PH video game publisher brings in new offering

Local video game publisher IP E-Games Ventures Inc. has brought the long-awaited third instalment of the Diablo franchise—widely expected to be the best-selling video game in history—to the Philippines.

In a briefing on Tuesday, IP E-Games announced the entry of Diablo III, created by Irvine, California-based Blizzard Entertainment into the Philippine market. This coincides with the game’s global launch.

“This is the first time the Philippines was included in the global launch of a major game of Diablo III,” said Allen Amparo, Diablo III product manager at IP E-Games.

Amparo said the launch of the new game was a result of its exclusive partnership with Blizzard, one of the world’s leading video game publishers.

Blizzard, a division of Cooperatie Activision Blizzard International U.A. based in the Netherlands, is the developer of video game software products such as the World of Warcraft, Warcraft I, II and III, and StarCraft I and II.

Speaking to reporters, Amparo said the new game was expected to contribute significantly to the firm’s revenue this year. He said the company received about 5,000 pre-orders for copies of the game as of two days prior to the launch.

Blizzard Entertainment’s global figures showed that about two million users around the world have made pre-orders for the game, making it the best-selling game in its portfolio, even before the game went “live.”

Earlier, research firm Cowen & Company estimated that Blizzard could sell five million copies of Diablo III on the first year of its launch. The entire Diablo franchise has sold 20 million copies since the first game was released in 1996.

Amparo said IP E-Games expects to launch more Blizzard games in the local market, contributing significantly to the company’s bottom line.

“Diablo III, plus the rest of the Blizzard portfolio, will play a substantial role in the profitability of IP E-Games moving forward,” he said.