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MONEY TALKS
Funcom Hits It Big, Shares Plans for Spending Its Fortune
Say it with us: "Cha-ching!"
Oslo, Norway's own Funcom has just gone public, raising roughly $30 million to fund the next generation of MMOs. (Or just enough to buy that parcel of land in Project Entropia you've been craving and still have enough left over to spring for dinner at Denny's!) Now officially Europe's largest developer and publisher of massively multiplayer games, the company's about to embark upon a major offensive.
With seminal sci-fi title Anarchy Online still going strong and the much-anticipated Age of Conan - which blurs the lines between solo/Internet-only outings - due in 2006, things are already looking up for the outfit. What's more, we can now confirm the rumors are true: There is indeed another title (no, not Dreamfall: The Longest Journey) in production for the online space. Although, hey. As an in-depth chat with the company reveals, they have indeed considered porting this property over, too.
In yet another lqgaming.com exclusive, we touch base with product director Jørgen Tharaldsen, who tells us what to expect soon from the freshly filthy rich outfit. And just why end-users will be the ones who'll benefit most thanks to the business's recent windfall.
LQGaming Services:: Do tell. In your mind, what does Funcom stand for?
Jørgen Tharaldsen: Well, the Funcom name is a combination of Fun and company, but that's a bit too easy. I think our company stands for high-quality and innovative games with both depth and heart. We strive to deliver the best possible gaming experiences in pretty much every aspect of what we do, and we work damn hard to make sure that becomes a reality. Games are all about fun and finding some form of escapism from a hard life (for most of us, anyways), and hopefully we can give people great journeys into fantastic worlds. We always look at what we can improve in games, and how to improve it, and I think that is a driving force behind our company.
LQGaming Services:: Why do you think you've become a major player in the online gaming space?
Jørgen Tharaldsen: I would say dedication to quality in our products, as well as honesty and respect towards our customers and everyone we deal with. At the same time we have been willing to innovate. Not just for the sake of innovation, but for the sake of furthering the goals of our company; making our games more fun and our business approaches more effective. I guess I shouldn't forget all the late nights and hard work everyone at Funcom puts in as well. There are so many other aspects to this though, but I guess the aforementioned ones put some words to it.
LQGaming Services:: Where is the company headed strategically?
Jørgen Tharaldsen: Our aim is without a doubt to be among the leading companies in the world when it comes to online games, be it on Windows, console or mobile platforms.
We would also like to be the most fun and challenging workplace known if you like to work with online RPGs (why settle for anything less. it's nice to have high goals). We hope that all of our employees can be allowed to push themselves both creatively, artistically and personally through working here at Funcom.
LQGaming Services:: Do you have intentions to stay fairly small and roll out a few MMOs here and there, or grow to the size of a giant like NCSoft or Sony Online?
Jørgen Tharaldsen: Our goal is to grow organically, profitably and healthy, and deliver the best possible games where people can enjoy themselves and have fun, regardless of which country they come from or what background they have. We currently have three online projects in development internally, including Age of Conan and Anarchy Online, so we aren't that small anymore (we are the biggest MMO developer in Europe for instance). If we will get 750 employees like SOE, or even thousands of employees like some of the biggest Chinese companies, remains to be seen. More with less is perhaps a good word in that regards, but our aim is to become among the leading companies.
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