Successful Video Game Developer Expands to Province
The Honourable Paul Oram, Minister of Business, today announced that Other Ocean Group Inc. (OOG), an accomplished video game development company based in California, has chosen to locate a new development studio in Newfoundland and Labrador.
"The Provincial Government is very pleased to support
the establishment of this new and exciting business opportunity, which
will result in the creation of many well-paying, skilled jobs in the
province," said Minister Oram. "Other Ocean Group is a successful
firm in a leading-edge, knowledge-based industry with significant
potential for growth in North American and global markets � a welcome
addition to our dynamic technology sector and just the kind of
innovative, growth-oriented company that we want to attract to
Newfoundland and Labrador."
The company�s St. John�s studio, which will operate
under the name Other Ocean Interactive, will open this year with
recruitment efforts beginning immediately. The studio will specialize in
the hand-held, downloadable and small-scale console segments of the
video game industry and will produce titles for many platforms such as
the Apple iPhone, Nintendo DS� and Wii�, and Microsoft�s Xbox 360. Other
Ocean Interactive develops licensed and original games for some of the
industry�s major publishers, such as Konami, Sega, Midway, and Disney
Interactive. Most recently, Other Ocean partnered with SEGA of America
to develop the highly-successful Super Monkey Ball for the Apple
iPhone. The application is currently one of Apple's most popular
downloads.
"We are tremendously pleased to be partnering with the
province to help establish and grow the video game industry in
Newfoundland and Labrador," said Andrew Ayre, owner and CEO of Other
Ocean Group. "As Newfoundlanders, we know the determination and drive of
the people and we are delighted to be bringing our industry experience
home to create well-paying, long-term jobs."
Over a five-year period, the company plans to create 62
skilled jobs in the province that will include video game artists,
designers, producers, programmers, and management staff.
The Provincial Government, through the Department of
Business, worked to secure OOG�s expansion to the province and will
invest up to $2.4 million over five years to assist the company in
locating and staffing a studio and positioning itself to compete for
global business opportunities. The funding will assist in offsetting
initial start-up and operating costs, including wages, relocation,
recruitment, training and marketing, office space and leaseholds, and
capital costs.
The arrival of Other Ocean Interactive to the province
will also expand the presence of the video game development sector in
Newfoundland and Labrador, an industry that worldwide is expected to
grow from roughly $42 billion in sales last year to over $68 billion in
2012, with console games leading the way in growth, according to a
recent PricewaterhouseCoopers report.
"Not only is this an accomplished company with a proven
track record in a fast-growing sector; it is also owned and lead by
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians," said Minister Oram. "We are extremely
pleased that this opportunity is bringing homegrown entrepreneurs back
to invest in our province."
The funding from the Provincial Government has been made
available through the Business Attraction Fund, which was implemented in
fiscal year 2007-08 to better enable the province to compete for new
national and international inward business investment opportunities. The
$25 million Business Attraction Fund and accompanying $3 million grants
fund provide customized financial assistance in the form of loans and
equity investments to companies interested in establishing or expanding
operations in Newfoundland and Labrador.
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BACKGROUNDER
Other Ocean Group Other Ocean Group (OOG) is a Canadian-owned and controlled company, based in California. The company has developed games and conducted quality assurance for such established publishers as Konami, Sega, Midway, and Disney Interactive, among others. Currently, its Canadian operations include a development studio under the Other Ocean brand and a quality assurance company, Sculpin QA - both are located on Prince Edward Island.
Other Ocean Group was founded in June of 2007 by video
game veteran Andrew Ayre. Prior to Other Ocean, Andrew was well-known as
a co-founder, co-President, and Executive Director of Foundation 9
Entertainment, where he helped the company grow into the largest
independent video game developer in North America. Andrew has overseen
the establishment and growth of several successful video game companies
since the early 1990s. He maintains a U.S. west coast business presence
near the hub of the industry in Emeryville, California. Andrew is a
graduate of Harvard University.
With extensive experience in the entertainment industry
and small and medium-sized business development, Deirdre Ayre took her
place as Studio Head for Other Ocean after spearheading the
establishment of its Prince Edward Island studio under Foundation 9
Entertainment, in 2006. In 2007, she was responsible for overseeing the
establishment of OOG�s video game testing company, Sculpin QA. She is
involved with and responsible for all aspects of studio management for
the two companies and has overseen the successful development of all
video game titles and QA thus far. Deirdre is a graduate of Ryerson
University.
Both Andrew Ayre and Deirdre Ayre grew up in
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Other Ocean Group currently employs over 50 people who
were hired from Atlantic Canada and internationally from locations such
as the United States, South America, India and the United Kingdom.
Studio Credits The Other Ocean team�s first released title was the
critically acclaimed Castlevania�: Symphony of The Night�,
published by Konami on the Xbox LIVE� Arcade platform. It earned Other
Ocean two of 10 Xbox LIVE Awards from Microsoft� at the 2008 Game
Developers Conference in San Francisco; Best Classic Game, and Highest
Rated Game.
The studio�s second achievement was the release of the
exciting Midway franchise Ultimate� Mortal Kombat� on the
Nintendo DS�. The title was well-received by critics, and praised for
its local and online multiplayer features. Soon to follow were the
releases of two well-known games from the classic franchises, TRON
and Discs of Tron, published by Disney Interactive on Xbox LIVE�
Arcade.
In July 2008, Other Ocean announced the creation of a
specialized Apple iPhone development division within their
Charlottetown, P.E.I. studio. This coincided with the release of its
ground-breaking title on Apple�s state of the art device, Super
Monkey Ball, published by SEGA. As one of the original applications
demoed at Apple�s Roadmap event in March 2008, it helped Apple prove the
iPhone to be a surprisingly powerful platform, able to support quality
games with impressive sound and graphics. Super Monkey Ball sold
over 300,000 copies in the first 20 days following its release. The game
has continued to receive heaps of positive press both nationally and
internationally since then and has helped position Other Ocean as a
world leader in iPhone video game development.
The studio�s next release was the PC hidden objects
game, Enchanted Fairies: Secret of the Fairy Queen, published by
Valusoft. The game is currently on bigfishgames.com�s top 100 PC
games, sitting at number 15. It continues to receive praise from its
fans.
Upcoming releases for Other Ocean Interactive include:
Ten Pin Alley 2, published by XS Games for the Nintendo Wii;
Story Hour: Adventures, and Story Hour: Fairy Tales, to be
published by Zoo Games for the Wii. Other Ocean is also set to release
an Atlantic Canadian inspired game named Puffins: Island Adventure,
to be published by Majesco Entertainment for the Nintendo DS�. The game
is set in Newfoundland and Labrador�s Witless Bay Ecological Reserve and
features music composition from Great Big Sea front man, Alan Doyle.
Other Ocean has collaborated with several Newfoundland and Labrador
companies in the development of the Other Ocean owned franchise.
Additionally, the studio is developing several other
games that have yet to be announced.
2008 09 09 10:40 a.m. |
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