DGAP-News: Bastei Lübbe AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous
New Book & New Game: Bastei Lübbe AG and international best-selling
author Ken Follett strengthen their collaboration and for the first
time conclude a multimedia agreement
27.11.2014 / 11:41
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New Book & New Game: Bastei Lübbe AG and international best-selling author
Ken Follett strengthen their collaboration and for the first time conclude
a multimedia agreement
Agreement concluded on new novel. Bastei Lübbe also secures global rights
for the simultaneous release of the computer-game to "The Pillars of the
Earth"
Cologne, 27 November 2014. The Cologne-based media company Bastei Lübbe and
international best-selling author Ken Follett will continue their
successful decades-long collaboration and will in future expand into new
media channels worldwide. The company has reached an agreement with the
British author on the publication of his new novel. Ken Follett, who has
just completed a successful tour of Germany, revealed to his fans during
his appearances that his next novel will see a return to Kingsbridge, thus
building on his worldwide success with "The Pillars of the Earth" from
1989; with over 23 million copies sold, it is amongst one of the 100 most
successful novels worldwide, and in a survey by ZDF in 2004 it was voted
third most popular book in Germany after "The Lord of the Rings" and the
Bible. In "World Without End" (published in 2007) the Welshman returns to
Kingsbridge; the story takes place 200 years after "The Pillars of the
Earth" and was also a huge success. For the new novel, which will be
published in autumn 2017, Ken Follett is planning yet another large leap in
time. He would like to write about Kingsbridge in the 16th century, during
the time of Queen Elizabeth I and the first secret service which was
developed on behalf of the regent.
"From the start, Ken Follett has been a unique image-shaping author for our
company. This is why we are especially proud that we will not only continue
to work together, but that we will also expand," explains Thomas Schierack,
CEO of Bastei Lübbe AG. In addition to the new novel, part of the future
collaboration involves a computer-game of the most successful title to
date, "The Pillars of the Earth", which can be played on all consoles, PC
and mobile devices. "We have agreed with Ken Follett that a computer-game
will be released simultaneously alongside the launch of the third
Kingsbridge book in autumn 2017," said Schierack, at the same time
immediately securing the world rights for his company.
"I'm delighted that Bastei Lübbe will publish my next book, a new story
about Kingsbridge, the fictional town in which I set "The Pillars of the
Earth" and "World Without End". I'm hoping to finish it in time for
publication in 2017. I'm thrilled that "The Pillars of the Earth" - which
is probably my most famous book - is going to be turned into a
computer-game by Daedalic, now part of the Lübbe organisation. I believe
this will bring my work to the attention of a new generation of readers.
I've been working with Bastei Lübbe, and with the Lübbe-family, for 35
years now. It has been a most congenial partnership, and a very successful
one. So I'm very happy that our association is being continued in these
exciting ways." says Ken Follett.
The Game Publisher Daedalic, which is owned by Bastei Lübbe AG, will now
develop and implement the idea for the game. Carsten Fichtelmann, CEO and
founder of Daedalic, knows about the responsibility of this task: "'The
Pillars of the Earth' is one of the most widely read novels of the world
with an enormous fan base. It will be a great challenge to meet the demands
of millions of fans with our game. But we are happy to rise to that
challenge." It is planned that the game will be released in up to 10
languages and will be marketed worldwide. This move promises the
Cologne-based media company huge potential with several million users from
around the world.
For publishing group Bastei Lübbe, this multimedia collaboration marks a
move into new industry territory as it openly admits: "To our knowledge
this is the first time that a computer-game has been produced with such
effort at the same time as a new novel by an international best-selling
author," believes Felix Rudloff, CCO of Bastei Lübbe AG. In addition to the
sales expected for the game, which the company believes will be up to tens
of millions of euros, Rudloff expects further synergies: "Not only will the
novel have a positive marketing effect on the game, but also vice versa.
The game will buoy book sales positively too."
The agreements for the new novel as well as the agreements on the
development and worldwide marketing of the game have been signed.
About Bastei Lübbe AG:
Bastei Lübbe AG is a media company in the form of a publisher. The company
is based in Cologne, Germany, and has around 335 employees. In the context
of its business activity, Bastei Lübbe publishes books, audiobooks, eBooks
and digital products with fictional and popular scientific content as well
as periodically released magazines in the form of paperback novels and
puzzle books. The business activity of Bastei Lübbe also includes the
licensing of rights and the development, production and distribution of
gift, decorative and merchandising items. Bastei Lübbe has been the market
leader almost continuously in the growing fictional hardback sector for
many years, and the Company was also number 1 in the area of fictional
eBooks in 2013. In 2013, Bastei Lübbe AG celebrated its 60-year anniversary
and was listed on the stock exchange. Bastei Lübbe AG shares are listed in
the Prime Standard section of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (WKN A1X3YY,
ISIN DE000A1X3YY0).
Contact Bastei Lübbe AG:
Barbara Fischer
Head of Press and
Event Marketing
Tel.: 0221 / 82 00 28 50
Email: barbara.fischer@luebbe.de
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27.11.2014 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Language: English
Company: Bastei Lübbe AG
SchanzenstraÃe 6 - 20
51063 Köln
Germany
Phone: 02 21 / 82 00 - 0
Fax: 02 21 / 82 00 - 1900
E-mail: investorrelations@luebbe.de
Internet: www.luebbe.de
ISIN: DE000A1X3YY0, DE000A1K0169
WKN: A1X3YY, A1K016
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard);
Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover,
Stuttgart
End of News DGAP News-Service
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300101 27.11.2014
DGAP-News: New Book & New Game: Bastei Lübbe AG and international best-selling author Ken Follett strengthen their collaboration and for the first time conclude a multimedia agreement
| Source: EQS Group AG