Chair Entertainment Group - Chair Entertainment Group

Press Release: XBOX LIVE ARCADE BLOCKBUSTER “SHADOW COMPLEX™" LAUNCHES

stacey.conley — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:51:19 -0400

08/19/2009

Chair Entertainment, a subsidiary of Epic Games, and Microsoft Corp. today deliver the next evolution in downloadable games, “Shadow Complex.” The capstone title of the second annual Summer of Arcade program and winner of numerous Best of E3 awards including Best Downloadable Game, “Shadow Complex” is one of the hottest blockbusters of the summer and exclusive to Xbox LIVE.

MICROSOFT AND EPIC GAMES LAUNCH XBOX LIVE ARCADE BLOCKBUSTER “SHADOW COMPLEX™”

Xbox LIVE Arcade delivers the next evolution in downloable games with the launch of Chair Entertainment’s highly anticipated “Shadow Complex”

Buy it now at Amazon.com!

CARY, PROVO, REDMOND — Aug. 19, 2009 — Chair Entertainment, a subsidiary of Epic Games, and Microsoft Corp. today deliver the next evolution in downloadable games, “Shadow Complex.” The capstone title of the second annual Summer of Arcade program and winner of numerous Best of E3 awards including Best Downloadable Game, “Shadow Complex” is one of the hottest blockbusters of the summer and exclusive to Xbox LIVE.

From the creators of the award-winning “Unreal” and “Gears of War” video game franchises and the Xbox LIVE Arcade Game of the Year, “Undertow,” “Shadow Complex” is a modern and masterful side-scrolling shooter with cutting-edge gameplay and incredible high-definition graphics. Powered by the industry-leading Unreal Engine 3, “Shadow Complex” provides more than 10 hours of in-depth gameplay and marries the quality and depth of a full retail title with the accessibility you love, exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade.

“With Shadow Complex, we wanted to create a compelling entry into a classic genre that we all love, but modernize it with the updated design sensibilities and powerful visuals found in today’s most memorable games,” said Donald Mustard, Creative Director, Chair Entertainment.

“The launch of ‘Shadow Complex’ on Xbox LIVE Arcade continues our legacy of delivering the highest quality, most innovative downloadable games right to your Xbox 360,” said Scott Austin, director of digitally distributed games at Microsoft. “We’re proud to work with Chair Entertainment and Epic Games to launch a blockbuster that will change the face of Xbox LIVE Arcade. Through the Summer of Arcade program we’re taking downloadable games to a whole new level.”

Collect power-ups, discover new abilities and evolve your character into a force of destruction as you explore an original story set in the world of Hugo and Nebula award winning novelist Orson Scott Card’s bestselling novel, “Empire.” Renowned comic book author Peter David, whose previous works include Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, Star Trek, and X-Factor, developed the game's original new story, which runs parallel to Card's “Empire” novel and sets up the events in the literary sequel “Hidden Empire.” Further enhancing the depth and high replay value of the single-player adventure are a series of time-based, side-challenges entitled Proving Grounds, which allow players to hone their skills as they compete for top placement on the leaderboards.

Paired with Xbox LIVE, your ultimate social entertainment experience, “Shadow Complex” is this summer’s hottest downloadable game at the best value, proving Xbox LIVE Arcade is your priemere destination for high quality, digititally distribute games.

Additional information on Shadow Complex can be found at: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/shadowcomplexxbla/default.htm

About Epic Games
Epic Games, Inc., based in Cary, NC and established in 1991, develops cutting-edge games and cross-platform game engine technology. The company has created multiple million-selling, award-winning titles in its “Unreal” series, most recently shipping “Unreal Tournament 3” for PC, PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360®. Epic’s breakthrough game, “Gears of War,” won over 30 Game of the Year awards, and the sales of "Gears of War" and “Gears of War 2” have eclipsed 11 million units. Epic's Unreal Engine 3 is the three-time consecutive winner of Game Developer magazine’s Best Engine Front Line Award and this year's Hall of Fame inductee. Unreal Engine 3 has also been recognized as the number one game engine by Develop magazine. Additional information about Epic can be obtained through the Epic Games Web site at www.epicgames.com.

Epic, Epic Games, Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Unreal, Unreal Engine, and Unreal Tournament are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Summer of Arcade details are available at http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/events/summerofarcade/

Shadow Complex

stacey.conley — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:01:16 -0400

AVAILABLE NOW!!

SHADOW COMPLEX

“Shadow Complex” is a modern and masterful side-scrolling shooter with cutting-edge gameplay and incredible high-definition graphics. Powered by the industry-leading Unreal Engine 3, “Shadow Complex” provides more than 10 hours of in-depth gameplay and marries the quality and depth of a full retail title with the accessibility of Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Collect power-ups, discover new abilities and evolve your character into a force of destruction as you explore an original story set in the world of Orson Scott Card’s bestselling novel, “Empire.” Renowned comic book author Peter David, whose previous works include Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, Star Trek, and X-Factor, developed the game's original new story, which runs parallel to Card's “Empire” novel and sets up the events in the literary sequel “Hidden Empire.”

Art Director

stacey.conley — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:41:53 -0400

08/12/2009

ARTISTS

We're looking for talented artists who have an expert knowledge of creating art for next generation game titles. Applicants will need to demonstrate a strong artistic ability, be versatile, and bring with them a good understanding of form, function, detail, the skill to interpret concept art, plus have the technical skills to bring their work to life in Unreal Engine 3. Please see below for the minimum qualifications for the various art positions.

Qualifications:

For FX Artist:

Reel showing previously executed particle FX work
Ability to bring dramatic effects to life with flair
A critical eye for the timing, animation, and motion of real world objects and visual FX
Ability to create all art needed for the FX
Abilities in a secondary area such as modeling, skinning, animation, or lighting
Desire and knowledge of how to push our effects and editing tools further

For Character Modeler:

Portfolio pieces showing sense of detailing
Ability to model clean models from concept art

For Concept Artists:

Concept artists must have outstanding traditional illustration and coloring skills, and the ability to range across numerous genres
Must have additional skills such as ud/ui, modeling, skinning, animation, fx
Game industry experience required

For Environment Artists:

Portfolio pieces showing high-quality, high-poly environments, characters, or vehicles
Portfolio pieces showing sense of detailing
Ability to model clean seamless models from concept art
Self-driven, good communicator and a great team-player

For Texture Artists:

Must have expert-level proficiency in Photoshop, and familiarity with other 2D and 3D tools
Must have experience creating textures for next gen games (normal, diffuse, spec)
Game industry experience required

Preference to applicants with:

Shipped-title experience
Experience working within console memory limitations
Familiarity with game development, art pipelines, and Unreal Engine 3
BFA in Painting/3D art or similar background/traditional training

Please include a link to your portfolio. If you do not have an online portfolio, please mail your resume and demo reel to:

Chair Entertainment Group, LLC
ATTN: Recruiting
108 West Center Street
Provo, Utah 84601

Press Release: Chair and Epic Games Sign Exclusive Publishing Deal for Shadow Complex with Microsoft Game Studios

Laura — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:28:34 -0400

June 1, 2009

Creators of the Award-Winning Gears of War and Unreal Series Partners with Microsoft to Produce Original New Game

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EPIC GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE PUBLISHING DEAL FOR SHADOW COMPLEX WITH MICROSOFT GAME STUDIOS

--Creators of the Award-Winning Gears of War and Unreal Series Partners with Microsoft to Produce Original New Game--

LOS ANGELES – June 1, 2009 – Epic Games, Inc., creators of the award-winning Unreal and Gears of War video game franchises and the industry-leading Unreal Engine, today announced that Microsoft Game Studios will publish its original new game exclusively for Xbox LIVE Arcade this summer. Shadow Complex is being developed by Epic’s Utah-based Chair Entertainment Group, creators of the award-winning Xbox LIVE Arcade title, Undertow.

Shadow Complex was officially unveiled today as part of the Xbox 360 Media Briefing for the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) taking place this week in Los Angeles, Calif. The game will be playable for the first time as part of Microsoft’s E3 showcase in the Los Angeles Convention Center’s South Hall, Booth # 1523.

Powered by Unreal Engine 3, Shadow Complex features the best of old school side-scroller design combined with modern, cutting-edge gameplay and incredible high-definition graphics. Players collect power-ups, discover new abilities and evolve their character into a force of destruction as they explore an original new story set in the world of Orson Scott Card’s best-selling novel, “Empire.” Shadow Complex marries the quality and depth of a full retail title with the accessibility players expect from Xbox LIVE Arcade.

"Shadow Complex completely redefines the bar for Xbox LIVE Arcade. It’s a testament to why Xbox LIVE is the clear choice in downloadable excellence" said Ken Lobb, creative director of Microsoft Game Studios. "XBLA look out, here comes the next UE3-powered smash!"

“The partnership between Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studios has resulted in Gears of War becoming one of the most successful video game franchises of all time, and we’re thrilled to further strengthen that relationship with the introduction of our newest game property,” said Dr. Michael Capps, president of Epic Games. “Just as Gears of War did for Xbox 360 games, we hope Shadow Complex will show the true potential of the Unreal Engine and Xbox LIVE Arcade.”
About Epic Games

Epic Games, Inc., based in Cary, NC and established in 1991, develops cutting-edge games and cross-platform game engine technology. The company has created multiple million-selling, award-winning titles in its “Unreal” series, most recently shipping “Unreal Tournament 3” for PC, PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360®. Epic’s breakthrough game, “Gears of War,” won over 30 Game of the Year awards, and the sales of "Gears of War" and “Gears of War 2” have eclipsed 11 million units. Epic's Unreal Engine 3 is the three-time consecutive winner of Game Developer magazine’s Best Engine Front Line Award and this year's Hall of Fame inductee. Additional information about Epic can be obtained through the Epic Games Web site at www.epicgames.com.

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Press Release: Howard Phillips Named Studio Director for Chair Entertainment Group

Laura — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:12:45 -0400

March 18, 2009

Former Microsoft and Nintendo Executive to Spearhead Studio Growth and Product Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY VETERAN HOWARD PHILLIPS NAMED STUDIO DIRECTOR FOR CHAIR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Former Microsoft and Nintendo Executive to Spearhead Studio Growth and Product Development

Provo, UT and Cary, NC– March 18, 2009 – Chair Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of Epic Games, Inc., creators of the award-winning Unreal and Gears of War video game franchises and the industry leading Unreal Engine, today announced that Howard Phillips, a 28-year veteran of the interactive entertainment industry, has been appointed studio director for the Utah-based game development studio.

Having previously held management positions at Nintendo, Microsoft, and THQ, among others, Mr. Phillips brings nearly three decades of experience in all phases of company operations including strategic planning, design, project management, consumer evaluation, and marketing. As studio director for Chair Entertainment Group, Phillips will be responsible for the continued growth of the studio, expanding its scope of development capabilities. He will also work with the development team, led by Donald and Geremy Mustard, as well as Epic Games, whom he assisted with the original design of Gear of War, to oversee product development activities and provide strategic and creative counsel.

“Howard has a remarkable history in the video game industry, and we expect the talent at Chair Entertainment to thrive under his leadership,” said Dr. Michael Capps, president of Epic Games. “Howard’s brainchild, Nintendo Power magazine’s ‘Howard & Nester’ comic, left a lasting impression on many of us. Howard’s continued inspiration, as well as his expertise in product development, will be a tremendous asset to Chair as the studio continues to grow and create ground-breaking games.”

“I am very excited to be joining the Epic Games family and for the opportunity to become part of the extraordinary team at Chair,” said Howard Phillips, studio director, Chair Entertainment Group. “I look forward to working with Chair to help achieve the growth objectives necessary for us to take the studio to the next level.”

Phillips capped off his Microsoft tenure as design director within the Advanced Strategies and Policy Group in 2006. In this capacity, Phillips was responsible for all aspects of software design for a yet-to-be-announced super-secret “incubation project.” During his nearly 10 years at Microsoft, Phillips

held a variety of other positions including managing the internal Sports Games studio, creating and managing the Microsoft Playtest labs and the Xbox Game Evaluation service, and serving as design director for the internal Racing Game studio.

Prior to that, Mr. Phillips filled management roles in product development for Splash Studios, Absolute Entertainment, THQ Software, and LucasFilm Games. Phillips began his career at Nintendo of America where he thrived, working his way up from warehouse manager in 1981 to director of game creative and “gamemaster” in 1991. During his tenure, he provided feedback and direction to Nintendo development teams on console, arcade, and handheld titles, and was co-creator of Nintendo Power magazine, which remains one of today’s most successful game enthusiast publications. Phillips holds a master’s in business administration from Washington University.

Established in 2005, Chair Entertainment Group was founded by directors, Donald and Geremy Mustard, and chief executive officer, Ryan Holmes. Best known for its award-winning Xbox Live Arcade title, Undertow, Chair’s previous success also includes the launch of its Empire property, which has produced a New York Times bestselling novel by Orson Scott Card. In 2008, after several years of building games exclusively with Unreal Engine technology, Chair was acquired by Epic Games. Additional information can be found at: www.chairentertainment.com.

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Artists

chair master — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:52:54 -0400

ARTISTS

Qualifications:

For FX Artist:

Reel showing previously executed particle FX work
Ability to bring dramatic effects to life with flair
A critical eye for the timing, animation, and motion of real world objects and visual FX
Ability to create all art needed for the FX
Abilities in a secondary area such as modeling, skinning, animation, or lighting
Desire and knowledge of how to push our effects and editing tools further

For Character Modeler:

Portfolio pieces showing sense of detailing
Ability to model clean models from concept art

For Concept Artists:

Concept artists must have outstanding traditional illustration and coloring skills, and the ability to range across numerous genres
Must have additional skills such as ud/ui, modeling, skinning, animation, fx
Game industry experience required

For Environment Artists:

Portfolio pieces showing high-quality, high-poly environments, characters, or vehicles
Portfolio pieces showing sense of detailing
Ability to model clean seamless models from concept art
Self-driven, good communicator and a great team-player

For Texture Artists:

Must have expert-level proficiency in Photoshop, and familiarity with other 2D and 3D tools
Must have experience creating textures for next gen games (normal, diffuse, spec)
Game industry experience required

Preference to applicants with:

Shipped-title experience
Experience working within console memory limitations
Familiarity with game development, art pipelines, and Unreal Engine 3
BFA in Painting/3D art or similar background/traditional training

Please include a link to your portfolio. If you do not have an online portfolio, please mail your resume and demo reel to:

Chair Entertainment Group, LLC
ATTN: Recruiting
108 West Center Street
Provo, Utah 84601

Level Designer

chair master — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:46:39 -0400

LEVEL DESIGNER

We're seeking level designers experienced with UnrealEd or equivalent tools, who can build solid, visually stunning environments and scenarios for a 3D game. Level designers at Chair bring together the work of a talented team of modelers, texture artists, and scripters, and it's up to them to combine them in a way that is compelling and fun.

Qualifications:

Publicly released levels for a first-person shooter
Playable level portfolio

Preference to applicants with:

Game or film industry experience
Shipped-title experience
Familiarity with Unreal technology art pipeline
Working knowledge of 2D art tools, such as Adobe Photoshop
Working knowledge of 3D art tools, such as Max, Maya, or Lightwave

GAMEPLAY PROGRAMMER

chair master — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:34:56 -0400

GAMEPLAY PROGRAMMER

We currently have openings for general gameplay programmers.

Our gameplay programmers have an intrinsic understanding of what makes a game fun and the analytical mind to break that down into its constituent parts. They experiment with game design using rapid prototyping, yet have the engineering background to make strong architectural and algorithmic decisions. If you are a game designer trapped inside of a programmer, we'd like to hear from you.

Qualifications:

Game industry experience
A keen analytical mind
A game designer's creativity
Strong C++ and/or Java skills
Strong math skills

Preference to applicants with:

Shipped-title experience
Experience using UnrealScript
Experience working on a mod/title on the Unreal Engine
BS (or higher) in Computer Science or similar discipline (Physics, Math, EE, etc.)
Xbox LIVE experience

Benefits

chair master — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:24:53 -0400

BENEFITS AT A GLANCE

Under Epic Games, Chair Entertainment offers an outstanding benefits package to eligible employees:

Epic paid medical and dental insurance for employees and dependents
Epic paid life, accidental death & dismemberment and long term disability insurance
15 days paid vacation
7 paid holidays
Paid sick leave
Flexible work hours; employees must be present during core hours, which are currently 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
401(k) plan with generous match and profit sharing

Press Release: Epic Games Acquires Chair Entertainment Group

Laura — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:21:16 -0400

May 20, 2008

Epic Games, Inc. Announces Acquisition of Chair Entertainment Group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EPIC GAMES ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF CHAIR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Cary, North Carolina – May 20, 2008 – Epic Games, Inc., creators of the award-winning Unreal and Gears of War video game franchises and the industry leading Unreal Engine, today announced its acquisition of Utah-based development studio, Chair Entertainment Group, LLC. Under the terms of the agreement, Chair Entertainment Group has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Epic Games and will continue to operate under the same name while maintaining its focus on creating new original game properties which utilize Epic's Unreal Engine technology.

"Chair's stylized approach to creating games is further enhanced by their ability to stretch our technology in new directions that not only help in creating amazing gaming experiences but also demonstrate the power and versatility of the Unreal Engine," said Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games, Inc. "We are thrilled to bring the Chair team into the Epic family, and look forward to working with them to create original new games that continue to innovate and inspire."

"Our team has long admired Epic for its ability to shape the game industry with its innovative technology and first-rate video game offerings," said Ryan Holmes, Co-Founder and CEO of Chair Entertainment Group. "We share Epic's passion for creating ground-breaking game play experiences and are excited for the opportunity to partner with a truly visionary company."

Founded in 2005, Chair Entertainment Group is jointly led by directors, Donald and Geremy Mustard, and CEO Ryan Holmes. Best known for its award-winning Xbox Live Arcade title, Undertow, Chair's previous success includes the launch of its Empire property which has produced an Orson Scott Card-written New York Times bestselling novel and a feature film currently in development with Warner Bros. In 2007, after several years of building games with Unreal technology, Chair entered into an agreement with Epic Games to make Unreal Engine 3 their exclusive technology for game development.

About Epic Games
Epic Games, Inc., based in Cary, NC and established in 1991, develops cutting-edge games and cross-platform game engine technology. The company has created multiple million-selling, award-winning titles in its Unreal series, recently shipping Unreal Tournament 3 for PC and PlayStation 3. Epic's breakthrough game, Gears of War, sold over 4.7 million copies and was awarded overall Game of the Year for 2006 by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Game Developers Choice Awards, GameSpot, GamePro and many others. Epic is also responsible for the Unreal Engine, which is the underlying technology for a wide range of games including the Game Critics Awards' Best Console Game and Spike TV's 2007 RPG of the Year Mass Effect by BioWare and the 2007 BAFTA Best Game and Spike TV Game of the Year BioShock by 2K Games. Epic's Unreal Engine 3 is the current holder, and three-time consecutive winner, of Game Developer magazine's Front Line award for Best Engine. Epic was also recognized as 2006 Studio of the Year by Spike TV, 2006 Developer of the Year by Official Xbox Magazine and 2007 Large Company of the Year by the North Carolina Technology Association. Additional information about Epic can be obtained through the Epic Games Web site at www.epicgames.com.

About Unreal Engine 3
The award-winning Unreal Engine is known for cutting-edge graphics and its best-of-breed toolset. Unreal Engine 3 maintains those features while adding massive world support, multi-processor support, next-generation console optimizations, and one of the most mature tool pipelines in the industry. Unreal Engine 3's advanced toolset is designed specifically to accelerate developers' productivity for ultra-complex, next-generation content. Additional information on Unreal Engine can be obtained through the Unreal Technology Web site at www.unrealtechnology.com.

About Chair Entertainment
Founded in 2005, Chair Entertainment Group is an independent video game production company committed to creating blockbuster entertainment franchises through development of its original intellectual properties. In 2006, Chair launched its first original property, Empire, as a best-selling novel written by Orson Scott Card. A feature film based on Empire is in development by Warner Bros. and Chair has future plans for video games and comic books based on the property. In November 2007, Chair launched Undertow, the award-winning underwater action shooter which was named Xbox Live Arcade Game of the Year by Official Xbox Magazine. Additional information and gamer forums can be found at: www.chairentertainment.com.

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