PlayFirst To Publish Oasis, Extend Gamelab Relationship

Speaking at GDC, representatives from publisher PlayFirst have announced that the company will publish several new downloadable game titles from Mind Control Software, including 2004 Independent Game Festival winner Oasis. The game is expected to launch later this month on major game sites around the world. "[Mind Control's] title, Oasis, is a great fit for the PlayFirst portfolio as it breaks new boundaries for downloadable entertainment", said Kenny Dinkin, vice president and executive producer, PlayFirst. "Oasis combines the simple game play of Minesweeper with the rich historical enchantment of Civilization. The game allows you to travel back in time 5,000 years in a five minute coffee break." The announcement marks a deepening of the partnership between PlayFirst and Mind Control Software. Mind Control have been developing titles since 1995 and its principals were core contributors to award-winning PC games such as Alien Logic as well as top 100 masterpieces such as Thief and System Shock. Oasis marks their second Independent Games Festival victory. In 1999, they won Best Game Design for Resurrection. In addition, the company announced that it will publish several new downloadable and Web games from gameLab, the creator of Diner Dash, which very successfully launched earlier this year via PlayFirst. Through an extended partnership, PlayFirst will publish several more gameLab titles, with plans to launch the games in the second half of 2005. PlayFirst portrays itself as having the sole purpose of helping top game developers fund, create and distribute next-generation popular games through multiple consumer platforms. PlayFirst games are available from online game sites and networks including Big Fish Games, iWin, MSN Games, Oberon Media, RealArcade, Shockwave.com, Trymedia Systems, as well as on www.playfirst.com.