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AOL and SCI Announce New IM Service for Gamers
Written By: Joseph Gillespie

AOL and Super Computer International, Inc., (SCI) today announced the availability of PlayLinc, a next-generation online game browsing and instant messaging platform that gives gamers more control over their multiplayer gaming interactions. Co-branded versions of this new service will be available as a free download throughout the AOL network, including AIM.com, AIM Today, AOL Games and GameDaily.

The PlayLinc™ service gives online gamers all the tools and features they need to manage their entire gaming universe. The cornerstone of the PlayLinc experience is a suite of unique control and messaging tools that previously was available only in pieces from multiple providers. PlayLinc integrates seamlessly with the AOL® Messaging network, which includes the AIM®, ICQ® and Apple® iChat™ services, reaching more than 80 million active users.

"PlayLinc delivers a gaming and messaging experience that can be found no place else within the online gaming community," said Marcien Jenckes, vice president and general manager, AIM and ICQ. "We're pleased to have been able to bring together AOL's advanced instant messaging capabilities with SCI's state-of-the-art gameplay technology to create an entirely new gaming experience."

"With online multiplayer games, team management and online coordination are essential, and there's no better way to do so in real-time than with instant messaging," said Jesper Jensen, chief executive officer, Super Computer International. "Given the reach of AOL's instant messaging services, and popularity in the larger online community, this was the right choice for us. We're excited to be working with AOL to enhance the online gaming experience."

PlayLinc Features:

Seamless AIM Integration: Fully integrated with AOL's popular AIM service, the PlayLinc contact list automatically populates with each gamer's existing list of AIM® buddies,

making it easy for players to log in with their AIM® screen name and instantly find friends for online game play. Once signed into the AIM service, team management features synchronize with the user's AIM® Buddy List® feature as well.
Free Server Access: Instead of paying to log on to dedicated public servers to play games requiring a lot of bandwidth, PlayLinc lets gamers launch their own servers for free. Servers can be public or private, accessible via invitation-only.
Enhanced Voice Features: PlayLinc's advanced voice service allows up to 32 gamers to communicate in crisp, real-time talk using fully multiplexed VoIP instead of the peer-to-peer VoIP that is the usual industry standard.
"On Game" Controls: PlayLinc offers "on game" controls, buddy tracking, player interaction and informational tools not previously available to gamers from one service. This lets users invoke PlayLinc features while still in the game, even in full screen mode.
Gaming Club: PlayLinc enables gamers to create their own online "Gaming Club" made up of only their gaming buddies or new friends they meet within one of the PlayLinc forums. This helps PlayLinc users manage the skill levels and game familiarity of the players in their club.

Current game titles supported by PlayLinc include Counter Strike, Counter Strike Source, Half Life 2 Deathmatch, America's Army, Battlefield 2, Quake 4, Day of Defeat, and UT2004.

To sign up for PlayLinc, users must have an AIM screen name. To download the latest version of the AIM service or to get an AIM screen name, visit AIM.

Earlier this year, AOL launched the Open AIM initiative, opening up the AIM platform and AIM's community of more than 80 million users worldwide to third-party developers. Open AIM's new AIM Software Developer Kit (SDK) enables developers, including game builders, to create custom games and plug-ins for the AIM service, as well as custom AIM clients, and even build AIM presence into their games. For more on Open AIM, visit Open AIM

Last Modified: August 29th, 2006

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