LOS ANGELES (August 25, 2011) — TAITO Corporation (TAITO®), a wholly–owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., and NEOWIZ GAMES CORP., (NEOWIZ® GAMES) today announced the debut in Korea of PUZZLE BOBBLE® ONLINE, a multiplayer online PC game service based on TAITO's classic PUZZLE BOBBLE (BUST–A–MOVE®) series. The service officially launched Tuesday, August 23.
Officially licensed and produced under the supervision of TAITO and developed and operated by NEOWIZ GAMES, PUZZLE BOBBLE ONLINE (http://pb.pmang.com/) is Korea's first fully high—definition casual online game. The launch of this service also marks a landmark collaboration between TAITO—a game industry veteran taking active steps to promote their strong catalog of intellectual property (IP) worldwide—and NEOWIZ GAMES, one of Korea's leading online game operators and an experienced creator of online adaptations based on major global franchises.
Popular throughout the world and in Asia in particular, this online PC addition to the PUZZLE BOBBLE franchise faithfully includes the classic match–three puzzle game play beloved by fans, but with fresh and attractive new graphics. Rendered in high–definition, the adorable game characters and their charming antics add further visual appeal. In addition to a competitive mode capable of pitting up to six players against each other, PUZZLE BOBBLE ONLINE also features a single–player mode, making it appropriate for everyone from beginners to expert players.
Akihito Shoji, TAITO's Senior Vice President of Content, said:
"With their refined, industry–proven planning and development experience, NEOWIZ GAMES has successfully taken our beloved puzzle game and turned it into a thrilling online experience. NEOWIZ GAMES is without a doubt one of the leaders in the Korean gaming arena, and we couldn’t have asked for a better partner. We at TAITO are dedicated to bringing our IP to the global market, and this project with NEOWIZ GAMES marks an important step in that direction. I'm confident that PUZZLE BOBBLE ONLINE will exceed all expectations."
Sang–kyu Yoon, NEOWIZ GAMES' CEO, commented:
"I am pleased to work with TAITO, one of the leading game companies in Japan. PUZZLE BOBBLE is very well–known in Korea, its popularity dating back to its original arcade release, and Korean gamers are eager to play this classic online. We're doing our best to make PUZZLE BOBBLE ONLINE enjoyable to a wide audience, including both existing fans and newcomers."
TAITO and NEOWIZ GAMES will continue working together to provide PUZZLE BOBBLE ONLINE with ongoing updates in an effort to deliver the most appealing service possible.
Related Links
| TAITO Official Homepage: | http://www.taito.com/ |
| TAITO’s Official Facebook® Page: | http://www.facebook.com/TAITO.Eng |
| Follow TAITO on Twitter®: | http://twitter.com/TaitoCorp |
| NEOWIZ GAMES Official Homepage: | http://www.neowizgames.com |
About TAITO Corporation
TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly–owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin–operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS®, and developed such fan favorites as PUZZLE BOBBLE® (BUST–A–MOVE®) and ARKANOID®. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family–oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries.
More information on TAITO can be found on the Internet at http://www.taito.com/.
About NEOWIZ GAMES CORP.
NEOWIZ GAMES is one of Korea's foremost online game companies, developing top–quality games and delivering attractive digital services to customers. NEOWIZ GAMES distributes games from a wide variety of genres via the PMANG portal site, including first–person shooters, sports, racing, and role–playing games. Notable titles include FIFA Online 2, Special Force, A.V.A, and Cross Fire.
About Square Enix
Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix Group. The Square Enix Group operates a global network of leading development studios and boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 58 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 35 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix, Inc. is a U.S.-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix, Inc. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/na/.
PUZZLE BOBBLE, ARKANOID, BUST–A–MOVE, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, FINAL FANTASY, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, TAITO, the TAITO logo and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix Group. NEOWIZ, PMANG, A.V.A, and Cross Fire are registered trademarks or trademarks of NEOWIZ CORP. FACEBOOK is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. TWITTER is a registered trademark of Twitter, Inc. All other marks are the properties of their respective owners.
