ENGLISH - GAME ON LINE

Bigpoint boasts three times as many registrations as studiVZ: more than 30 million registered users on the browser-game platform

Hamburg / Leipzig, August 20, 2008 – The Hamburger-based Bigpoint GmbH, Europe's leading provider of browser-based online games (browser games), is continuing to grow. The game platform and community at bigpoint.com has exceeded the 30 million users mark for the first time – and every day, the portal receives 100,000 new registrations.

Community with game depth
The rapidly growing number of users shows the strong demand for high-quality multiplayer online games (MMOGs) and confirms Bigpoint as the technological leader in browser games: With 26 complex browser games like "Dark Orbit", "Seafight" or "Fragoria" Bigpoint offers browser games which have a game depth, design and fun factor which are unparalleled in the industry. The multiplayer browser games make it possible to play for free against other gamers from around the world without having to buy expensive CDs and without having to install anything. And this community aspect has even begun to attract console players.

"Even persistent console players have become enthusiastic users of our browser games. The possibility of playing immediately against thousands of other users is the decisive kick. The community in multiplayer games is – next to the technology – the actual drive behind their success; and our community offers phenomenal potential over and above the gameplay itself," says Heiko Hubertz, founder and Managing Director of Bigpoint.

Console goes Browser
The newest possibilities to to establish a connection between browser games and consoles is being shown by Bigpoint at the Games Convention this year in Leipzig. In Hall 1, Stand K79 (Bigpoint, 7games/Pro7Sat1), Bigpoint is presenting the first playable demo version of a browser game for the Play Station 3 (PS3). For the first time, Bigpoint is offering its users a chance to play browser games on the console. Bigpoint's goal is to play on the same platform as the PS3 and in the future, also with the Xbox 360 – and in the near future with UMTS mobiles as well. The door to unlimited game fun has been opened, and Bigpoint games will also be playable with flash-based games comfortably in the living room on the console.