AsianMedia: ‘Gaming provides business opportunities’

Asian Media Development Group (AsianMedia), long known as the leading PC games distributor in the Philippines, now sets its sights on the highly lucrative online gaming industry.

Now allied with Korean gaming giant to distribute Lineage II in Southeast Asia, AsianMedia is poised to grab a large slice of the Triple-A MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game) market with the help of internet café businesses eager to tap into the latest online gaming craze.

AsianMedia Chief Operating Officer, Ronald Allan Aquino is highly confident that Lineage II will gain a huge and loyal fan base among Filipino gamers who frequent internet cafes.

“The Philippine market for Triple-A online games is far from saturated and we’re confident that Filipino gamers who are restless with available online games will quickly embrace Lineage II,” says Aquino. “Internet cafés and shops stand to do a lot of business with the arrival of Lineage II on our Philippine servers.”

The medieval fantasy MMORPG has drawn millions of loyal fans worldwide to Lineage II’s combination of fantasy combat and the unique social/ political/economic power struggles developed through the community and by the in-game actions of individual gamers.

“Although you can certainly play Lineage II from the comfort of your own home, playing Lineage II in an internet café setting provides a different experience,” says Aquino. “There’s a very powerful social aspect to this particular game and we’re looking forward to having large groups of gamers logging in on our Philippine server from their neighborhood internet cafes and shops.”

Gamers may play alone or as part of a group to fight monsters and complete quests for new skills, experience points, and items. Lineage II also features siege warfare; but to make sure PvP stays under control, the design includes a Karma system that provides negative consequences for killing other players when they do not fight back.

Lineage II features greatly improved third-person 3D graphics thanks to the Unreal Engine developed by Epic Games.

“It is without a doubt, the most breathtakingly stunning and immersive Triple-A fantasy MMORPG in the market,” adds Aquino.

The iCafé lounge

Internet café owners and operators can take advantage of the wave of gamers eagerly looking forward to playing Lineage II by registering their cafes with AsianMedia’s new internet café online support facility. Called iCafe Lounge, the online facility gives internet café operators a leg up on their competitors.

“Internet café owners and operators who join the iCafe Lounge, will receive merchandising support as well as the privilege of having Lineage II running on their systems during close beta testing,” says Aquino.

“Registering at iCafe Lounge will also allow café owners and operators to receive exclusive invitations to Lineage II special events, the latest Lineage II news updates, as well as online promotion of their respective i-Café businesses,” he continues.

“The biggest reward for our partners; however, is the knowledge that they will be carrying a premium game which will keep expanding for a long time to come and attracting old and new gamers alike,” he adds.

“After all, our partner cafés’ success is our success as well,” concludes Aquino.

For inquiries regarding AsianMedia’s iCafe Lounge program for Lineage II, call their hotline numbers at 635-CAFÉ (2233) for Metro Manila, and 1-800-10-635-CAFÉ (2233) toll free, or check out the iCafe Lounge link at http://asianmedia.ph/.