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Re: Follow up interview with Sparks.
Posted By: edge	Date: 7/12/00 11:08 p.m.
In Response To: Re$i$tence is Futile. You too will become Borg.. (edge) Here is a follow up interview with CEO of NetGamesUSA. The source of the interview was from http://www.stomped.com/interviews/sparks.html. Cut and pasted here: --- 8< --- Interview with Craig Sparks July 12, 2000 By John Callaham Microsoft's acquisition of NetGamesUSA and its ngWorldStats ranking system is yet another notch in Microsoft's gaming plans. Stomped got in touch with Craig Sparks, the president and CEO of NetGamesUSA, to find out why Microsoft bought his company and what he will be doing next. (The answer may suprise you) Stomped: Can you tell us how Microsoft became interested in buying your company? Sparks: Our involvement with Epic Games' PC action title Unreal Tournament and the Cyberathlete Professional League brought us a fair amount of attention over the past 18 months. It turns out we were doing the right things in our niche at the right time. We were contacted by several groups about the possibility of an acquisition, one of which was of course Microsoft. They saw this acquisition as an opportunity provide new and needed services to both their game customers and developers. As Dean Hachamovitch, product manager for Microsoft, said in the press release. "It shows Microsoft's dedication to innovating and improving online gaming." Stomped: What will this move mean for your personally and for the rest of the NetGamesUSA team? Will the team continue to work from Kansas or move to Redmond, Washington? Sparks: Microsoft acquired our entire development staff and they have already relocated to Redmond and are now Microsoft employees. Personally, I did not transfer over as part of the acquisition and will be turning my attentions to some personal projects that are not computer gaming related. Stomped: The official press release stated that ngWorldStats will be used in Mechwarrior 4. Can you talk about some of the features that will be used for that game? Sparks: Actually I can't. That's not a blow off as I actually don't know for sure. :) The Microsoft contact from the press release would be your best bet on that. Stomped: Can you talk about how your system will work with Microsoft's Xbox gaming console? Sparks: Repeat answer from (above). Just a big help here aren't I? Stomped: What will this move mean for support for the ngWorldStats features in Unreal Tournament? Sparks: It is my understanding that support for ngWorldStats in UT will continue. Logos and branding may change but the service itself will remain. Stomped: Finally, some people might look on this announcement as yet another move by Microsoft to "take over the gaming industry". Would like to respond to those concerns? Sparks: I don't share those concerns. I think the gaming industry is vibrantly alive with both content choices and competition that remain to the benefit of everyone involved. I don't think Microsoft or anyone for that matter is in a position to "take over" the gaming industry. I believe acquisitions of small companies like NetGames USA are actually to the benefit of consumers. It will allow our technologies and product plans to reach many more gamers and developers that we had the resources to do alone.

Message Index

Re$i$tence is Futile. You too will become Borg..	edge	7/12/00 11:53 a.m.
Re: Follow up interview with Sparks.	edge	7/12/00 11:08 p.m.