MindArk Creates First Planet Company to Manage $400 Million Virtual Economy on Planet Calypso
| Source: Entropia Universe
GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN--(Marketwire - January 8, 2009) - MindArk PE AB, developer of the Entropia
Universe Virtual World Platform, today announces the inception of First
Planet Company AB, a fully owned subsidiary of MindArk PE AB. First Planet
Company will oversee the operation, development and marketing of the MMORPG
"Planet Calypso," built on the Entropia Universe platform. Marco Behrmann,
former Chief Information Officer at MindArk, has been appointed Chief
Executive Officer and Creative Director for First Planet Company.
First Planet Company will develop and maintain the MMORPG "Planet Calypso,"
built on the Entropia Universe platform. CEO and Creative Director, Marco
Behrmann, began with MindArk AB in 2002 as concept writer, game designer,
community director and information officer. Prior to joining the MindArk
team, Behrmann held the title of marketing director for the glossy
lifestyle magazine Codex as well as Lead Designer and P.R. Manager at the
game studio Computer House. Among his many achievements Behrmann is joint
founder of one of Sweden's most prominent tabletop Role-Playing game
studios, Neogames AB and is also a successful author, having written and
published over twenty books.
"My vision is to supply the resources needed to allow the creative team the
freedom and time to create interesting short- and long-term storylines,
enhance and polish game-play, add role-playing aspects, and cater to
events," says Marco Behrmann. "My role and objective is to bring and
maintain a coherency to the Planet Calypso history and storyline. We are
dedicated to achieving our over-arching goal of making Planet Calypso a
truly outstanding Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game."
Entropia Universe is recognized as an award winning 3D online virtual
universe for interactive entertainment, social networking and e-commerce.
The creation of First Planet Company allows MindArk to solely focus on
platform development suitable for a wide range of industries interested in
utilizing the opportunities of the 3D Internet, while First Planet Company
will develop the end-user experience with the online MMO Planet Calypso.
About First Planet Company
First Planet Company AB operates, develops and markets Planet Calypso, a
Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) that is part of the
Entropia Universe and is powered by the Entropia Universe Platform. Set in
a distant future the planet Calypso is home to an expanding human colony
struggling with the natural, social and economic elements involved in
establishing their new civilization.
The software is free to download and there are no monthly subscription
fees. Instead Planet Calypso uses a real cash economy with a virtual
currency, adding an exciting realism to the game play experience.
About MindArk and Entropia Universe
Entropia Universe is an expanding entity of interoperable 3D virtual worlds
based on the proprietary Entropia Universe Platform. Each virtual world
takes the form of a planet(s) within the virtual Entropia Universe. The
Entropia Universe Platform contains full support for secure
micro-transactions in real-time, rich media viewing, transactions with real
and virtual items, MMOG entertainment and social interaction between global
participants. Its virtual currency, the PED, has a fixed exchange rate of
10:1 with the US dollar.
The Entropia Universe Platform has been developed over 10 years at a cost
of more than $40 million USD. Launched commercially in 2003, MindArk's
planet Calypso has been generating profit since 2004 and has served as a
vehicle for fine tuning the platform's business model and functionality.
During 2007, the Entropia Universe Platform provided a secure and stable
means for $400 million in user-to-user transactions. Today there are over
800,000 registered accounts from over 200 countries.
For more information, please visit www.mindark.com and
www.entropiauniverse.com.