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SHOW AND PROVE
CEO Jeff Anderson on Why It's Turbine's Time to Shine
Controversy, thy name is Turbine. To say the least, America's largest independently-owned developer and producer of MMOs has been full of surprises in recent years.
From parting ways with Microsoft to self-publishing its own titles, shuttering Asheron's Call 2 (while still leaving the original game running) and securing $30 million in private funding, the hits just keep on coming. Seriously… raise your hand if you foresaw not only the deal for Dungeons & Dragons Online, but also Vivendi-Universal's shocking transfer of ownership rights to The Lord of the Rings Online. Paw in the air? Good – makes it easier for those of us who don't take kindly to show-offs to kick you in the groin.
But we digress: What's really important to note is how fast the company's been on the come-up. Flush with cash, beholden to no man and blessed with the keys to some of the biggest brands in the business, 2006 is the year the firm will finally make its presence felt. President and CEO Jeff Anderson takes a few minutes to touch base with us and provide some insight into why the previously unsung outfit's ready to claim its place alongside other captains of industry:
LQGaming Services:: Where has Turbine come from? Where is it now? Where is the company headed in the future?
Jeff Anderson : Turbine began in 1994 when several students at Brown University and its Artificial Intelligence Lab decided to create a game company focused on online gaming. The company first incorporated as Cyberspace (which later became Second Nature Interactive and ultimately became Turbine).
In the early days, the company set up shop in an apartment in Providence, RI and then - using insurance settlement money one of the founders was awarded following a car accident - moved into a small house in rural Massachusetts. Shortly after that, the company's first demo was picked up by Microsoft and went on to become Asheron's Call, our first game. Turbine has continued to grow and now has over 200 employees. Currently, we're hard at work grinding away on Dungeons & Dragons Online and Lord of the Rings Online.
LQGaming Services:: Why the decision to self-publish your own titles?
Jeff Anderson : Before joining Turbine I was the executive in charge of production at Origin/Electronic Arts. At EA, I saw firsthand the strength of the publisher model with Ultima Online. There are terrific creative synergies and economies that come from developing and operating a self-published title. I wanted to bring that experience to Turbine.
LQGaming Services:: Did you ever envision the company would reach this level?
Jeff Anderson : Yes and no. It always surprises me when I think that Turbine is the largest privately-held online game studio in North America. I am also very grateful for the strong titles that we have in development. But when I look at the talent and the commitment of the people making the games at Turbine, I am not surprised that we have reached this level. Overall, I think we have the best talent in the industry.
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