View all newsletters
Receive our newsletter - data, insights and analysis delivered to you
  1. Technology
August 26, 1997updated 03 Sep 2016 8:26pm

3DO CONCENTRATES ON ONLINE GAMES MARKET

By CBR Staff Writer

3DO Co has reconfirmed its focus in the online games market after the sell-off of the full rights to use its M2 interactive graphics processing technology to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co at the end of last month and the sale of its hardware systems business to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd for $20m back in May. The Redwood City, California-based company has announced three new product releases and fleshed out details of its new pricing model. It plans two new releases of its flagship online game Meridian 59 and development of Might and Magic On-line. Meridian 59 Revelation is due out in October, offering new areas for advanced players to explore and Meridian 59 Renaissance is due in six months, featuring a major upgrade in the graphics quality of the whole Meridian world, the company said. Might and Magic On- line will be out in 18 months. 3DO will continue to operate its own Meridian 59 internet servers via a new pricing system based on a sessions model to be brought in next month. Customers will be able to play for a 24-hour period for $2.49. One week of sessions will be capped at $7.47. 3DO is scrapping the current $14.95 activation fee and will reduce the monthly minimum cost by 50%. To expand distribution for its online products, 3DO has entered into an agreement with its first server licensee, Computec, and is currently negotiating with the Kesmai Corp to distribute Meridian 59 through Kesmai’s subsidiaries Aries Online Games and Game Storm. Computec is Germany’s largest publisher of gaming magazines and will launch a fully localized version of Meridian 59 this October. Aries On-line Games and Game Storm have a customer reach of 13 million on-line users and are carried by America Online, CSI, Prodigy, AT&T WorldNet, EarthLink, Concentric, and Delphi.

Content from our partners
How businesses can safeguard themselves on the cyber frontline
How hackers’ tactics are evolving in an increasingly complex landscape
Green for go: Transforming trade in the UK

Websites in our network
Select and enter your corporate email address Tech Monitor's research, insight and analysis examines the frontiers of digital transformation to help tech leaders navigate the future. Our Changelog newsletter delivers our best work to your inbox every week.
  • CIO
  • CTO
  • CISO
  • CSO
  • CFO
  • CDO
  • CEO
  • Architect Founder
  • MD
  • Director
  • Manager
  • Other
Visit our privacy policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.
THANK YOU