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EUROPEAN INVASION
Persistent Worlds' Phil White Unveils His Plans for Conquering the World with 9 Dragons
LQGaming Services:: What's the general timeframe on these games' debuts?
Phil White: Both games are planned for release this year.
LQGaming Services:: Playing Devil's advocate for a second, what really sets them apart and makes them unique from software that's currently on the market?
Phil White: The games' themes are different from what is available at the moment and they have very high levels of playability. They will appeal to lots of areas of the community. But this isn't why we've selected them. We chose them because they're great games that we ourselves want to play.
LQGaming Services:: When should we expect to hear more about these ventures, so we can come up with new ways to wring more substantive answers out of you?
Phil White: Teaser websites are available now, the more complete versions are
being finished as well. We are also co-ordinating our plans with our American co-licensee, Acclaim, for
9Dragons so that we share a consistent approach and message. This is exciting
news in its own right as it sees the return of a major games company who was thought to
have vanished.
LQGaming Services:: We bet. The countries you're focusing on launching in first are?
Phil White: For these two games, we are focusing on Europe. 9Dragons is being released within the US and Europe at the same time, Carpe Diem is Europe only at the moment.
LQGaming Services:: When will open beta start on PWL's titles, so we can finally get a hands-on look at these properties?
Phil White: Ah, yes, the beta question - I wondered when that would come up! Betas will start in a few months, as we are finalizing plans for data centers and ensuring translations are of the high standard that people expect. We should also be offering sneak previews to top sites like lqgaming.com a little earlier than that as well.
LQGaming Services:: How do you envision both your role and your company's role in the gaming industry going forward?
Phil White: That's not one for me to answer. The reaction of our peers and the gaming community will answer that one for me!
LQGaming Services:: Whoa. nice dodge! OK, let's try this. Why should MMO enthusiasts' be psyched over
the approach PWL is taking?
Phil White: These games are not going to appeal to everyone: Some people will not like the graphics or the sound or the characters, etc. What I can say though, is that if you as a player ever listed things you wanted an MMO game to do (things you were not able to develop on your own) then these games should do them.
LQGaming Services:: Is there something about the online space that companies such as your former employer Codemasters are missing?
Phil White: Sorry - that would be telling!
LQGaming Services:: The key factor that's going to make gamers identify with your titles and methodology is??
Phil White: Another cheesy response alert! We're making MMO games for MMO gamers - period.
LQGaming Services:: The sort of project we should expect to see your stamp on in the future would be?
Phil White: At the moment, I have no clear plans apart from getting the games released and operating correctly. There are a lot of opportunities at the moment with some great partners, so who knows what will happen!
LQGaming Services:: Any message you'd care to send to the online gaming community, competitors or potential business partners?
Phil White: Community: /wave! Competitors: /taunt! Potential Business Partners: /partyinvite!
- Scott Steinberg
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