PopCap Games and Taito Launch "PopTower(TM)"

TOKYO, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PopCap Games, worldwide leader in casual and social games, and TAITO Corporation (TAITO(R)), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd today launch PopTower(TM) on GREE, Japan's largest social network with 25 million users.

PopCap has already sold more than 1 million units of its single player mobile games in Japan, but PopTower firmly marks PopCap's arrival into the mobile social gaming space. PopTower launches with a custom-built social adaptation of PopCap's flagship global game brand Bejeweled(R) - with Chuzzle(R) and Zuma(R) due to follow shortly. The PopTower editions of PopCap classics feature all-new game modes and social elements that allow Japanese users to interact with friends. The service is tied together with an all-new metagame with RPG elements that sees players rescue PopCap's beloved game characters to restore beauty to the land.

This new game service is the first product released under the supervision of PopCap's Tokyo office, and is representative of PopCap's vibrant global strategy, which has generated major announcements in APAC in the past 12 months. These include a strategic partnership with one of China's largest social networking sites, RenRen, as well as an agreement with NCsoft, leading provider of online games, to bring PopCap's first online multiplayer game service, PopCap(R) World, to Korea.

A veteran of the game business from the earliest days of the arcade industry, TAITO has made a seamless transition to the mobile, connected world of today. TAITO was one of the first major game companies to enter the burgeoning mobile social game market, releasing more than a half dozen successful titles to date. James Gwertzman, PopCap's Vice President for Asia/Pacific, said:

Many of us grew up playing Taito games, so we're especially delighted to partner with Taito to launch PopTower. The results of the collaboration are everything we expect from a PopCap game - it's innovative, creative, and a bit quirky too. PopTower is undoubtedly one of the most exciting projects we've worked on to date, and I'm particularly proud that our Japanese team managed to bring it to market on schedule despite the devastating effects of the recent earthquake.

PopCap - along with flagship franchise Bejeweled - is widely regarded as a founding father of the casual games industry. Over the past 10 years, the company has solidified its reputation as a games pioneer by innovating new game genres exemplified in games such as BAFTA-nominated, Plants vs. Zombies(TM). PopCap is one of the few game developers/publishers that has successfully adapted itself to an ever-increasing variety of new gaming platforms and technologies.

Mr Akihito Shoji, TAITO's Senior Vice President of Content, said:

I'm thrilled and excited to see PopTower go live. PopTower represents an elegant fusion of PopCap's world-renowned titles and TAITO's refined and market-proven social gaming know-how, and I believe the service will fully live up its promise, delivering a fresh and appealing experience to users throughout Japan.

About PopCap

PopCap Games is the leading global developer, publisher and operator of casual video games: fun, easy-to-learn, captivating games that appeal to all ages across PC, mobile, social and other platforms. Based in Seattle, Washington, PopCap was founded in 2000 and has a worldwide staff of more than 350 people in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver, B.C., Dublin, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo. Its games have been downloaded over 1.5 billion times by consumers worldwide, and its flagship franchise, Bejeweled(R), has sold more than 50 million units.

About TAITO Corporation

TAITO Corporation (TAITO(R)) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS(R), and developed such fan favorites as PUZZLE BOBBLE(R) (BUST-A-MOVE(R)) and ARKANOID(R). Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries.

More information on TAITO can be found on the Internet at http://www.taito.com/.

About GREE

GREE provides Japan's leading social networking service and social applications at the forefront of mobile technology with over 25 million users. GREE started its global expansion by opening GREE International in San Francisco, a 100% wholly-owned subsidiary of GREE, a multi-billion dollar company trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Code:3632). GREE aims to provide a truly global social platform for users worldwide by pursuing further collaboration with established Japanese as well as international partners, and enabling meaningful person to person interaction within games. For further information, please visit at http://www.gree-corp.com.

The PopCap logo and all other trademarks used herein that are listed at www.popcap.com/trademarks are owned by PopCap Games, Inc. or its licensors and may be registered in some countries. Other company and product names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners and are used for the benefit of those owners.

    
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