On the 6th, Hive IM announced that it has signed a publishing agreement for 'Project Torch' (working title) in the Korean and Japanese regions with Bonfire Studio, a game development company founded by developers from Blizzard Entertainment.
Rob Pardo, head of Bonfire Studio, is a former member of Blizzard's early team and participated in the planning of 'StarCraft,' 'Warcraft 3,' and 'World of Warcraft.' Bonfire Studio was established by Rob Pardo along with Nick Carpenter, former vice president of the cinematic art institutional sector at Blizzard, and Min Kim, former head of Nexon America.
'Project Torch' is the first PC-based online multiplayer game that Bonfire Studio presents after its founding, emphasizing competition and cooperation with team-based PvP (player versus player) at its core.
Bonfire Studio is responsible for publishing in the western market, while Hive IM will distribute the game in the Korean and Japanese markets, in addition to developing 'Project Torch.'
Jung Woo-yong, head of Hive IM, said, 'Bonfire Studio is a partner with both creativity and technical prowess, and this collaboration will be an opportunity to provide new gaming experiences to gamers around the world.' He noted, 'We are preparing for a leap as a publisher and strive to achieve continued success in the global market.'
Rob Pardo emphasized, 'Korea is a market with strong cultural influence and an important testing ground for PvP games. This collaboration will be a key step in successfully introducing Project Torch to the global market.'