MOTIGA TO OPEN GIGANTIC ALPHA SERVER IN EUROPE DECEMBER 17

Motiga to Open Gigantic Alpha Server
In Europe December 17

Motiga announced today that it’s opening a European alpha server Dec. 17 for its PC online game, Gigantic. But players don’t have to wait until December to see what all the hype is about! Selected players will be invited to jump into the alpha server early to experience Gigantic: a free-to-play action game where heroes battle alongside a massive guardian in a fight for supremacy. The genre-bending game, which will be released in 2015, brings a combination of teamwork, action and strategy to a vibrant fantasy world. Check out our announcement video here.

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“Gigantic is really resonating with European gamers – in fact, we have more alpha registrants from Europe than anywhere else in the world,” said David Reid, senior vice president of publishing at Motiga. “Our European fans have been so patient in waiting to get access to the game. We’re thrilled to be opening the first of many European servers, and we look forward to hearing what they think of Gigantic.”

In Gigantic, five players charge across a fantasy battleground alongside their guardian, a five-story-tall monster they’ve sworn to protect. Players start by choosing a hero that fits their gameplay style, then aim, dodge and leap across the map until they defeat the enemy guardian. Every battle in Gigantic lets players earn rewards, unlock new heroes, and experiment new tactics.

Although Gigantic will be the company’s first PC release when it launches in 2015, the development team is no stranger to creating blockbuster hits. Many of Gigantic’s veteran team of developers have played key roles in developing some of the most successful PC and console franchises.  

KEY GAME FEATURES

• Fight Alongside a Massive Guardian. A mystical bond connects the players to their guardian, a magical behemoth too powerful for a single mortal to defeat. Each guardian has its own attacks and behaviors, and players must protect their guardian to win the battle.
• Level Up on the Fly. As the battle rages, players choose newer, stronger abilities and adapt to the changing battle. One player might learn to deflect projectiles as she rides a lightning bolt into battle, while another gains a fire attack that triggers whenever he leaps into the fray.
• Immersive Third-Person View. You’re part of the action, not floating above it. No flat arenas or straight lanes—you’ll seize the high ground, find a hidden path to flank the enemy, or lure your foes into a trap.
• Fantastic Visual Style. Players are at the heart of a vibrant fantasy world, with a diverse roster of heroes unlike any you’ve seen before.
• Easy to Learn, Difficult to Master. Familiar WASD controls are easy for new players to learn, but rapid-fire tactics and deep strategy keep the challenges fresh.
• Post-Launch Content Promises New Gameplay Experiences. Gigantic is a living game, with frequent content updates ensuring there’s always something new to master.

James Phinney, Creative Director

James Phinney is Creative Director at Motiga; an online PC game studio that wants to create fun. Phinney joined Motiga in 2013. As the Creative Director, Phinney drives the creative vision and design. He collaborates with Motiga’s designers, artists and programmers, setting the course for new game features, and organizing daily playtests that capture the entire studio’s attention every afternoon.

Before Motiga, Phinney spent his career quietly making some of the most influential, critically acclaimed PC games of all time. He began his career with Blizzard Entertainment, where he worked in the design, production and programming fields. He was the lead designer and producer on StarCraft, a game that not only has become a cultural phenomenon in many countries with multiple millions of copies sold, it has also been named one of the best games of all time by GameSpot, IGN and Game Informer magazine and gave rise to professional e-sports in South Korea. He went on to become the lead designer and then creative director for the Guild Wars franchise, which launched to critical acclaim and has sold nearly 10 million copies. He also counts huge hits like Diablo, Warcraft II and State of Decay among his credits—each of which have sold more than a million copies.

It’s his success in bringing great games to life that led Beckett Massive Online Gamer magazine to name Phinney one of the 2007 Top 20 Most Influential People in the MMO Industry.

While many designers before him would be contented with the success of StarCraft alone, Phinney kept pushing forward his own brand of game design across as many platforms as possible. Look beyond the sales numbers and shelves of awards, and you’ll see an uncommon versatility to Phinney’s designs. His resume includes real-time strategy games, massively multiplayer online roleplaying games, action RPGs for PCs, and a third-person survival game for consoles…all across different art styles and themes, all of which are enjoyed by millions.

Phinney is someone who has successfully made his passion his vocation. As such, Phinney heads home each night and designs card, dice, and board games for fun.