BOCA RATON, Fla., Oct. 14, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Empire Interactive, an international publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software and a unit of Silverstar Holdings (Nasdaq:SSTR), has entered into a development and publishing partnership with award-winning casual game developer, PlayFirst, Inc.
The multi-year agreement grants Empire Interactive exclusive, worldwide rights as the developer and publisher of the console versions of several popular PlayFirst titles, including Diner Dash(r): Flo on the Go(tm), Wedding Dash(r), Dream Chronicles(r), and Chocolatier(r) for Nintendo DS(tm). These titles are all in development and are expected to ship in calendar 2009.
"PlayFirst's award-winning titles combined with Empire's unmatched strengths in publishing and international distribution make this an ideal partnership," said Karim Farghaly, vice president of sales for Empire Interactive. "We will now be able to offer millions of console players a much broader selection of fun, premium, casual games."
PlayFirst is well recognized for creating quality games like Diner Dash(r): Hometown Hero(tm), which was awarded the 2007 Zeeby for "Best Time Management Game" by the Casual Games Association. PlayFirst also took home Zeeby awards for Chocolatier, voted "Best Strategy Game" for 2007. Dream Chronicles was also named "Best Hidden Object & Adventure Game" for 2007.
"These awards reflect our commitment to producing top quality games on the most popular platforms," said Rich Roberts, vice president of sales and business development for PlayFirst. "This new partnership with Empire Interactive allows us to more quickly and effectively reach console gamers worldwide."
For more information please visit www.us.empireinteractive.com.
About PlayFirst, Inc.
PlayFirst is an innovative entertainment company dedicated to making games appealing to everyone. Engaging consumers through story worlds that capture the imagination, PlayFirst teams bring quality gaming experiences to life everywhere consumers want to play. PlayFirst games are available on popular platforms as PC, Mac, Mobile, handheld, and console. The company's portfolio includes world-renowned titles such as Diner Dash(r), Wedding Dash(r), Chocolatier(r), and Dream Chronicles(r). PlayFirst games are available in major retailers and on more than 500 sites in 20 languages. For more information, visit www.playfirst.com.
PlayFirst, Diner Dash, Wedding Dash, Dream Chronicles, Chocolatier, Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, Diner Dash: Flo on the Go and all related titles, logos, and characters are trademarks of PlayFirst, Inc. PlayFirst and Diner Dash are registered in the U.S. Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo.
About Empire Interactive
Empire Interactive is a leading publisher of interactive entertainment software that has been established for 19 years. Headquartered in the UK, Empire Interactive also has offices in the US, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. The company develops and publishes a varied range of titles for all current platforms in the US, Europe and Asia. Games such as Starsky & Hutch, Big Mutha Truckers, Ford Racing and FlatOut have all enjoyed success across the world. Its budget label, Xplosiv, is one of the fastest growing in Europe. Further information about Empire Interactive and its products can be found at www.us.empireinteractive.com.
The Empire Interactive logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3408
About Silverstar Holdings
Silverstar Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSTR) is a leading international publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software. It currently owns Empire Interactive, PLC and Strategy First, Inc., a leading development and worldwide publisher of entertainment software for the PC. For more information about Silverstar Holdings go to www.silverstarholdings.com.