Media Coverage

Trilogy Studios’ Michael Pole builds virtual worlds

admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:38:00 -0400

The gig: Chief executive of Trilogy Studios, which moved to Sherman Oaks from a Santa Monica warehouse this week. The company has 32 domestic employees and 300 workers in Shanghai who develop multi-player online games and virtual worlds. In one, the "Pimp My Ride" world for MTV, more than 3 million subscribers personalize avatars that upgrade virtual cars. Other clients include Coca-Cola Co., Toyota Scion and Viacom Inc. Pole co-founded the private company, whose gross revenue is expected to grow 200% this year, with Rick Giolito in 2005.

Disney: When You Wish Upon a Startup

admin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:49:39 -0400

Its media-oriented VC fund, Steamboat Ventures, is quietly nurturing entrepreneurs
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) can fire up one of Hollywood's best-oiled marketing machines to promote Hannah Montana or High School Musical. But when it comes to one of its latest profit centers, Steamboat Ventures, the media giant dials down the publicity. Located in a nondescript building two miles from Disney's Burbank headquarters, the $575million venture capital firm has quietly nurtured 25 startups in an aggressive effort to seed new ideas.

Kung Fu Panda beats projections

admin — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:27:02 -0400

"Kung Fu Panda" kicked Adam Sandler's butt at the boxoffice this weekend, as the DreamWorks Animation comedy opened even bigger than expected with an estimated $60 million domestically.

Sony's comedy "You Don't Mess With the Zohan" -- starring Sandler as an Israeli commando turned New York hairdresser -- bowed about as anticipated, with $40 million, in second place.

Industrywide, the weekend marked a welcome 29% uptick from the same frame a year ago with $175 million in collective boxoffice, according to Nielsen EDI.

Trilogy Studios Marks Expansion with Lease on New Space

admin — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:34:25 -0400

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. – Leading casual MMO and virtual world developer/publisher Trilogy Studios has signed a lease for an 8,180 square foot office space in the TriCenter Plaza in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Three times the size of Trilogy’s current workspace, the new office space will accommodate their rapidly growing team. Total consideration for the five-year lease was $1.25 million.

Scion Allows Consumers to Redefine its Brand in Virtual World There.com

admin — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:12:49 -0500

SAN MATEO, Calif. – Makena Technologies, creator of the popular social virtual world There.com, today announced that Scion plans to continue and expand on its successful campaign in There.com, with a unique focus on user-generated content. Scion already runs a popular venue in There.com called Club Scion, a large-scale nightclub setting built inside each of the Scion xD, xB and tC models where members socialize, party and can interact with Scion content and explore the car interiors.

Game-Maker Trilogy Studios Wins $3.2M Series B

admin — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:44:34 -0400

Dow Jones Venture Capital

Santa Monica, Calif. – Videogame and virtual-world developer Trilogy Studios has raised $3.2 million in Series B financing.

The round's investors included Clarex Ltd., Chichen Itza Ventures LLC and "a number of" the company's Series A investors, according to Trilogy co-founder and Chief Executive Michael Pole.

Trilogy and Makena Combine Gameplay and Virtual Worlds

admin — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 12:44:27 -0400

We reported yesterday that Trilogy Studios had secured $3.2 million in Series B funding with Chichen Itza Ventures, the group behind Makena and There, leading the way. The announcement mentioned that the funding would help Trilogy expand its development of casual MMOs and virtual worlds. We spoke with Trilogy CEO Michael Pole about the distinction. He considers the platforms they build, for Virtual MTV for example, a hybrid of the two. "They're basically one and the same in some respects," said Pole. "The terminology used by brand companies and media companies are a little different. We're bringing a lot of the functionality that you'd see in an MMO into a casual MMO. Questing systems, skill trees, the ability to buy and sell, a whole host of things."

Trilogy Gets $3.2 Million in Funding

admin — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:54:26 -0400

Today, Trilogy Studios announced that they have received $3.2 million in funding. This second round of independent equity funding will help expand the company's casual MMO and virtual world business.

"We continue to leverage our extensive background of developing multi-million unit selling videogames to enhance the entertainment experience of virtual worlds and casual MMOs," said Michael Pole, Chairman and CEO of Trilogy Studios. "Combining our decades of experience in traditional gaming with Makena's leadership in social networking, we can provide media companies the opportunity to build a one on one relationship with their consumers while promoting and monetizing their content libraries and new entertainment properties in this exciting new medium."

Trilogy gets $3.2MM of Series B Funding

admin — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:41:19 -0400

Santa Monica, Calif. – Videogame and virtual world development company, Trilogy Studios, announced today the completion of its second round of independent equity funding, totaling $3.2 million. The funds will be allocated to expand the company's virtual world and casual massively multiplayer online (MMO) businesses. Founders Michael Pole and Rick Giolito also named Michael Wilson, CEO of Makena Technologies and producer of There.com, to Trilogy Studios' board of directors.

Trilogy Studios Completes $3.2 Million Funding

admin — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:58:34 -0400

Trilogy Studios has announced the completion of its second round of independent equity funding totaling USD 3.2 million.

The company also announced that Michael Wilson, CEO of Makena Technologies and producer of There.com, has been named to the board of directors.