New publisher targets PCsector

Astart-up publisher has targeted the PCgames market as it expands its presence in the UK.

Cheshire-based Merge Games entered the UKretail market in March 2011 after setting up last year. It’s predominantly a PC game publisher but also focuses on the mobile and tablet formats. It has plans to enter the Facebook game market, too.

The company is headed up by former THQ manager Luke Keighran, who previously worked at the publisher for over six years. He spent three years in Australia and over three years in the UK handling export duties as THQ’s sales and marketing manager. He specialised in emerging markets such as the Middle East and Turkey.

Before that, Keighran held stints at distributor All Interactive and former publisher Acclaim.Merge Games has released its first UK title – Storm: Frontline Nation – on PC. The strategy game leads a series of other PC titles from the publisher including an Air Combat double pack and sci-fi game Deep Black, which are both due in August.

The firm also offers licensing services, consultancy into emerging markets and has a distribution network across Europe, Africa, Australia and the Middle East. Nick Alfieri has been hired as sales and marketing manager.

Keighran told MCV: We are a new breed of publisher that fully understands the complexities of the evolving gaming environment.We have plans in place to grow our retail distribution in the UK, Australia and emerging markets and we also have strategies inplace for the new digital gaming environment.”