenaline rush to the Xbox game console player. A highly realistic water physics system, stunning graphics, and speaker thumping music will completely immerse every player. Breath-taking video footage of Jet Sprint MX will be on display at Funcom's booth this week.

Funcom's second title at the show is quite different from boat racing and is part of a newly emerging PC genre: 3D massively multi-player online role-playing games. When you log on to Anarchy Online, you enter a science fiction world 30,000 years into the future, a world more dynamic than any other in the market today. The planet is captured by a military regime that fights the outcast rebel clans who refuse to obey the rules and laws imposed by the regime. Players must choose sides once they log on to the game and will become part of a constantly evolving story that is based on the conflict between these groups.

Over 200 fan sites are already dedicated to following the progress of Anarchy Online. The popularity of massively multi-player online games is largely due to its highly social nature. Players form groups in the game, using each character's specific skills, to complete missions as a team. Because these characters are not controlled by a computer, but by other people, friendships are often formed with other players. This makes the entire gaming experience much more dynamic than games only guided by artificial intelligence. Due for release on June 27, a nearly finished version of Anarchy Online will be shown at E3 this week.

Funcom also has a new division focusing solely on web and mobile entertainment. Funcom's long-term vision is to build online communities where the players can access online games at any place and location. The users will be able to play and interact via Internet, SMS or interactive TV. Earlier this month, Funcom released new free web-based games, Checkers and Reversi. While the games are currently available in Java form at www.funcom.com, they will soon be part of Funcom's portfolio for future mobile games and can be seen at the company's booth at E3.
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