Bangkok--11 Oct--Weber Shandwick
Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) today announced that its critically acclaimed Disney's Toontown Online, hailed as the first downloadable massively multiplayer (MMP) 3D online game for kids and families, will be available to kids and families in South East Asia in early 2007.
Through a marketing and distribution services deal with Philippines-based company Digital Media Exchange, Disney’s Toontown Online will be distributed in The Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam in early 2007. The game will offer all of the same characters and unique game functionality as the popular U.S. version.
"Disney’s Toontown Online is a prime example of how we successfully combine new technologies with inspired storytelling to create unique, interactive entertainment experiences for kids and families worldwide,” said Duncan Orrell-Jones, senior vice president and managing director, Walt Disney Internet Group Asia Pacific. “WDIG has a significant, rapidly expanding mobile and online presence in the APAC region, and we're pleased to now work with Digital Media Exchange to bring this innovative, award winning game to families in South East Asia,” added Mr. Orrell-Jones.
Since it was first launched in the U.S. in June 2003, Toontown has become home to over 15 million unique Toons. Response to Toontown has been extremely strong and continues to gain marketplace momentum, attracting gamers of all ages and levels around the world.
The game has been recognized with numerous US industry awards, including:
2005 WiredKids Safe Gaming Award
2005 Webby Awards “Webby Worthy Selection”
2004 Web Marketing Association’s Web Award, Outstanding Game Website
2004 Game Industry News Family Game of the Year
2003 MMORPG Game of the Year by Computer Gaming World
2003 Webby Awards People’s Voice Award, Kid’s Category
2003 Parent’s Choice Silver Honor
2003 Children’s Software Review All Star Award
Nominated for Academy of Interactive Arts Society 2003 PC Massively
Multiplayer / Persistent World Game of the Year Award
Under the licensee agreement, Digital Media Exchange will be responsible for the development and operation of the Disney’s Toontown Online promotional site, customer database management, settlement, and customer support.
Disney’s Toontown Online will be available in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam in early 2007. Visit http://www.ToonTown.com for more information, screenshots and videos of the game.
Walt Disney Internet Group
Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) provides strategic leadership, business execution support and a world-class technology platform for all the Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) Internet properties, including category leaders ESPN.com and ABCNEWS.com, and directly operates Disney.com worldwide, FamilyFun.com, Movies.com and Disney Mobile. A market leader in developing and distributing entertainment and informational content to new platforms, WDIG is committed to creating and delivering products for broadband distribution, including: ABC News On Demand, a subscription video news service that offers the Internet's first 24-hour, live Internet-only news channel and top ABC News programs for on demand viewing; Disney Connection; and WDIG Motion, a proprietary video technology for broadband users. Through relationships with some of the world's largest wireless carriers, WDIG distributes content and services to wireless users under the Disney brand. Additionally, WDIG has led the way in developing interactive content for televised programming through its Enhanced TV service. Steve Wadsworth is president of WDIG, which is headquartered in North Hollywood, Calif. and has operations in Budapest, London, Munich, New York, Orlando, Fla., Prague, Seattle, Shanghai and Tokyo.
About Digital Media Exchange
Digital Media Exchange, Inc. (dme) is the premier publisher and distributor of high quality digital media content throughout Southeast Asia, growing from an online game publisher in the Philippines to a payment solution-enabled digital media publisher for developers seeking access to Southeast Asia. dme, through its online game division mobius, with more than 5.6 million registered users today has aggressively grown its market to acquire the largest number of paying subscribers across Southeast Asia where English is the primary or secondary language. Committed to providing scalable high quality/low cost offshore online game services, dme has pioneered the first Internet Exchange in the Philippines to provide a latency-efficient network for digital media exchange. dme has also released mobiusoline, the first prepaid payment solution in Southeast Asia, and is set to release mobiuskids—an online edutainment service for kids and families—and mobiuslive—an online music community focusing on independent artists and listeners. dme is continually growing its service offering to include managed hosting, network solutions, and people outsourcing specialized to the online game industry. For more information, visit: www.dmii.net
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