Nival Interactive coming to America

  • By Brendan Sinclair, Curt Feldman, GameSpot
  • Posted Mar 13, 2006 7:01 pm PT

Russian publisher moves to LA, enters console and mobile markets, recruits former Infinium Labs CEO Kevin Bachus.

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While last week brought news of increased game-industry outsourcing to Asian and Eastern European firms, one Eastern European publisher has brought its business stateside. Nival Interactive, publisher and developer of PC titles, including Heroes of Might and Magic V, Silent Storm, Blitzkrieg 2, and Rage of Mages, has established its new global base of operations in sunny Los Angeles, California.

To go along with its nice new American digs, the company has enlisted a group of American game-industry veterans headed up by former Infinium Labs CEO Kevin Bachus, who will assume the role of Nival's new CEO. In addition to his experience with Infinium Labs, Bachus was a member of the original Xbox team at Microsoft and was the first director of third-party relations for the console.

Joining Bachus alongside Nival president and founder Sergey Orlovskiy are the company's new vice president of production William Petro, a 20-year industry veteran with stints at Sega, Atari, Electronic Arts, and Konami, and vice president of marketing and business development Anthony Jacobson, founder and former CEO of the Mauretania Import Export Company. Doug Dyer, original general manager of THQ Wireless, joins as well and will manage the mobile game beat for Nival.

As for why a developer and publisher of PC games would be interested in industry vets with mobile and console-centric backgrounds, that goes with the company's other big news: its entrance into new markets. Nival is now looking to create "globally relevant, high quality console, video, and mobile games," as well as outsourced asset production through its five development studios around the world. Nival is also looking to set up new studios in Russia and Ukraine and to acquire others in the region.

"By marrying Western creative, production, and management capabilities with Eastern execution skills and expertise, we will bring products to our partners that are high in quality and global commercial appeal, but low in risk," Bachus said.

Bachus confirmed to GameSpot that Nival would be scouting talent at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, California, next week, and addressed his departure from his infamous former employer last November.

"I felt a tremendous amount of responsibility to the team I built," Bachus said of Infinium, "but I'm extremely happy about doing this. I'm happy to work with content again."

11 Comments

  • ReyWing

    Posted Mar 14, 2006 9:58 am PT

    If he's [Bachus] happy, then I'm happy. Good for him and good for Nival .... "weeeeellllcoooome... muah hah ha ha." ^_^

  • MattW013

    Posted Mar 14, 2006 9:57 am PT

    Following up on dwmorrow's beginning thought, I'd downplay the hiring of any staff from Infinium. Whether-and-to-what-degree such pause is justified, the fact remains that Infinium's name is mud amongst the gaming community, and it's not completely without justification.

  • dwmorrow

    Posted Mar 14, 2006 9:33 am PT

    Great move hiring the former Infinium CEO....

  • DarkJedi8_basic

    Posted Mar 14, 2006 9:04 am PT

    Kevin Bachus?!? Yikes!

  • jonnyjd

    Posted Mar 14, 2006 7:25 am PT

    Here's hopin' they do a good job.

  • Ahiru-San

    Posted Mar 14, 2006 6:12 am PT

    good luck over there ^_^

  • Mantis_248th

    Posted Mar 14, 2006 4:34 am PT

    Fresh blood on american shores might be the thorn needed to spurn some real innovation.

  • ewjim

    Posted Mar 14, 2006 1:49 am PT

    We, Russians making GREAT games!!!

  • bossjimbob

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 10:18 pm PT

    Good for Nival. Let's see what happens.

  • UpInFlames

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 7:49 pm PT

    Nival is certainly a great developer, but I never suspected them to have such big ambitions. I wish them luck, and I really, really hope that Heroes V turns out a great game. Because after the highly disappointing fourth instalment, it would break my heart to see the Heroes franchise sink even lower.

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 7:16 pm PT

    THats sounds neat.I hope it does good over here.

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