Press Release: 2003-05-06: ENGLAND'S LEADING GAME DEVELOPMENT COMPANY OPENS OFFICES IN CALIFORNIA

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: www.climax.co.uk (archived)

Climax Opens Office in Venice 
for Proximity to Creative Talent and Hollywood Studios

VENICE, CA - May 6, 2003 -  The Climax Group, one of the world's leading developers of interactive entertainment, today announced the launch of the company's first US office.   Already one of the largest and most respected game developers in Europe, this latest expansion puts Climax at the forefront of the global gaming market. The new office, located in Venice, California, will leverage the technology developed and popularized by Climax' European studios, as well as the company's name and solid reputation, to build the brand in the U.S. market and pursue projects with major Hollywood studios.

"Opening a U.S. office was a necessary step to continuing our growth and pushing the limits of the company both creatively and from a business perspective," said Karl Jeffery, CEO of Climax.  "The interest and innovation in the U.S. is enormous.  We hope to capitalize on that interest level, while building from the technology systems that we have spent years developing in Europe, in order to solidify our role as global leaders in game development."

Perhaps a secret to its success, Climax has developed what it calls the "Trinity System," a range of advanced technologies that focus on specific areas of game specialization. The Trinity - Motorsport, Spirit, and Leviathan, each focusing on racing games, character games, and massively multi-player online games respectively - has until now been shared between four studios in Brighton, London, Nottingham and Solent.  Each studio works on multiple titles, employing a total of over 300 dedicated development staff. The Venice office is expected to have approximately 40-50 employees within the next 18 months. 

Some of Climax' most recent and notable games include:

Sudeki: A sultry wizardress, a soaring gunslinger, a powerful swordsman and a dark huntress.  Four heroes, about to be hurtled over the edge into a flight into darkness.  Sudeki will push the limits of what you think an RPG can be with bigger worlds, more powerful heroes and sexier heroines all wrapped around Hong Kong-style cinematic combat.  And it is all only possible on Xbox.  Set in a world ripped apart by deceit, Sudeki sets its heroes on a twisting path of betrayal, gravity-defying combat and unbelievable magic.  All they can rely on is themselves.  No one is to be trusted.  No one is to be spared.  
MotoGP: Ultimate Racing Technology 1 & 2 (Xbox, XBL & PC):  Doing its name justice, this multi-player motorcycle racing game brings together superior vehicle physics, 33 fully licensed riders and bikes, 10 accurately created real-world tracks and an arcade-style control system with simulation features for the expert player.   Published by THQ.
Warhammer Online:  Set to be released in 2004, fans of massively multi-player online games will be able to interact with thousands of players per game per world, utilizing a dizzying range of weaponry and skills, and experiencing endless story line possibilities. Available on PC-CD.
ATV: Quad Power Racing 2: Scheduled to be released in 2003, this game puts players behind the wheels of some of the most powerful all-terrain vehicles in the world, challenging them to death-defying stunts and cutthroat competition. Aimed at a broader audience, this game employs user-friendly options, and arcade-style controls. Available for Gamecube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Published by Acclaim.
With the American home base in Venice - a close neighbor to Hollywood - the new team will be able to take advantage of this entertainment community and heavily industry-focused location to fuel its creative and corporate vision. Climax has already begun to develop key partnerships with leading Hollywood studios and record labels.

About Climax

Climax was originally founded in 1988 by Karl Jeffery and has since grown to become one of the world's leading interactive entertainment companies. As ever, its aim is to deliver high quality game experiences in both its original and licensed products. Striving to keep at the cutting edge of technological development within the videogame industry, Climax employs over 300 people in four offices in Brighton, Solent, Nottingham and London - and now Venice, CA, its first U.S. office. Climax is an active technology and content developer for the following platforms: PC, Sony Playstation 2, Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Gameboy Advance & Gamecube, Interactive TV, Online and Wireless.