T3 - A World Leader In Online Games
T3 Entertainment, affiliated with G10 Entertainment Europe Ltd and part of G10 Entertainment, is a Korean online games developer. The company was established in 1999 and developed the 'Audition' game in 2004.
Audition is already the most popular online casual dance game in the world, with over 294 million members. Electronic Times Internet, an IT news website, recently reported that Audition reached 50 million registered users in China this year with 500,000 concurrent players. Baidu, the Chinese search engine, revealed that Audition ranks first in all its searches, way ahead of games like 'Crazy Racing' and 'World of Warcraft'.
Auditon's success in Korea led to a weekly TV show, musical and clothing range, and also features an item shop in similar fashion to other online games such as 'Second Life'. Players can customise the look of their character and choose from a variety of faces, hairstyles, shirts, trousers, shoes, and more.
So, what's it all about? Centred around modern animated teen characters, the game is based on dancing movements, which are controlled by a combination of arrow keys. Players can compete with one another on an online basis, and the slicker the dancing motion, the higher the mark. This game is quite different from most online role-playing games, Audition is very popular among girls, with 60 per cent of registered members being women aged 14-34.
Originally developed for and still popular in Korea, Audition has since been distributed in many different countries including: China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, the US and India. Brazil also now has its own Audition game service, after signing a $1 million dollar license with Yedang Online and T3 entertainment earlier this year. Audition is free to play but also includes a cash shop system that allows users to use real money to purchase in-game clothes and accessories to dress up their characters.
T3 is confident that Audition can become a global hit and decided to establish a European subsidiary in London this year.
Gateway to London's Role
Gateway to London, together with Think London, the capital's foreign direct investment agency, initially provided T3 with London property options, including serviced office providers and internet data centres. The company was also introduced to contacts and information on recruitment and advertising costs in the UK.
Following a detailed consultation, GtL then helped T3 explore a number of options for new offices in London Thames Gateway including the Docklands Business Centre in Canary Wharf; an affordable, high quality serviced office location with excellent transport links. The centre also benefits from being close to the London Internet Exchange (LINX) which carries over 96 per cent of the UK's internet traffic, an important consideration for any IT based company. This meant that T3 could rely on their internet and data hosting services as well as the latest telecoms infrastructure in London, one of the best wired cites in the world.
Gateway to London was also able to offer T3 information on the IT and gaming sector in London, highlighting opportunities for further development of their product.
Outcome
T3 has now secured its new offices in the Docklands Business Centre, providing a well connected and accessible base for the company's European headquarters. This prestigious Docklands site will also enable T3 to position themselves as a leading multinational entertainment company and has the potential to be a fantastic launch pad into new markets.
The company has already recruited 10 people and is looking to bring in a further 40 staff over the next three years to facilitate the expected growth across the European market. Gateway to London has since advised on its public relations strategy to help them communicate their recent success.
The Company's View
Kyoung Hwan Lee, Product Manager and Marketing, T3 Entertainment said:
"T3's move into the European market was a significant step for the company. Gateway to London and Think London's advice on the location for our office and their key contacts therefore played a pivotal role in taking the business forward."
"Gateway to London and Think London ensured that every element of our move to London was covered. They provided us with all the ideas and options we needed to set up our new headquarters and develop a strong base for the company's expansion."
