JoWooD acquires Dreamcatcher

Gorath

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The ad hoc minus the company infos:
Liezen, Austria/Toronto, Kanada: JoWooD Productions Software AG (ATXPrime: JWD) announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Canadian based video games publisher, DreamCatcher Inc.
This acquisition will provide JoWooD with direct access to every major retailer of PC and video games in North America. In addition, JoWooD will own America's #1 publisher of Adventure games further underlining JoWooD’s commitment to strengthen and broaden its distribution capacity through a proven and established network and to deliver compelling PC and video games to consumers worldwide.
"Acquiring DreamCatcher perfectly aligns with JoWooD’s strategy to deliver high-quality computer and videogames globally. We are looking at DreamCatcher as our North American counterpart and there are numerous and important synergies waiting to be exploited by all of us" says Albert Seidl, CEO of JoWooD Productions Software AG.
"DreamCatcher is very excited about joining forces with JoWooD. There are some incredible synergies that are now in place that will enable us to build a very strong global company. JoWooD possesses a great line-up of titles, supported by some dynamic brands and we are thrilled about helping to further grow those brands in North America," comments Richard Wah Kan, President and CEO of DreamCatcher.
"We offer very strong North American assets, including a leading position in Adventure game publishing, as well as an extensive retail distribution network that we have been building since our inception over 10 years ago," he adds.
Under the terms of the agreement, DreamCatcher will become a wholly owned subsidiary of JoWooD and the company’s management team and employees will continue to operate from their office based in Toronto, Canada. The acquisition will be contemplated through a share deal whereby JoWooD will increase its sharecapital by utilizing the existing authorized capital. The newly issued shares will be formally subscribed for by the shareholders of DreamCatcher. The shareholders of Dreamcatcher will hold a 23% stake in the share capital of JoWooD after closing of the transaction. The capital increase is subject to an audit report by an expert to be appointed in accordance with Austrian applicable provisions.

DreamCatcher’s track record, its leading position in the market of Adventure games, and the experienced staff constitute the basis for the soon-to-be combined company. Following extensive business, finance, legal and tax due diligence, both companies expect a positive impact on DreamCatcher’s balance sheet once the transaction has been closed.
"DreamCatcher’s strong brands and licenses such as Painkiller, Agatha Christie, and others, significantly contributed to last year’s turnover of CAD 25 million (~ EUR 17,5 million) respectively," said Albert Seidl. With upcoming sequels from these brands as well as some additional new brands, JoWooD’s capacity and existing network throughout Europe allows JoWooD to immediately start marketing DreamCatcher’s titles.

JoWooD will now benefit from a much larger product portfolio and the ability to simultaneously release products world wide through JoWooD’s and DreamCatcher’s mature distribution networks. DreamCatcher’s line-up of console titles also complements JoWooD’s current product strategy.
In particular, JoWooD will benefit from DreamCatcher’s long-term and direct relationship to the most important retailers in the North American market, elevating JoWooD’s margins.

Given the significant increase of the combined product-portfolio, JoWooD furthermore anticipates a substantial increase in the overall business volume.
The closing of the transaction is in particular subject to anti-trust approvals in Austria and Canada.
More information.
 
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Great now the two companies can both continue their fantastic trends of releasing unfinished titles. :D
 
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Hehe ... I really love the stuff they try to do, perhaps with combined resources they can do better QA ... or maybe they'll develop 'the greatest game ever (half) made!'
 
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What if each one makes half a game and they put the 2 together?

This is today's biggest joke in news.
 
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Actually Dreamcatcher releases their games a quarter finished and Jowood releases theirs half finished. I had the horror of playing Dungeon lords when it first came out when it should have still been in pre-alpha stages.
 
Dreamwood or Jocatcher?

Kind of like Dreamwood... fits the 16 to 20yr old Nancy Drew demographic... <yikes>
 
It would be like Siamese twins each with one butt cheek - a doubly half-assed game :D

:lol:

OK-- someone's got to say it:


Coming....

in 2008 (or 09 or 10)....


GOTHIC LORDS!!!

The small print:

(To be quickly followed by several patches over the course of several months that actually complete the game you already purchased. Some restrictions apply. Not valid in most states, but we're not telling you which. You'll have to find out on your own)
 
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Wow, you guys are really harsh..:lol:

Very interesting news but we'll have to wait a long time before we can see how this plays out
 
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Not long ago JoWood nearly went bankrupt, Gothic 3 must have sold very well when they already start buying other publishers.
 
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Not long ago JoWood nearly went bankrupt, Gothic 3 must have sold very well when they already start buying other publishers.

I don't know about that. From the news clip, it seems it was a simple stock swap. Strictly paper. Granted, JoWood's stock has to be worth something to make the acquisition, but it's not like DC's stock price is in the stratosphere. Not to be a pessimist, but JoWood may have even rushed the purchase of DC to hedge their bets in case a disappointing showing of G3 in NA causes their stock to drop before the end of the year.
 
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The small print:

(To be quickly followed by several patches over the course of several months that actually complete the game you already purchased. Some restrictions apply. Not valid in most states, but we're not telling you which. You'll have to find out on your own)

Would those restrictions be "new content not avaliable to original purchasuckers" I own the damn thing. Day 1 retail $43.99. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR >:O >:O
 
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Not to be a pessimist, but JoWood may have even rushed the purchase of DC to hedge their bets in case a disappointing showing of G3 in NA causes their stock to drop before the end of the year.
That would be very smart, actually - they're riding high with the success of Gothic 3 in Europe, and can leverage that. Dreamcatcher would have been wise to leverage their Painkiller success like that a couple of years ago. They have some decent properties, but much more work than money (like the nice adventure game Keepsake).
 
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Very interesting news but we'll have to wait a long time before we can see how this plays out

I think that all of us wish that it would create an entity that would get more games of the types we love published. But we fear that it will just keep the status quo of poorly polished and unsupported games flowing.
 
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That would be very smart, actually - they're riding high with the success of Gothic 3 in Europe, and can leverage that. Dreamcatcher would have been wise to leverage their Painkiller success like that a couple of years ago. They have some decent properties, but much more work than money (like the nice adventure game Keepsake).
Theoretically speaking it´s a good idea to get access to TAC´s line-up because Germany is the world´s most important adventure market. These games are sold in decent numbers for full price. But practically you need a lot of creativity and know-how to market adventures. Only DTP / Anaconda has proven time and again that they can market adventures successfully. JoWooD is traditionally weak when it comes to smaller games. Furthermore - and that´s an important point - TAC often only has the North American rights. The lucrative German rights are with DTP, CDV, Flashpoint or Deep Silver.
 
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I learn more about the global game market every day ;)
 
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Im not very good at all with this inside baseball type of talk regarding game makers/publishers whatever.

So I'll just add a loud HAR HAR HAR! BOY THEY WILL DOUBLE-SUCK NOW!

Did I do it right?
 
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Dreamwood or Jocatcher?

Kind of like Dreamwood... fits the 16 to 20yr old Nancy Drew demographic... <yikes>

... Jocatcher sounds like a itch/rash product advertised by baseball player. "After a long season squatting down behind the plate, I need so Jocatcher just to walk right ... "
 
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