Thriller Publishing Inc. of Austin, Texas, announces its formation to develop, market, publish and distribute quality games targeting the highest growth segments of the $41 billion video game market with military and espionage-themed serial storylines leveraging wholly-owned content. The announcement was made on the opening day of the Game Developer’s Conference at Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA.

Thriller has licensed and contracted multiple New York Times best-selling authors, widely recognized and well regarded in their genres, to create and develop popular new characters and storylines with the potential for game sequels and sustainable series. In most cases. these relationships grant Thriller complete ownership of the stories, characters and other intellectual property associated with the books and games, including artistic content, film rights, board games, books, toys and all other intellectual property rights.

Led by industry veterans, J.W. “Bill” Stealey, Fred Schmidt and Jim Bull -- all of whom have worked together before at legendary 1980’s-era game brand/studio/publisher, MicroProse Software -- Thriller’s senior management team is composed of industry pioneers, each with over 20 years of successful game business experience. They have founded and/or served on the executive teams of such companies as MicroProse and ORIGIN Systems, as well as having held senior leadership positions at Electronic Arts, NCsoft, Activision, Mattel Electronics and others.

This management team’s track record of success and extensive industry network provides Thriller a significant competitive advantage. Based on their reputation, Thriller has assembled a worldwide marketing and distribution team for the largest Asian and European market segments, and has a distribution agreement with the industry’s premier North American retail game sales representation firm. Armed with these assets, the Company intends to establish itself a premier brand for military and espionage-themed AAA storyline games across all retail and online game platforms including PC, new-gen consoles, mobile and massively multiplayer (MMOG).

The first Thriller authors, to be announced soon, have been signed and are hard at work. Company management is actively engaged in raising the capital it will need to develop a range of its targeted original products and bring them to market. In this strategic initiative, the Company is advised by WWC Securities and Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati P.C. (WSGR). Thriller also will acquire or license select compatible titles in the targeted genres from experienced third-party studios and talent.

Thriller representatives, Fred Schmidt and Bill Stealey, are at the Game Developers Conference this week, February 18-22, to hold meetings with investor groups and category-related development studios/talent. Interested parties are asked to contact the company via email for an appointment: www.thrillerpublishing.com/contact

“There is always opportunity for another compelling brand of quality games to emerge in this constantly growing industry,” says Thriller Chairman, Bill Stealey. “Just as new development teams spin out of established studios or are formed among talented individuals, so, too, there is periodic need for new publishing partners to arise as well. Small, focused, experienced publishers with excellent branding track records and a solid rollodex of distribution contacts can prove invaluable to new and independent studios who are looking to make their mark in the industry too.”

“That’s what Thriller is all about,” adds President & CEO, Fred Schmidt. “We have over 100 years of game publishing expertise among our senior management alone, always working with first-rate development talent. At Thriller, these studios and their products will be handled directly by us, top management. They get the full benefit of all that experience to maximize the likelihood for mutual success, assuming that product quality and differentiation holds up on its end.”

Publishing and operations headquarters for Thriller Publishing will be based in Austin, Texas.

Creative and development relationships with industry-leading talent and studios will extend worldwide.