Montréal, April 19, 2005 - Vidéotron and Reeves Interactive announce the launch of Microplay OnlineTM, a new service that will let subscribers to Vidéotron's broadband Internet services play online games on a Québec-wide private network, thanks to a collaboration among Vidéotron, Sun Microsystems, Reeves Interactive and Le SuperClub Vidéotron. Vidéotron becomes the first cable provider to offer the multiplayer online gaming service, developed by the Reeves Interactive new media agency, over its own fast and reliable servers. The numerous advantages for gaming buffs include Teamspeak support to enable players equipped with multimedia headsets to communicate with each other, an important feature for first person shooter (FPS) games that require team play. Available games include Counter-Strike, Half-Life2 DM and Counter-Strike: Source from Valve Software, Call of Duty from Activision, Battlefield 1942 from EA Games, Unreal Tournament 2004 from Epic Games, and Enemy Territory and Quake 3 from ID Software.
Vidéotron's state-of-the-art network supports the fast connection speeds and highquality service required for online gaming. According to Statistics Canada, more than 51% of the population plays games on the Internet. With revenues of more than US$7 billion in the United States alone in 2003, the booming online gaming industry is now larger than the movie industry.
"This new service offers managed servers and amazing pings for Videotron subscribers," said Manon Brouillette, Vice President, Marketing and Product Development, Consumer Division, Vidéotron ltée. Subscribers to the service will be able to match their skills against the best players in monthly competitions on the site. Individual results will be compiled in numerous categories; the top scorers will be posted and will qualify for prizes. "We want to make it possible for gamers from all parts of Québec to compete against each other online and communicate with each other," said Marc Reeves, Executive Vice President of Reeves Interactive.
"Sun Microsystems is known as a developer of networking solutions that don't compromise on performance," said Stéphane Boisvert, President of Sun Microsystems Canada.
"Video gaming has been a driving force in pushing back technological limits in terms of scalability, stability and system redundancy. Microplay OnlineTM complements our vision for the e-entertainment industry."
Cooperation with the Office québécois de la langue française and Dr. Derevensky
The www.microplayonline.com portal will also carry a PC gaming glossary, produced in cooperation with the Office québécois de la langue française, and a questionnaire on the habits and behaviors of online gamers developed by Dr. Jeffrey L. Derevensky of McGill University, co-director of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors, who is currently conducting research on Internet gaming.
Subscriptions
Vidéotron's online gaming service is available to gamers aged 18 and over at $5.99 per month for subscribers to Vidéotron's High-Speed Internet service or Extreme High- Speed Internet service, and $7.99 per month for non-subscribers.
Introductory offer
Vidéotron is offering a no-obligation free trial for a period of two weeks for all subscribers to its broadband Internet services or one week for non-subscribers. Details are available at www.zonehautevitesse.com or www.microplayonline.com.
Vidéotron ltée (www.videotron.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Quebecor Media Inc., is an integrated communications company engaged in cable television, interactive multimedia development, Internet access services and residential telephone service. Vidéotron is a leader in new technologies with its illico interactive television system and its broadband network, which supports high-speed cable Internet access, analog and digital cable television, and other services. Vidéotron serves 1,453,000 cable television customers in Québec; including over 334,000 illico subscribers. Vidéotron is also the Québec leader in high-speed Internet access, with 527,000 subscribers to its cable modem and dial-up services.
Reeves Interactive (www.reevesinteractive.com), a division of Reeves Communication Inc., is a Montréal-based Web and new media agency founded in 1989 that specializes in the design and production of convergent interactive products. It designed the interactive sites for the television program Grande Ourse, finalist at Prix Gémeaux 2004 (www.radio-canada.ca/television/grandeourse).
Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. (http://ca.sun.com), a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems, Inc., is headquartered in Markham, Ontario. The company, which employs more than 500 persons, has offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria. Sun products and services are also available through Sun Authorized Independent Sales Organizations and iForce[SM] System Providers across Canada.
