Turbine Expands MMO Reach To Far East

Representatives from MMO publisher and developer Turbine, Inc. have announced a partnership with Australian outsourcing services company Omake Interactive Services, to pursue “strategic publishing, distribution and joint development relationships in Asian markets”. Turbine, which recently raised an additional $30 million in venture capital funding, is currently working on massively multiplayer online role-playing games Dungeons & Dragons: Stormreach and The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Omake will now provide dedicated local resources for these games in the Asia-Pacific region, to support Turbine's business development efforts. "Following this year's E3 industry tradeshow, there has been a tremendous groundswell of support and excitement in these franchises from around the world and in particular, Asia," said Mark Cullinane, vice president of business development, Turbine. "The online games industry has become truly global and Turbine recognizes the strategic importance of this region as part of our overall growth strategy and continued strength in the marketplace. Our goal is to establish a very close network of partnerships across Asia, and with more than 15 years of gaming experience, Omake offers a unique pathway to success in this region." "The Asia-Pacific region represents one of the world's largest and fastest-growing markets for online games," said Tim Allison, CEO of Omake. "The Omake team is looking forward to helping Turbine deliver its games to new audiences in key Asian markets, including China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan."