PopCap Games, the company behind ridiculously addictive games like Bejeweled and Plants Vs. Zombies, has teamed up with MMO company NCsoft to create PopCap World, an online multiplayer social game service launching in Korea later this year.
Korean gamers, known for latching on to online games and never letting go, are about to meet some of the most dangerously addictive casual games ever created in PopCap World. The new online social gaming platform will launch later this year with 13 PopCap games built right in, including such favorites as Plants Vs. Zombies, Bejeweled, Zuma, and an all-new multiplayer game - Super Zuma - built specifically for Korean audiences. All the games will be free-to-play, with optional paid service planned for a later date.
PopCap Asia/Pacific VP James Gwertzman compares the impending launch to the opening of Disneyland.
"When Disneyland first opened, it revolutionized the amusement park industry and ushered in the era of the modern theme park. In the same way, we believe PopCap World has the potential to redefine casual games in Korea and beyond by offering players the most immersive PopCap experience yet.
"Our announcement today is just the beginning. We are very excited about our partnership with NCsoft – their formidable presence in the online market combined with PopCap's leadership in the casual and social spaces makes for an interesting recipe that we look forward to serving up to players in Korea – and beyond."
Korean MMO company NCsoft will handle the operation of the platform. NCsoft's VP for Web Business Center, Mr. Whang, is thrilled.
"We are thrilled to be collaborating with PopCap Games on this new project. PopCap is famous not only for the high quality of their games – they are a very talented developer – but also for appealing to an extremely wide audience. We look forward to a successful launch, and to opening up this new world of
PopCap World is the first product developed and released by PopCap's Shanghai game studio. Should any Koreans survive after playing Bejeweled until they collapse from exhaustion, I'm sure they'll develop more.