Denki Launches Games On DIRECTV

Casual Games Expert Provides Titles For New Digital TV Game Lounge Platform

News by GamesIndustry International Contributor

Published on May 23, 2007

Dundee, UK, April 16th, 2006. Casual games company Denki today announced that it is providing games for DIRECTV's new Game Lounge digital interactive television games service.

Denki has provided nine titles for the launch of DIRECTV's new Game Lounge through a deal struck with Waterfront Entertainment: Word Crunch, Letter Box, Denki Blocks! Brain Teasers, Number Crunch, Polly Pocket SPLASH!, Barbie in The 12 Dancing Princesses and Barbie: World Fashion Tour, Tumble Fever and Hot Wheels: Monster Truck Smashdown.

The Game Lounge platform consists of several different categories including puzzle, word, card, educational and arcade style games that are based upon key consumer and entertainment brands. Customers with interactive DIRECTV receivers can play these games via their televisions using a DIRECTV remote control from the comfort of any room in their home.

Customers access Game Lounge both on an all access monthly subscription basis or play-per-day basis, which is currently a distribution structure that is not available on any other gaming platform. The all-access monthly subscription price of Game Lounge is $5.95 per month with a play-per-day price of $1.95.

Further titles developed by Denki and published by Waterfront Entertainment will be launched on DIRECTV later this year.

DIRECTV is the world's largest satellite television company, with 16 million subscribers in the United States and over 1.5 million in Latin America. The company launched the new Game Lounge service in February 2007.

Denki is a pioneer in the creation of digital interactive television games. The company has published more than 50 Digital Interactive TV (DiTV) titles in the past five years, many based on global brands and licenses from the world's leading media companies.

Colin Anderson, the managing director of Denki, said, "Gaming on digital television is very popular in Europe. It enjoys a very broad range of games players, including a high percentage of female and mature users, who are not traditionally considered 'gamers'. Digital television allows viewers to interact with their favorite shows, characters and brands in an entirely new way, through a medium - and controller - they're very comfortable with. It's an exciting new platform to work with and its potential is huge. DIRECTV has created an exciting new service for its users. Game Lounge offers a wide range of content that is unique in the United States. We are delighted to be developing games for their service and we look forward to viewers across America enjoying Denki developed games."

Steven Roberts, Vice President and General Manager of DIRECTV, said, "Game Lounge was developed to leverage the growth of the casual games market and to provide our subscribers with yet another type of unique content, exclusively found on DIRECTV. Denki is one of the best and most experienced creators of digital interactive television games in the world.

The Denki developed games on Game Lounge are a true asset to the overall service. Our customers will enjoy the new experience of playing games through their TV set using their remote control."

Stephen Swan a Director of Waterfront Entertainment said "Bringing Denki and DirecTV together to help launch DIRECTV's Game Lounge has ensured that the service contains the best possible content and benefits from Denki's extensive experience of creating such games."

About Denki

Denki is different: an established computer game company that relishes working within the exciting new medium of Interactive Television and finds the restrictions it places on content creators challenging rather than limiting. Denki has been at the forefront of new media games development for over 7 years and are now Sky Television's principal games supplier. Having firmly established itself as a leader in this emerging field Denki is again investigating new markets where its particular brand of interactive entertainment will prove successful.

About DIRECTV, Inc.

DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading satellite television service provider, presents the finest television experience available to more than 16 million customers in the United States, through exclusive content, industry-leading customer service (which has surpassed cable for six years running) and superior technologies. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy over 250 channels of 100% digital picture and sound; exclusive programming and the most comprehensive collection of sports programming available anywhere including NFL SUNDAY TICKET, and MLB EXTRA INNINGS. DIRECTV (NYSE:DTV) also leads the digital television technology revolution with exclusives such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET SuperFan, US Open Interactive and YES Network Interactive and will soon have the capacity to offer over 150 channels in HD. For the most up-to-date information on the Company, please visit DIRECTV.com.

About Game Lounge

To access DIRECTV's Game Lounge, customers must have a DIRECTV interactive receiver. For more information regarding compatibility please visit www.gamelounge.com

About Waterfront Entertainment

Waterfront Entertainment is an international publisher of interactive TV content, with a special focus on games. The company has been involved in this growing sector since the early days and has relationships with broadcasters, developers and brand owners in Europe and the US.

About Mattel, Inc.

Mattel, Inc., (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products, including Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica® and Tyco® R/C, as well as Fisher-Price® brands ( www.fisher-price.com), including Little People®, Rescue Heroes®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than the 30,000 people in 42 countries and sells products in more than 150 nations throughout the world. Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands -- today and tomorrow.

The POLLY POCKET trademark is owned by Origin Products Ltd. Other trademarks and trade dress are owned by Mattel, Inc. or Origin Products Ltd. Manufactured under license from Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Contacts:

Denki

Jaecinta Needs

P: +44 (0) 1382 308 645

E: jaecinta.needs@denki.co.uk

Brian Baglow

Indoctrimat Ltd.

M: +44 (0) 7747 792247

E: brian@indoctrimat.com

Waterfront Entertainment

Stephen Swan

P: +44 (0) 870 77 44 223