(01/08/2002) – Computer games industry veteran Guido Henkel announced today the formation of his new video games company, G3 Studios. The newly formed, privately held company focuses primarily on the development and publishing of video games for handheld platforms.
A veteran in video games development and publishing for 17 years, the company’s CEO Guido Henkel is leading G3 Studios with a strong vision into the emerging market of Pocket PCs. In addition to developing titles for Pocket PC, G3 Studios is also planning to create and release original titles for other handheld platforms, such as the Gameboy Advance, Symbian platforms, as well as the next generation of Linux/Java-based handhelds, such as Sharp’s Zaurus.
Apart from traditional retail distribution channels, G3 Studios puts an emphasis on electronic software distribution for its upcoming catalog of titles. “Especially for the Pocket PC and PDAs in general, online distribution is the fastest and most convenient way for our customers to obtain the games they want to play. Therefore, our company website will fully accommodate such distribution capabilities. Within minutes, gamers will be able to buy, download and play our games on their handheld devices.” Henkel says. G3 Studios will also offer free playable demos for all their games for download from the company’s website at www.g3studios.com. “We feel that it is essential for gamers to see what a certain game is all about before they spend their hard-earned money. Offering downloadable demos is just a natural progression in that direction of consumer-oriented business.”
G3 Studios has a varied palette of products in preparation, including original content, as well as licensed properties, which will be ported from other platforms. The company’s first title will be announced by the end of the month, with additional announcements scheduled to follow soon after. G3 Studios intents to cover a wide variety of genres, including casino style games, as well as action and role-playing titles.
The key to G3 Studios’ development is a key team of highly experienced and skilled talent, as well as a focus on stable platforms. “Unlike the desktop PC world, where you are fighting countless configurations, operating systems and requirements, handhelds are a very enclosed platform. This allows us to concentrate on making better games, turning them around with smaller teams in much shorter time,” Henkel points out.
“Working in such an emerging market is exciting and challenging,” says Henkel. “Not only do we have to develop new business models and open up new business opportunities, but we also have to put on a different mindset when it comes to designing and developing our products. What works on a standard desktop PC may not be suitable for a lightweight handheld with limited storage capacities and a stylus as input device. But it is exactly that challenge that makes it so refreshing, together with the fact that we are helping to shape and drive an entirely new market.”
Guido Henkel is the acclaimed producer of many award-winning computer game classics, such as “Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny,” “Realms of Arkania: Star Trail,” “Realms of Arkania: Shadows Over Riva,” and “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Planescape: Torment” and many others. Starting in the computer games industry in 1985, Henkel has been the co-CEO of German developer and publisher Attic Entertainment Software where he oversaw development, marketing, sales, distribution, licensing, and public relations, while making the company one of Germany’s leading computer game enterprises that found world-wide recognition. After leaving Attic in 1997, he was Senior Producer and Project Director at Interplay Productions’ Black Isle Studios division where he oversaw the development of the award-winning role-playing epic “Planescape: Torment.”
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