‘Empire of Sports’ first to introduce online Multiplayer 11-a-side football game

Multiplayer football (soccer) will be the first extension of the ‘Empire of Sports’ platform in early 2008

[ClickPress, Thu Oct 04 2007] Empire of Sports Ltd. is announcing that multiplayer football (soccer) will be the first extension to be added to the ‘Empire of Sports’ online PC platform in early 2008. For the first time it will be possible to play over the internet in full teams of 11 virtual footballers controlled by 11 different real people against other teams of real people. Besides football, ‘Empire of Sports’ – the first ever virtual World of Sports – will be featuring multiplayer basketball, tennis, skiing, bobsleigh, athletics and virtual gymnasium, all of which will be available at launch later this year.

“We are thrilled to make this revolutionary football sensation available to our players” says Christian Müller, Managing Director of Empire of Sports Ltd. “Football has a very special appeal to sports fans around the world, and finally it is possible to experience the top level action and tactics of ‘the beautiful game’ as an individual player in a team. Of course we will stay true to the ‘Empire of Sports’ philosophy, and offer an attractive football environment with a challenging development path for gamers to level their avatar, master game play and learn about football tactics.”

“We are extremely pleased with the development of football” says Alexis Galley, CEO of developer F4. “We have gained valuable experience with lag and gameplay management from the development of the other multiplayer sports – especially basketball – and I’m personally overwhelmed by the overall impression of our football game. We are proud to be the first developer to have created real football that happens to be played on a PC.”

Seamless integration capturing the most intense football atmosphere
Football will be seamlessly integrated into the ‘Empire of Sports’ universe. Previously established and trained avatars will naturally profit from performances in other sports, as their virtual bodies will already be conditioned for optimal football training and playing.

As for all disciplines in ‘Empire of Sports’, competitions and events will play a central role in creating an intense and authentic football atmosphere. To cater for various play styles, teams from 3 to 11 players a side will be possible. Tools will be available for gamers to quickly find team mates, opponents for gripping matches or friends to create a new aspiring club.


Football game play with the advanced MACS controls
“One of the most crucial elements in sports games is controls, and we are simply stunned how well our revolutionary MACS (Move/Aim/Charge/Shoot) controls work for football” continues Christian Müller. “The consistent use of both keyboard and mouse throughout the whole ‘Empire of Sports’ universe will allow newcomers and experienced players alike to instantly immerse themselves in gripping multiplayer action.”


Football beta for first users of ‘Empire of Sports’
The initial users of ‘Empire of Sports’ will be the pool from which football testers are drawn. “Our first users are naturally the most appropriate testers for football” says Nic van ‘t Schip, Head of Community Operations for ‘Empire of Sports’. “We will choose our football beta testers based entirely on their involvement in ‘Empire of Sports’. And we will do our best to start football testing this year, so that this exclusive group of people can indulge in the entire ‘Empire of Sports’ experience as soon as possible.”

Additional information will be provided in due time on www.empireofsports.com.

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About Empire of Sports
Building on the unprecedented rise of persistent gaming worlds, Empire of Sports opens up a completely new realm for gamers and online users: the exciting and thrilling world of sports. At the centre of the gamers’ attention is their virtual representation in the sports world, the avatar or player character. The player assumes the role of a single player character throughout the entire game, which will result in an up to now unimagined gaming experience, especially in team sports.
Among the high quality multiplayer sports games available at the launch of Empire of Sports will be Basketball, Tennis, Skiing, Bobsleigh, Athletics and a series of fitness and training games. Other major sports will be announced as the platform develops.

About Empire of Sports Ltd.
Empire of Sports Ltd. is the joint venture founded by Infront Sports & Media and F4 to produce and operate the Empire of Sports online gaming platform. Empire of Sports Ltd. is based in Zug, Switzerland. Infront Sports & Media is contributing its deep understanding of sports and its long-term relationships with top sports federations, clubs and athletes to the endeavour, while F4 is developing the platform leveraging the expertise of its team in online gaming and the creation of persistent virtual worlds.

About Infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media (www.infrontsports.com) is based in Zug, Switzerland, and is one of the most experienced international sports marketing companies with an exceptional track record on major events. It is recognised for its innovative marketing skills and the provision of specialist services to sport. The Infront Group is targeting sport at the core of the rapidly diversifying entertainment industry. It has a leading position in football and winter sports and is the Host Broadcaster of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Its strategy also includes significant expansion in Asia – especially China. Infront has more than 400 employees across the group, with offices in eleven countries.

About F4
F4 (www.f4-group.com) is a European and Asian computer game development company, coming from the best of the engineering and computer game worlds. Currently, more than 100 people are developing Empire of Sports at its headquarters in Paris. F4 specializes at delivering cutting-edge, revolutionary virtual worlds in cooperation with a wide range of partners. The company is owned by a group whose activities range from software engineering to scientific research and development.

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