Verizon Buys Stake in Online Gaming Tech Company; To Launch Multiplayer Gaming Platform

This is the first for Verizon, and underscores the importance of online gaming to broadband access providers: it has bought a stake acquired an equity stake in Super Computer International, a provider of technology for online gaming. Based in Atlanta, SCI has 20 to 25 employees and has worked with customers including Microsoft, Activision and Ubisoft.
Verizon and SCI will work to create an online game browsing and messaging platform called PlayLinc, which will give gamers more control over their multiplayer gaming interactions. Among the features gamers can take advantage of on the PlayLinc platform will be support for a variety of gaming platforms, messaging tools including IM and VoIP, dynamic server launching, server browsing, team management, buddy tracking, player invitations, on-game controls and more, the company said.
A limited trial of a Verizon-branded game browser and messenger will start now, then open the trial to the public this summer.
Verizon’s online gaming site is here and its increasing efforts in the online gaming arena are detaioed in the release here.
News.com: Verizon and SCI have been working together since last year, when Verizon introduced its Verizon Game Network (VGN), a video game messenger application that lets consumers users easily join one another online to play interactive games.

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