Interactive Magic Merges with Interactive Creations

Interactive Magic and Interactive Creations, Inc. just completed and released the details of a merger announced by the companies last January. The deal means that ICI will now be known as iMagic Online and will focus on developing real-time online multiplayer games.

Robert "Gunjam" Salinas, VP of iMagic Online, told GS that the deal was initiated when Interactive Magic's "Wild Bill" Stealey waltzed into ICI's office and said he had a proposition to make - using his content and ICI's technology to form an online service. "We said, 'you're a little nuts. We like that. Let's do it,'" said Salinas, adding, "That's how it happened, too. You think I'm kidding."

iMagic Online will be a four-tiered service. The first section will be free and enable retail versions of games to be played online. The second tier, which will be offered at a flat-rate price, will give players games and include a matching service. The third section will be a megaplayer arena, which will offer "lite" versions of games in order to allow hundreds of gamers to play simultaneously. It will charge a per-hour rate. The fourth tier will be a premium service with "boutique" games and be the most expensive section of the service. WarBirds, created by ICI, will be featured on iMagic Online, as will Planetary Raiders, a space sim due for retail release this fall. Eventually, Salinas said, iMagic Online will feature non-Interactive Magic games; Interactive Magic develops primarily strategy and simulation titles, while ICI Games has specialized in World War II simulations.

Plans are also in place for making the service available internationally. "It's going to be enormous, it's going to be fun - as it should be," said Salinas. iMagic Online is expected to launch this September, with some of its new technologies and plans being shown off at this year's E3 in Atlanta.