LADYDRAGON.COM - Wanadoo and Strategy First to publish Druid King

Tuesday March 19, 2002

Wanadoo and Strategy First to publish Druid King

Wanadoo and Strategy First join together to conclude a publishing deal with Bulgarian developer Haemimont Games, in order to release the strategy game Druid King.

French publisher Wanadoo, in association with the North American publisher Strategy First, announces it has concluded a deal with Sofia-based studio Haemimont Games to publish and distribute Druid King, its new real time strategy game (RTS). It will be released in Western Europe (except Spain) and Japan by Wanadoo, and in North America jointly by Wanadoo and Strategy First.

The game is scheduled for release on PC in the third quarter (tbc) of 2002.

After its recent deal with the Japanese developer Tecmo, Wanadoo is very proud of this new partnership with Strategy First, the American leader of strategy games, and Haemimont Games, the famous developer of Tzar. The agreement enhances the Wanadoo strategy to develop a worldwide net of partners who share its philosophy of delivering the most innovative and alternative games to people worldwide.

The opportunity to work with Wanadoo and Haemimont Games for the release of Druid King is very exciting for Strategy First. The partnership allows Strategy First to broaden their worldwide reach and add an innovative new title to the game market. Strategy First hopes that this is the beginning of a long term partnership.

Haemimont Games is impressed with the abilities of Wanadoo and Strategy First to deliver Druid King to a wide audience of gamers. The deal supports the company’s vision to develop innovative products and opens new possibilities for future projects.

Druid King is a RTS that mixes strategy and role-playing elements, with online multi-player features.

The adventure takes place in ancient Gaul. Four mighty forces battle for power: the brave Gauls, the mighty Romans, the vicious Teutons and the mysterious Druids who `weave the patterns` that make nations prosper and states decay. Using various military tactics and strategy the player must control the actions of the Gaul hero Larax and lead him to victory.

Find more on the Druid King website: www.haemimont.com/druidking WANADOO is one of Europe’s top Internet companies. The group is successfully driving robust development in its different businesses as an ISP, a designer of portals and specialized websites, an e-merchant, a publisher of online and print directories, and a provider of Internet solutions for businesses.

Its subsidiary WANADOO EDITION produces, publishes and distributes video games on consoles, CD-Roms and Internet. Wanadoo Edition’s development strategy centers around three key points: to develop alternative video games for all software platforms, to publish large audience games of all major genres (action, adventure, sport, race, strategy and MMG) and to distribute worldwide.

Strategy First Inc. is a leading developer and worldwide publisher of entertainment software for the PC. Founded in 1990, the company has grown rapidly, publishing major games in the industry and simultaneously developing its own in-house titles such as O.R.B., Disciples II, Nexagon: The Pit and Zero-G Marines. After winning numerous awards for games such as Disciples: Sacred Lands, Europa Universalis, Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns and Steel Beasts, Strategy First continues to push the gaming envelope with its own groundbreaking titles, while maintaining its reputation as a unique alternative for independent developers seeking to market their games to a worldwide audience.

Haemimont Games is dedicated to video and computer game design and development, creating products of the highest quality in the RTS and RPG genres. Its key strategy is to employ tallented young people and allow them to use their creative skills in the game creation process. Haemimont Games is a division of Haemimont-Smartcom AD - a leading privately-held Bulgarian technology group.