ENGAGE SIGNS THIRD EXCLUSIVE INTERWORLD ONLINE ORIGINAL
ROLEMASTER: THE BLADELANDS
New Title to Follow Upcoming Release of Splatterball and Rolemaster: Magestorm
IRVINE, CALIF. (August 12, 1996) -- ENGAGE Games Online, today announced the company has expanded its relationship with Interworld Productions through the acquisition of exclusive online rights to Rolemaster: The Bladelands, a new role-playing game based on the highly successful "Rolemaster" tabletop fantasy role-playing game system created by Iron Crown Enterprises of Charlottesville, Virginia. This title also represents the third Interworld game that ENGAGE will release, all of which are world premieres. Two earlier titles -- Splatterball and Rolemaster: Magestorm -- are among the first games that will be made available when the new multi-player games and entertainment service launches over AOL and Prodigy next month. Internet access for all ENGAGE content will be available later this fall.
Rolemaster: The Bladelands takes place on a continent know as Folenn which is only now reawakening after many decades of living under the terrible, magical event now known as the Magestorms. During its reign, the land was greatly scarred and most of its people were either wiped out or changed dramatically by the forces released during that time. This horrific and challenging period is also the backdrop for Rolemaster: Magestorm, produced by Interworld Productions and soon to be released by ENGAGE. In creating Rolemaster: The Bladelands, I.C.E., Interworld and ENGAGE have broken new ground in the publishing arena. This is the first time that an interactive property is being created for publication as both an online game and as a 'tabletop' game. This new world will be the backdrop for I.C.E.'s new Rolemaster system to be published in the Spring of 1997.
As a fantasy, role-playing game experience, players will find themselves not only helping to rebuild Folenn but also fighting the terrible and powerful new creations that now inhabit Folenn. By interacting with a unique collection of characters such as the Belowmountain Loaru, the Stone-Eater and He Who Walks Alone aka The Prophet, players will constantly deal with conflicts and forge new alliances. Rolemaster: The Bladelands is capable of supporting hundreds (and potentially thousands) of simultaneous users. Unlike other games in the genre that are entirely text-based, Rolemaster: The Bladelands utilizes an elaborate, visually stimulating 32-bit graphical interface to enhance player interaction.
"Rolemaster: The Bladelands is an important addition to our core collection of exclusive content. We are, however, particularly excited about this game as it adds another exclusive world premiere title to our service, having never appeared in any other medium," said Jeff Leibowitz, president of ENGAGE. "Interworld Productions, through their efforts on Splatterball and Rolemaster: Magestorm has demonstrated a thorough understanding of what the online multi-player games community considers challenging and fun."
"We are extremely pleased to be expanding our relationship with ENGAGE. Based on the anticipated success of Splatterball and Rolemaster: Magestorm, as well as the overall positive experience we have had with ENGAGE, adding another title to their service was an easy decision," added Mark Jacobs, President of Interworld Productions. "We look forward to continuing our efforts with ENGAGE on this project and to setting new standards for the online gamer."
Online users will soon be able to access ENGAGE games and other entertainment content through consistent and intuitive Windows 95-based graphically rich, animated 2-D and 3-D interfaces, regardless of whether they access ENGAGE from the major online services or from various World Wide Web sites on the Internet. ENGAGE will feature an impressive array of high-end multi-player games as well as some less intense fare for non-gamer members of the family. Almost all of the ENGAGE titles are worldwide exclusives including such best sellers as Descent Online, Castles II, the US Chess Federation, and AD&D titles Descent to Undermountain and Dragon Dice all from Interplay Productions; Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness from Blizzard, Total Control Football from Philips Media plus Splatterball and Rolemaster: Magestorm from Interworld Productions.
Also available on ENGAGE are Sim City 2000 from Maxis and high-profile, broad-appeal entertainment content such as casino games from Caesars Palace Virtual Casino as well as exclusive comedy and comprehensive music content via The Improvisation Online and a cyber-version of the new Billboard Live! music clubs, respectively ENGAGE will offer as many as 15 games by the end of 1996 and then plans to add one additional game each month.
Interworld Productions, headquartered in the vicinity of Washington, D.C., was formed as a joint venture between Adventures Unlimited Software, Inc. and Interesting Systems, Inc. Specializing in the creation of both online and stand-alone games, the company takes a unique team-based approach to game design and creation. The results are visually rich games that create a unique experience for the gamer.
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