BioWare Licenses Umbra Tech for RPGs

Umbra Software sent out a press release today announcing that BioWare has licensed their visibility optimization technology for the entire Mass Effect franchise, Dragon Age: Origins, and “other future titles”. The details to follow:

Umbra Software Licenses Visibility Optimization Solutions Software to BioWare

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Umbra Software Ltd., developers of highly-acclaimed Umbra occlusion culling technology, announced today that BioWareâ„¢, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS – News), has licensed Umbra’s visibility optimization technology for the award-winning sci-fi space epic Mass Effectâ„¢ franchise, the highly anticipated PC role-playing game Dragon Ageâ„¢: Origins and other future titles.

Umbra is a highly robust, GPU based, visibility optimization solution that allows game developers to create highly dynamic game worlds without preprocessing. With Umbra game developers can increase their polygon budgets significantly and create highly complex game worlds which were previously impossible.

(BioWare has proven their excellence with a multitude of award-winning projects,) said Farhad Taherazer, VP of marketing for Umbra Software. (We are proud to have a studio with their track record recognize our abilities with a broad integration of our tech, it gives us credibility in this market place and puts us closer to becoming an industry standard.)

About BioWare

BioWare develops computer, console, handheld and online video games focused on rich stories and memorable characters. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s best-selling titles including the award-winning Baldur’s Gateâ„¢ and Neverwinter Nightsâ„¢ series, and Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republicâ„¢. Original BioWare-created IPs include Jade Empireâ„¢ and the 2007 Game of the Year, Mass Effectâ„¢. With studios in Edmonton, Canada, and Austin, Texas, BioWare is hard at work on the epic fantasy RPG, Dragon Ageâ„¢: Origins and Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for the Nintendo DSâ„¢, as well as several unannounced projects including a massively multiplayer online game. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by the world’s leading electronic entertainment publisher, Electronic Arts. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EAâ„¢, EA SPORTSâ„¢, EA SPORTS Freestyleâ„¢ and POGOâ„¢. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

BioWare, Mass Effect and Dragon Age are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Umbra Software Ltd.

Umbra Software Ltd. is the expert in 3D visibility optimization solution for PC and game consoles. Umbra Software’s Umbra uses instantaneous occlusion computations to speed up the development cycle; it allows for truly alive, interactive worlds with more objects and characters with new levels of realism; it increases freedom in large complex game worlds, enabling modification of worlds by developers and players on the fly. Umbra Software solutions are currently used by several high-profile titles and 3D game engines. For more information see www.umbrasoftware.com.