FierceGameBiz Announces Top 15 Emerging Video Gaming Companies

Washington, D.C. – Sept. 18, 2006 – FierceGameBiz (www.fiercegamebiz.com) today announced the winners of its first-ever Fierce15 Awards, which recognize companies that are leaders and innovators in the $24.2 billion video game industry.
                           
The Fierce 15 winners are drawn from among hundreds of emerging privately-held companies followed daily by FierceGameBiz. Winners were chosen for their pioneering spirit, capacity for growth and potential for shaping the future of the video gaming industry.

“Gaming hardware and software is a booming market, worth $24.2 billion in 2005, up 17.1 percent from the previous year,” said Nathan Eddy, editor of FierceGameBiz. “But not every company has what it takes to capitalize on that opportunity. These 15 companies are the ones to watch because they’re not only leading this market; they’re taking it to the next level.”

The Fierce 15 celebrates the spirit of being “fierce” - - championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. A profile of each of the Fierce 15 companies is available in today’s issue of FierceGameBiz and on the FierceGameBiz Web site at http://www.fiercegamebiz.com.

The 2006 Fierce15 video game companies are:

• Aria Systems – Media, PA - www.ariasystems.com
• Big Fish Studios – Seattle, WA - www.bigfishgames.com
• Cascada Mobile –Toronto, Canada -  www.cascadamobile.com
• Digital Chocolate – San Mateo, CA - www.digitalchocolate.com
• Double Fusion –San Francisco, CA -  www.doublefusion.com
• Exent –Bethesda, MD - www.exent.com
• Glu Mobile – San Mateo, CA - www.glu.com

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• Greystripe – San Francisco, CA - www.greystripe.com
• K2 Network – Irvine, CA - www.k2network.net
• NeoEdge Networks – Palo Alto, CA - www.neoedge.com
• PopCap – Seattle, WA - www.popcap.com
• Public Games – Austin, TX - www.publicgames.com
• Pulse Interactive – Austin, TX - www.pulsemobilegames.com
• Sennari – Cupertino, CA - www.sennari.com
• Vivox – Framingham, MA - www.vivox.com

“The success and innovation of these companies highlight the dynamism of the gaming market and how it is intersecting with the wireless, advertising and entertainment industries,” said Jeff Giesea, president of FierceMarkets, the parent company of FierceGameBiz.

FierceGameBiz is a daily newsletter and web site covering the latest gaming industry news, trends and developments. Launched in July 2006, FierceGameBiz covers leading topics in the video game industry such as mobile gaming, online gaming, in-game advertising and MMOGs. Signing  up is free at http://www.fiercegamebiz.com/subscribe.php.

About FierceMarkets
FierceMarkets is a digital business media company serving vertical markets with email newsletters, web sites, and live events. Based in Washington, DC, FierceMarkets publications reach more than 400,000 executives in over 100 countries every business day. Current publications include FierceBioResearcher (http://www.fiercebioresearcher.com), FierceBiotech (http://www.fiercebiotech.com), FierceBioResearcher (http://www.fiercebioresearcher.com), FierceCIO (http://www.fiercecio.com), FierceDeveloper (http://www.fiercedeveloper.com), FierceEnterprise (http://www.fierceenterprise.com), FierceFinance (http://www.fiercefinance.com), FierceGameBiz (http://www.fiercegamebiz.com), FierceHealthCare (http:///www.fiercehealthcare.com), FierceHealthIT (http://www.fiercehealthit.com), FierceIPTV (http://www.fierceiptv.com), FierceMobileContent (http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com), FierceSarbox (http://www.fiercesarbox.com), FierceVoIP (http://www.fiercevoip.com), FierceWiFi (http://www.fiercewifi.com), FierceWireless (http://www.fiercewireless.com), and IT-Wireless (http://www.it-wireless.com).