GamersFirst and IGS join forces to bring the Free2Play revolution to Retail
Interactive Gaming Software is proud to announce that it has entered into a partnership with GamersFirst to distribute the retail version of the upcoming MMOG blockbuster, APB Reloaded, in North America. GamersFirst is a renowned world leader in Free2Play® massively multiplayer online games, serving over 30 million gamers in 160 countries. Currently in open beta, this virtual cops and robbers-themed game has already attracted more than 700,000 online players in less than three months of testing, and has garnered nearly 300,000 “Likes” on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/APBReloaded).
There’s trouble in the city of San Paro, and players have to put an end to it – or maybe it might be more fun to make things even worse! APB Reloaded is a Free2Play massively multiplayer online third-person shooter game taking place in the modern-day fictional city of San Paro. This open-world environment challenges players to find their way through a city in a state of near anarchy. Players can take up the role of either a Criminal or Enforcer to commit or stop petty crimes, and gain notoriety within their own organizations in order to control the city.
Be it on foot or from the driver’s seat, APB Reloaded melds player-on-player combat within the immersive city teetering on the edge of total chaos. Powered by Epic’s Unreal 3 engine, APB Reloaded features a robust set of customization tools second to none, providing gamers the ability to create the exact look of their in-game avatar, personalized symbols, clothing, vehicles and in-game music.
“We are extremely proud of this new partnership with GamersFirst,” says IGS founder and CEO Paul Lombardi, “and look forward with great anticipation to distributing the North America retail version of what is destined to become one of the most popular online multiplayer games of all time.”
“GamersFirst has been looking for a partner who can help us revolutionize retail distribution for Free2Play games in North America. With IGS, we have found the perfect partner. Our pricing model for APB Reloaded actually pays a gamer to come try the game. This is unprecedented for a title which cost more than seventy million dollars to produce,” says Rahul Sandil, Senior Vice President of Marketing at GamersFirst. “The response from retail has been so overwhelming that we are considering launching with a half-million units,” adds Rahul.
The suggested $29.95 retail version of APB Reloaded will include more than $50 worth of in-game items, including a permanent in-game high-performance vehicle, a permanent in-game weapon and 30 days of premium access that provides increased cash rewards, reputation gains and a 20 percent in-store discount. APB Reloaded will be released early in November, 2011.
