Vivox(R) Calls on IBM to Give Voice to Online Gamers

Game Developer Conference -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Vivox, the leading provider of integrated voice services for online games and virtual worlds, are working together to bring integrated voice communication to the games and interactive entertainment market.

Vivox runs its managed communication service on powerful IBM BladeCenter servers to enhance voice interaction and broaden the user experience among game participants. The online gaming market is all about providing compelling experiences to players, and IBM’s high-performance and highly scalable servers deliver a dynamic and responsive platform for in-game voice environments.

“Live voice is essential to realizing the full potential of gaming environments and virtual worlds,” said David Laux, IBM global executive for games and interactive entertainment. “IBM is exploring a variety of ways to use virtual worlds to link people in a way that is more like real life. We anticipate that integrated voice communications will soon become a standard requirement for any game to be successful, and Vivox’s extensive skills in voice communications make them a natural fit for gaming customers.”

Vivox recently announced its selection as the integrated voice provider for Second Life®, where Residents will have speaking indicators and tools that will allow them to stay connected with each other and the Second Life universe while in their first life.

By combining storage, networking and servers, the blade server systems simplify computing for Vivox. The company turned to IBM BladeCenter to save space, increase density and decrease power consumption, while lowering total cost and improving infrastructure flexibility. IBM BladeCenter’s flexible and scalable security technologies for protecting against online security threats were also a mission critical feature for Vivox.

“IBM provides us with an extended global reach, and IBM’s pioneering work with its clients to help them understand and apply virtual worlds to their business is key,” said Rob Seaver, CEO of Vivox. “Our work together for customers such as CCP Games’ massively multiplayer online game EVE Online has proven the scalability and performance of our integrated voice capabilities on the BladeCenter platform.”

About Vivox, Inc.

Vivox provides online games, virtual worlds and online communities with managed voice communication services that are simple to integrate and enhance gameplay and community. Vivox’s carrier-grade, customizable solutions help online games and communities create improved offerings and extend their user base. Today, Vivox is bringing voice to approximately one million subscribers in more than 180 countries. For more information visit www.vivox.com.

For more information on IBM, please visit www.ibm.com.