The Indie Strategy Bundle

4th March 2010:

Indie developers Arcen Games, Cryptic Comet, and Positech Games have joined forces to bring strategy fans the ultimate bundle: Gratuitous Space Battles + The Tribe Expansion, Solium Infernum, and AI War + The Zenith Remnant Expansion. This weekend only, the three companies are offering this special package for a mere $49.99 (for the math impaired, it would normally be $90).

“It’s a jungle out there for a lone indie dev: tired, hungry, low on ammunition and surrounded on all sides by AAA monsters and flesh eating zombies, and that’s why I want Cliff and Chris on my side,” says Vic Davis, founder of Cryptic Comet. “I think all three of us share the desire to prove that the little guys can really create some unique games. It’s our business... and business is good.”

“If we were larger companies, and profit-focused, I think we’d view each other as the enemy,” says Chris Park, founder of Arcen Games. “But as tiny indies, that’s just not productive -- time has already shown that there are plenty of fans to go around. We’re here to make innovative games, not corner markets. There’s a lot more for us to gain by working together instead of by being antagonistic.”

“I can't think of three games that go together better, or which appeal to a more distinct group of gamers, than these three,” says Cliff Harris, founder of Positech Games. “The reason for this bundle is clear. We are like the Judean People’s Front from Monty Python. We need to unite against the common enemy, and that enemy is obscurity, not each other.”

Each game in the bundle is a fan favorite, having carved out a unique niche in the strategy genre. Inspired by Milton’s Paradise Lost, Solium Infernum is a turn-based strategy game that pits you against other players as you use diplomacy, deceit and force to claim the Infernal Thrones of Hell. Gratuitous Space Battles turns real time strategy on its head, making the deployment phase of battle into the game itself. AI War is built around a completely unique AI concept, with gameplay best described as grand strategic 4X tower defense RTS (say that five times fast).

Suffice it to say that none of these concepts would have seen the light of day at larger companies, but each expands the genre in novel ways that will likely influence more mainstream strategy titles to come. But most of all, if you’re into strategy these games are fun (and they scratch that special itch in the brains of grognards). The Indie Strategy Bundle is designed to help strategy fans support the originals, while giving themselves a treat if they haven’t yet played these genre-bending gems!

This bundle will be available from March 4th until March 9th, 2010 at IndieStrategyGames.com

Chris Park Cliff Harris Vic Davis

Arcen Games, LLC Positech Games Cryptic Comet

chrispark7@gmail.com cliff@positech.co.uk vjdavis@crypticcomet.com

About Arcen Games, LLC:

Arcen Games is an indie developer based out of Cary, North Carolina, with half a dozen staff/contractors from around the country as well in Canada and the UK. Arcen's first title, AI War, was the 40th best-reviewed PC game of 2009 according to MetaCritic, and has been a commercially successful title of 2009 on Steam, Impulse, and other digital distribution channels. 2010 has so far seen the release of the first expansion to AI War, titled The Zenith Remnant, as well as a retail release of the game in Germany, and an imminent retail release of the game in Russia. Aside from free DLC for AI War, Arcen is currently working on a puzzle game called Tidalis for release near the end of Q2 2010, and has plans for releasing two other PC titles later in the year, one of which will be a second expansion to AI War.

About Positech Games:

Positech Games is a one man company based in the UK (England). It was formed by gaming geek Cliff Harris in 1997 when he was working as an IT support guy. Cliff has been writing and selling games for 10 years now. Cliff does ALL the programming and 80% of the art for his games. He also handles all the tech support, web design and marketing of the games. Cliff used to work for a UK company called Elixir, who did Republic and Evil Genius. After that he worked at Lionhead as an AI / Game coder for 'The Movies' When that game finished he left to work for himself fulltime. At the start of 2006, Cliff worked for Maxis on a 'gameplay prototype' for the 'Sims' franchise, then he started making games just for his own company. Positech is the developer behind Kudos 2, Democracy 2, and Gratuitous Space Battles, amongst others.

About Cryptic Comet:

Cryptic Comet is an independent game company dedicated to correcting the proposition that there simply aren’t enough good computer turn based strategy games being made anymore. Nerds, geeks and crusty war gamers are often being asked to strategize in both 3-D and real time and the experience is often unpleasant. Cryptic Comet aims to create stimulating and entertaining turn based strategy games using many of the mechanics on which both board and collectible card games draw. If you are comfortable with bits, die and flat playing boards then you will have no problems picking up our games. The key to a great strategy game is offering what designers call a rich and meaningful decision space. You often recognize the results in a game when you get that brain itch sensation at 2 am while trying to decide whether you should build another world wonder or declare war on France. If you feel like you have to play just one more turn then we have done our job. Cryptic Comet is the developer behind Armageddon Empires and Solium Infernum.