April 25, 2006
Award-Winning Independent Developer Three
Rings Announces Public Beta for "Bang! Howdy"
Three Rings Design, Inc., a premier developer of
multiplayer online casual games, announced today that the public beta for "Bang!
Howdy," a multiplayer online tactical strategy game for the PC, will commence in
May 2006. Players face off in the steam-powered Wild West, using casual strategy
game mechanics in a variety of gameplay modes like Claim Jumping, Cattle Herding
and Steam Mustang Hockey!
This follows upon the company’s success with
"Puzzle Pirates," an internationally acclaimed massively multiplayer online game
that TIME Magazine called "addictive." Like "Puzzle Pirates," "Bang! Howdy" will
be distributed online and will be free to play, with optional purchase of
micro-currency to obtain upgrades and additional content.
"The ‘free to play, pay for items’ business model
has proven very successful in the Korean market with games like ‘Kart Rider.’
And we have seen similar success with our recent strategic shift to its
implementation within ‘Puzzle Pirates’ which is approaching sales of over five
million Doubloons," said Daniel James, Three Rings’ CEO.
"Bang! Howdy" is a hybrid between turn-based and
real-time strategy gameplay, and is played in short fast-paced rounds. As the
player progresses through five unique Wild West settings, new units, gameplay
scenarios, arenas, customizations and game features are introduced. Players can
customize their in-game avatars with a wide array of Western clothing and
accessories.
"We’ve had all hands and the cook at work down
here at the Triple-O ranch," said Michael Bayne, project lead for "Bang! Howdy"
and Three Rings’ CTO. "We’re pleased as punch to be able to show y’all our new
product and mighty excited for ya to get yer hands on it."
Powerful trends in digital entertainment – the
popularity of casual games, a move towards the massively multiplayer, and the
ascent of digital downloads – have been driving forces for Three Rings. The
Company recently became cash-flow positive and funds the distribution and
development of its games internally.
Y’all mosey on down to
http://www.banghowdy.com
for more information and we look forward to testing your mettle in our public
beta.
