Worldwide online community success, Habbo Hotel, to open up in China - Sulake and Optic Communications sign strategic partnership
BEIJING, China, January 26, 2006 - Sulake Corporation, one of the world's fastest
growing interactive entertainment companies and owner of the Habbo Hotel concept, and OPTIC
Communications Co. Ltd. (OPTIC Dreamz Division), a subsidiary of CITIC Pacific Limited, a listed
company on the Hong Kong stock exchange and the largest conglomerate in the APAC region, have
signed an agreement in order to launch Habbo Hotel in China. The Habbo Hotel online community has
been a worldwide success as it provides a unique experience for teenagers.
Habbo Hotel is a virtual meeting place and a game environment for teens. The attraction of
Habbo Hotel is based on the camaraderie of a community and the opportunity for self-expression and
creativity. Users join by creating a fully-customized online character called a Habbo. From there,
users explore the many public areas, play a wide range of games, connect with their friends,
decorate their own rooms, dance by the pool, and most of all: have fun by being creative.
Habbo Hotel in China will be operated by license by OPTIC Dreamz. The Chinese Habbo Hotel
will have its own localized features, but it will offer Chinese users the same possibilities to
play, meet others and have fun as other Habbo Hotels. The public can register through the Habbo
marketing site at
www.habbochina.com
Globally the Habbo Hotel concept has already been introduced in 16 countries on 4
continents. Currently Habbo Hotels attract over 5.4 million unique visitors per month. With its 130
million Internet users China is already the largest market for online games and communities,
providing major growth opportunity for the Habbo- concept.
"We are very excited about our partnership with OPTIC Dreamz. Strong commitment and the
resources of CITIC Pacific Group combined with the experienced team at OPTIC Dreamz makes them just
the right kind of partner for us. Together we are building Habbo into a new kind of youth brand
rooted in a richly colorful virtual community in China," says Mr. Timo Soininen, CEO of Sulake.
"We foresee the evolving change of the Internet arena in China and we believe that Habbo
Hotel will bring new excitement and life to our users in China. That is why we have created a new
division within OPTIC that we call "Dreamz", with the sole objective of designing an integrated
enhanced virtual community platform. We are very delighted that we have sealed the partnership with
Sulake and we strongly believe that it will create a new type of online community experience in
China," comments Mr. Raymond Cheung, Executive President, OPTIC Dreamz.
For more information please contact:
Mr. Timo Soininen, CEO, Sulake Corporation, tel: +358 9 681 2270, email:
timo.soininen@sulake.com
Mr. Raymond Cheung, Executive President, OPTIC Dreamz, tel: +86 010 8518 5778, email:
raymondcheung@dreamz.cn
www.sulake.com
www.habbohotel.com
www.habbochina.com
www.Dreamz.cn
About Sulake:
Sulake Corporation is an interactive entertainment company. It specializes in developing,
publishing and distributing multiplayer online communities and games, like Habbo Hotel. Sulake was
established in 2000, and it has more than doubled its annual revenues each year since then, and
this growth continued during 2005.
The main shareholders in Sulake include Taivas Group, 3i Group plc, Elisa Group and
Benchmark Capital followed by the company's founders Sampo Karjalainen and Aapo Kyrölä, Sulake's
CEO Timo Soininen and other personnel.
Sulake has localized Habbo Hotel communities in 16 countries on four continents: North
America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The company headquarters is in Finland and there are Sulake
offices in 17 countries. Currently Sulake has more than 230 employees worldwide.
About OPTIC and OPTIC DREAMZ:
OPTIC Communications Co., Ltd is a fully owned subsidiary of CITIC Pacific Limited, it is a
new hi-tech enterprise integrating research and development, operation and distribution of
entertainment software, with licenses in operating nationwide computer information network /
Internet Service Provider (ISP), ICP LAN and also Internet Publishing Title to develop and operate
games.
Founded in February 1999, OPTIC marched its way into online game industry in March 2003.
Currently, OPTIC deals with five main business domains including online game operation, wireless
business operation, software R&D, Internet Game Center and products marketing, with eight
branches as its affiliation, respectively in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Xi'an, Jinan,
Chengdu and Shenyang.
In 2005 OPTIC started a new division called "DREAMZ" with the main aim of creating and
developing an enhanced online virtual community platform for the Chinese internet users. Dreamz
aims to be the No.1 producer of online community events and products in China, complimenting all
existing internet brands and services. OPTIC will continue to rely on its superiority of rich
resources and experience, working hand in hand with overseas partners on development and research,
marketing and services of entertainment products. OPTIC main aim is to provide enjoyment, knowledge
and wisdom to our customers through entertainment; and it is our destination to become the most
respectable company in this field.
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