The games – “DarkOrbit” and “Seafight” – will be available to scifi.co.uk users for free from 12th August and will unite them with a community of almost 30 million other gamers around the world. Players can also buy virtual goods or use special game features with a premium subscription. The games are complex, long running, multiple player games, which are played directly in a browser without downloads or installation of additional software.
This is the first execution of the collaboration announced between NBC Universal and German-based Bigpoint since the Peacock Equity Fund, a $250m venture capital fund that NBC Universal launched with sister company GE Commercial Finance, acquired 35 per cent of Bigpoint in a €70m ($110m) deal in June 2008.
“SCI FI is our umbrella brand for casual and online gaming in the UK and other countries outside the USA. Science fiction and fantasy fans have a huge affinity with gaming and our relationship with Bigpoint will allow us to take advantage of growing popularity of multiple players” says Kevin Obi, SVP SVP New Digital Media Business, NBC Universal.
Heiko Hubertz, founder and CEO, Bigpoint commented: “We’re pleased that we’re working with SCI FI UK on our first collaboration following our agreement with NBC Universal in June. There is a perfect fit between our audiences and we look forward to extending this relationship with both SCI FI and NBC Universal in the future.”
The development follows the re-launch of scifi.co.uk in May 2008 into a destination site for fans of sci-fi and fantasy content, online gaming and gadgets. Other sites serving audiences across Europe will be launched in Q4 2008.