If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Online Gangster Game Drives By 1.7 Million Subscriptions Mark

Hull-Based Developer Mobbed By Registrations As It Passes 1.7 Million Registrations; Game Republic Pulls The Networking Strings

Friday 17th November 2006/ Hull-based Omerta Game Ltd, creator of Omerta - an online gangster RPG for PC set in the 1930s today celebrated the registration of its 1.7 millionth subscriber. The company has grown from a two-man volunteer operation in a small Hull office to a multi-national, multi-lingual 22-person business in four countries.

Omerta, a free, text-based massively multiplayer RPG that consumes over 5.5 Terrabytes of data traffic a month, is based on the stories about the legendary don Barafranca. It has been running for over three years and is played daily by 70,000 plus wise guys and all about immersing players into the world of a wannabe mob boss as he or she tries to survive the struggles consistent with holding on to that power.

Omerta accommodates up to 8,000 players online simultaneously - all vying to make their way through the ranks of one of 100 mafia families (each containing up to 1,000 members) and 16 alliances, with the ultimate goal of becoming The Don. Players progress by killing, stealing, robbing banks and forging false alliances and it doesn't require a bleeding edge PC to a life of virtual crime.

Omerta Game Ltd is headed-up by Steve Biddick, Paul Fargus and Moritz Daan, who collectively began coding and running Omerta as a hobby, and is now playable in 23 languages and run by 120 volunteers worldwide. It has spawned a comic, countless fansites, several in-game newspapers and 'oBay' - an in-game means of buying and selling ill-gotten gains.

"We're not real gangsters," jokes Steve Biddick, reluctant CEO of Omerta Game Ltd. "Game Republic has helped hugely with networking within the industry and introduced us to several agencies who have transformed Omerta Game Ltd into a professional business and less like the contents of someone's shed. They have also put us in touch with third parties who are working on our behalf to help the business gain a foothold in the Korean market and assisted with a major R&D grant application (to help fund three more games) to the Department of Trade and Industry."

"Omerta Game Ltd's ability to successfully manage online communities with such verve and professionalism is simply amazing," adds Craig Albeck, Game Republic. "With the business itself in rude health but looking to expand its influence to a wider audience, Game Republic has been able to present Omerta Game Ltd with a number of networking opportunities and in doing so hopefully raised the profile of the company."

Omerta is available to play by registering at www.barafranca.com

Omerta Game Ltd is a member of Game Republic, the alliance of high-tech companies in the Yorkshire and Humber regions.

Game Republic is funded in part by the European Union.

Ends.

Notes To Editors:

For further information on Game Republic please contact:

Tom Sargent or Simon Byron

Barrington Harvey PR

Tel: +44 (0)1462 456780

Email: tom.sargent@bhpr.co.uk / simon.byron@bhpr.co.uk

About Omerta Game Ltd

Omerta Game Ltd was founded in 2004 to manage and further develop Omerta - the world's biggest mass-participation gangster role-playing game and to develop and publish further online games. Omerta Game Ltd has become expert in the field of search engine optimization, web promotion and in creating and managing online communities. Omerta can be found at www.barafranca.com

Author
GamesIndustry International avatar

GamesIndustry International

Contributor

GamesIndustry International is the world's leading games industry website, incorporating GamesIndustry.biz and IndustryGamers.com.