Aeria Games to Expand in Germany

Berlin (ots) - One of the most successful "free 2 play" online
games publishers in the United States, Aeria Games, has officially
announced that it is opening its European headquarters in Germany.
Its European subsidiary, Aeria Games GmbH, will be located in Berlin,
the German capital. Since the company's founding in Silicon Valley in
2006, it already has gained over three million players.

Aeria Games chose Berlin for a number of reasons. A key factor in
the investment decision was not only the city's stellar
telecommunications infrastructure, but also the importance of Germany
for the company's business expansion plans. Germany has a strong
gaming industry, and Berlin, with its high quality of life, is an
attractive city for European or international employees. Currently
Aeria Games Europe GmbH has created six jobs. The company however
expects that in the next two years, the workforce will expand to
between 20 and 50 in Berlin.

The company announced in its official press release that it will
be releasing a new game, Shaiya, onto the German and French markets
in either late 2008 or early 2009. One of the major tasks of the new
European subsidiary is to support the company's expansion into new
markets such as Spain and Italy. This will involve investing in the
licensing, publishing, and developing of intellectual property.

Online gaming is a growing industry in Germany, with expected
annual growth of over 16% until 2010. Its total revenue hit 390
million EUR in 2007 and is expected to exceed 670 million EUR by
2010. Investors can also use Germany as an entry point to the
European online gaming market, one that saw total revenue of 1.1
billion EUR in 2007 and has an average annual growth rate of over
30%.

Both Invest in Germany and Berlin Partner supported Aeria Games in
its decision to invest in Germany. "The Aeria Games investment is an
example of the strength that Germany has to offer investors in this
rapidly growing industry," notes Dr. Robert Hermann, director of the
team Information and Communications Technologies at Invest in
Germany.

Furthermore, Berlin is the home of many leading companies in
gaming and other IT-related industries. "With its affordable prices
and international population, Berlin has attracted numerous IT
companies in recent years. Without question it is becoming a pillar
of the German capital's economy," adds René Gurka, Managing Director
of Berlin's Economic Development Corporation, Berlin Partner.

Invest in Germany is the inward investment promotion agency of the
Federal Republic of Germany. It provides investors with comprehensive
support from site selection to the implementation of investment
decisions.

Originaltext: Invest in Germany
digital press kits: http://www.presseportal.de/pm/55240
press kits via RSS: http://www.presseportal.de/rss/pm_55240.rss2

Contact:
Invest in Germany GmbH
Headquarters
T: +49-30-200-099-0,
F: +49-30-200-099-111,
office@invest-in-germany.com,
http://www.invest-in-germany.com

Media Contact:
Eva Henkel,
T:+49-30-200-099-173,
F:+49-30-200-099-111,
henkel@invest-in-germany.com