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Trion World Network, Publisher and Developer of Broadband Games, Raises $70 Million

September 30, 2008

By Mike Peters

Trion World Network announced it has closed a $70 million Series C funding round. Since its formation in 2006, the company has raised more than $100 million from venture capital firms and leading global media companies. The new round was co-led by a large global financial institution and Act II Capital. All previous investors also participated in the round, including first-round participants DCM and Trinity Ventures, and B-round investors Rustic Canyon, Time Warner, Peacock Equity - the joint venture between GE Commercial Finance's Media, Communications & Entertainment business and NBC Universal - and Bertelsmann.

Trion Positioned to Tackle Next Cycle of Electronic Entertainment

Industry insiders increasingly acknowledge that the electronic entertainment industry is fundamentally being transformed by broadband. Lars Buttler, Trion co-founder and CEO, said that the latest round of funding represents a continued vote of confidence in the company's technology and approach to interactive entertainment.

"This signifies a shift away from static retail products and towards games as dynamic services, which will be simulated increasingly 'in the cloud'," said Buttler. "With its industry-defining server-based games platform, worldwide publishing capabilities, an ever-growing network of AAA development studios, partnerships in media and technology, and now significant capital in the bank, Trion is positioned to be a leader in the next cycle of electronic entertainment."

Trion Developing New Titles in MMORPG and MMO Gaming Arena

Trion was founded in 2006 by two industry veterans: Lars Buttler, former vice president for Global Online at Electronic Arts, and Jon Van Caneghem, a member of the Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame and creator of the best-selling Might and Magic and Heroes franchises. Trion has already announced two titles in development which the company will publish in North America and Europe. One is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) helmed by legendary designer Jon Van Caneghem; the other, a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) co-developed in partnership with NBC Universal's SCI FI Channel.