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Icarus Studios, which makes tools for building 3D massively multiplayer online games, virtual worlds and other similiar environments, has a new next-gen platform and suite of middleware tools out, according to a press release from the company, which you can find below. (The Icarus platform is currently in use by “two unnamed clients covered by NDAs,” as well as the forthcoming MMO Fallen Earth.) It’s interesting to note what the release says about how well Icarus-built worlds can be integrated with the Web and other external functions. Icarus will feature “integrated working browsers, dial-out to real world phones, and real-time video streaming,” apparently, and will support functionality such as “user-generated content, in-world social and entertainment activities, diverse revenue models, and in-world profiled marketing on a secure and scaleable platform.” I don’t imagine middleware solutions are generally the best way to build open, Web-integrated, general-purpose 3D spaces, but this kind of thing could move standard MMOs further toward something of the sort, and generally get more people used to the idea of a 3D world that interfaces smoothly with the 2D Web, or that’s useful as a social-networking app, thus opening the door for 3D spaces to assume more and more of the functionality we now associate with the Web.

== PRESS RELEASE ==
ICARUS STUDIOS LAUNCHES NEXT GENERATION PLATFORM AND RAD TOOL SUITE FOR 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS

CARY, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 22, 2007 – Icarus Studios, a comprehensive resource center for builders of 3D virtual worlds, MMOGs, and simulation projects, has announced the release of its next generation platform and suite of middleware tools. Nearly six years in the making, the Icarus platform represents one of the largest investments to date in a 3D virtual world platform.

“Icarus Studios has created the only suite of tools designed from scratch specifically as an integrated 3rd party environment for 3D online world creation,” says Jim Hettinger, CEO of Icarus Studios. “We’re launching our technology suite today after an 18-month stealth period during which our 65-person team completed our six-year development and QA testing efforts.”

Built by a team of industry veterans, the Icarus suite was designed to meet the specific needs of next-generation Virtual Worlds supporting functionality such as user generated content, in-world social and entertainment activities, diverse revenue models, and in-world profiled marketing on a secure and scaleable platform.

“Regardless of whether you are building a MMO, simulator, collaborative or social environment, using the Icarus Developer Tool Suite will allow most of your project to be completed by non-programmer staff, and reduce time to market by an estimated 50% and development cost by 65%,” says Icarus EVP, David Gardner. “Most importantly, the suite includes hundreds of features that represent the ‘polishing’ that so often gets left out of a final product as deadlines rapidly approach.”

The Icarus platform incorporates a number of best of breed technologies such as Vivox® for VoIP, Ageia for its physics engine PhysX™, IDV for SpeedTree®, and OC3 for avatar speech and facial expressions.

“When people see what our tools can produce for the first time they are really blown away by the level of realism and our ability to integrate with the web and real world,” continues Jim Hettinger. “Our goal is to blur the lines between the real world and virtual worlds with features such as integrated working browsers, dial-out to real world phones, and real-time video streaming. We have taken everything to the next level including the network architecture where our servers have the ability to dynamically re-task themselves based on user demand, allowing us to offer a massively scalable solution.”

The Icarus platform has been licensed by two unnamed clients covered by NDAs, and is being used by MMOG Fallen Earth™, now in development.

For more information visit http://www.icarusstudios.com.
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ABOUT ICARUS STUDIOS

Icarus Studios is a technology company dedicated to helping clients build virtual worlds, MMOGs, simulators, and 3D educational products. Our unique, next generation technology makes Icarus a comprehensive resource center for anyone tasked with quickly creating virtual space. From complete project development to platform and tools licensing, Icarus works with each client’s time and budget to accomplish objectives in a fraction of historical development times. With an average of over fifteen years of experience building online worlds, Icarus technical and design leadership delivers consistent quality. Icarus today employs over 65 professionals who are passionate about their industry and the quality of their work.
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Fallen Earth is a trademark of Fallen Earth, LLC. Vivox is a trademark of Vivox, Inc. PhysX is a trademark of Ageia. SpeedTree is a registered trademark of IDV, Inc.

Media Contacts:
David Gardner, EVP, Icarus Studios at dgardner@icarusstudios.com
Doug Mealy, Online Marketing and Public Relations at dmealy@om-pr.com