Online gaming gets vocal with Ericsson

Players of Entropia, an online universe created by Sweden-based online gaming company Mindark, can now speak to each other live with high-quality voice services while gaming, thanks to an IMS solution from Ericsson.

This is Ericsson’s first commercial business in the gaming sphere. Ericsson is deploying its existing voice technology based on IMS in a cloud service, called Ericsson In-Game Communication (EIGC), which makes it simple and cost-effective to introduce communication into games. Ericsson will provide and integrate the software into the Entropia Universe platform.

Mindark provides one of the most advanced Internet interaction solutions available today. Entropia Universe is a 3D virtual world with a real cash economy. It is growing in popularity, with more than one million registered users. “It was important to have a system that is integrated into our own platform. Because then we could customize the functionality and have security that is required for us, since we deal with real money in our virtual world. The solution from Ericsson provided the best security and flexibility for us,” says Christian Björkman, Chief Marketing Officer for Mindark. 

With this service, 3D rendering is possible so that gamers will be able to talk and listen to avatars that are nearby, attend or give lectures for an interactive audience, and work in teams with secure leader-controlled access.

Mindark is well-known for placing the world’s most expensive virtual item in the Guinness Book of World Records. “This voice service will help us continue our strategy of adding value to the virtual world, plus bridging virtual and real-world possibilities,” says Björkman.  In terms of business, it would be possible to integrate new services such as break-out services, audio advertising and other voice-based services.

Magnus Furustam, Vice President, head of Core & IMS at Ericsson, says: “This solution bridges the virtual experience with reality, and the telecoms world with the gaming world. It is exciting to combine Ericsson’s outstanding competence in communication services with the large and fast-growing gaming industry sector.”

The full gaming service was launched on May 3^rd.