Contact Information: MEDIA CONTACTS: Entropia Universe: Elina Heng Terpin Communications Telephone: +1 (310) 821 6100, extension 108 Email: Paynova: Karl Alberts Marketing Manager Telephone: +46 (0)70-33 55 326
Paynova Expands Cooperation With MindArk in Virtual World Entropia Universe
| Source: Entropia Universe
GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN--(Marketwire - October 4, 2007) - During October, Paynova (NGM: PAY) will
be supplying the first newly-developed payment service adapted for the
online gaming segment. The launch will take place in cooperation with the
Swedish company MindArk in their virtual world Entropia Universe.
MindArk operates virtual world Entropia Universe, which is one of the
world's first MMOG (Massive Multiplayer Online Game) with a real cash
economy. The market growth for MMOG gaming for PC is estimated to reach
over 30 percent per annum by 2009. During 2006, the global payment volume
was over SEK 30 billion, and this market is estimated to reach over SEK 80
billion by 2011. The partnership between Paynova and MindArk has been in
existence since 2004, allowing participants in Entropia Universe to use
Paynova's service for payments both outside and inside the virtual world.
During October 2007, the cooperation between MindArk and Paynova will be
expanded in order to increase the number of payment options within Entropia
Universe. Participants will be offered payments via debit card, Internet
bank and a number of local payment methods in Sweden, the Netherlands and
Germany. At the same time, Paynova's one2one additional service will be
implemented, further simplifying participant payments both when entering
and within the virtual world.
"Being able to accept payments over the Internet is a prerequisite for our
entire business. Paynova has supplied us with a stable, secure payment
service for a number of years. It's great that we can now expand the
cooperation with more payment methods and new functions. Paynova also gives
us the option of accepting more payment methods as they become available
without the need for further development from our side," says Carl Uggla,
Chief Marketing Officer at MindArk.
"We have worked hard on preparing our new offer for online gaming. The
payment service has only been in place a short time, and it is, therefore,
particularly valuable to be able to implement it fully with a significant
player within the segment. We view the expanded cooperation with MindArk as
proof of the competitiveness of our new payment service and as an important
basis for continued success in the growing online gaming segment," says
Karl Alberts, Marketing Manager at Paynova.
STRONG OFFER FOR GAMING COMPANIES WITHIN THE ONLINE GAMING SEGMENT
Paynova's newly-developed one2one additional service is one of a small
number on the market that supports the gaming industry's two dominant
business models: payment via subscription and payment via
"pay-per-component." Regardless of the business model or combination used,
one2one also allows players to carry out transactions within the game using
the same payment service. In addition, one2one can reduce fraud to very low
levels.
Paynova's payment service offers numerous benefits to online gaming
companies. With Paynova, the proportion of new players who can continue
playing by applying pay-per-component can be increased, while also
strengthening the attraction of the game thanks to an improved gaming
experience. Gaming companies can also reduce their costs associated with
handling several payment services with different redeemers, reduce or
eliminate payment fraud and completely avoid the costs of individual PCI
certification (required for handling payments by Visa and MasterCard).
About Paynova
Paynova offers an international, account-based, one-stop-shop for payment
services on the Internet. With Paynova as the single source, e-retailers
get a turnkey payment service for 21 international and local payment
methods in 11 languages and 8 currencies with consumer support in a
security-certified interface (PCI). Consumers can open an online Account, a
Paynova Wallet, for free, to make purchases simpler and more secure, as
well as handling fund transfers between family members and friends. Paynova
has been listed on NGM Equity since February 2004 and carries agreements
with over 1,400 e-retailers, primarily in travel, retail and online games.
For more information: www.paynova.com
About MINDARK
MindArk PE AB operates, develops, and markets the Entropia Universe. More
than a game, Entropia Universe is a 3d virtual universe on the Internet for
online entertainment, social networking and E-commerce using Entropia's
real cash economy. Entropia Universe was launched in 2003 and has over
635,000 registered accounts. The company has been profitable since 2004.
MindArk offers the Entropia Universe software to users free of charge with
no monthly costs or associated subscription fees. For more information or
to download the free Entropia Universe software please visit
www.entropiauniverse.com. For more information about Entropia Universe's
developer, MindArk, please visit www.MindArk.com.
About ENTROPIA UNIVERSE
The heart of Entropia Universe is a distant planet named Calypso, which
encompasses two continents with animal-filled wildernesses and large
expanding cities that offer a variety of entertainment and social
interaction for its participants. In Entropia, participants can create
their own persona, or avatar, via a character-generation system, and then
have the option of choosing a suitable life and virtual existence for their
avatar. Characters are able to enter the evolving worlds of Entropia
Universe, which are full of unexplored and uncultivated lands. Participants
can join a community or even create a civilization of their own. Entropia
offers a new avenue for individuals to pursue dreams, fantasies, and
adventures in an astoundingly 'real' virtual universe.
Entropia Universe is the only virtual gaming community in the world that
actively supports sales of virtual products with actual cash value within
its real economy system. The economy offers the user a secure and safe way
to make purchases, sales and exchange real-life currency into PED (Project
Entropia Dollars) and back again into real money, at a fixed exchange rate
to the US Dollar, guaranteed by MindArk PE AB. PED allows members to invest
in personal development and growth through the acquisition of goods,
buildings, and land in the virtual universe. In 2006, the Entropia Universe
turnover was a staggering $365,000,000.
In December 2004, Entropia Universe set a world record certified by the
Guinness Book of World Records, when it sold a virtual Treasure Island for
US $26,500, the largest virtual dollar amount spent, to 22-year-old
Australian David Storey, a.k.a. "Deathifier." In October 2005, the sale of
an asteroid-based space resort for US $100,000 to famed gamer, Jon
'NEVERDIE' Jacobs, set a new record for the most valuable virtual item. In
May 2007, MindArk sold five virtual banking licenses for over US $400,000
to a diverse group of buyers including real world banks and financial
establishments as well as Entropia participants. In June 2007, MindArk
announced a partnership with Chinese company CRD with plans to launch
Entropia Universe to the Chinese market in 2008, thus creating a
billion-dollar virtual environment.