In 2006, Howard Marks re-launched the Acclaim brand of gaming under a new vision. Instead of diving straight back into the console race, the company has taken a look across the ocean to a rising gaming market that is oft forgotten about in U.S. gaming - Korea.
Since getting back into the game, the Web site already plays host to a full publicly-released version of the title B.O.T.S. Following up on the arena-based mech brawler, Acclaim's games increased exponentially with three more titles - 9Dragons, 2Moons and DANCE! Online. Through advertising and purchasable in-game content, Acclaim’s released and open beta games are free to download and play.
At helm of two of those online games is longtime developer veteran David Perry. Directing 2Moons and DANCE! Online, Perry recently entered a closed beta testing period with both of the titles.
Recently, Perry was kind enough to briefly chat about both titles and what it has been like working with Acclaim in collaboration with studios in Korea.
Aaron Auzins: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, Mr. Perry. For those who aren't familiar with you (shame on them), could you please introduce yourself and briefly describe your new role with Acclaim?
David Perry: I'm one of the old guys in the biz - 20+ years making games and still having fun. My bigger hits back in the U.K. [Perry was born in Ireland] were Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles (they thought Ninja was too aggressive for kids), The Terminator, Supremacy (Overlord in the U.S.), Smash TV and Paperboy II [he was involved in converting those arcade titles to console format]. In the U.S., Disney's Aladdin (Genesis), Global Gladiators, Earthworm Jim, Cool Spot, etc.
My team's (Shiny Entertainment) first 3-D game was MDK and first multiplayer game was Sacrifice. The last games my team made on console were the Matrix games timed with the release of the movies.
Aaron: How exactly did you end up directing online titles for Acclaim?
David: I decided to take a break and to try to help Atari find a buyer for Shiny (as they wanted to sell their internal studios). Atari held on to Shiny for eight months. During that time, I met my old friend Howard Marks and he got me interested in checking out the booming Korean games market. Being one that loves learning about the business, I jumped on a plane without hesitation.
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