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PARIS – October 11, 2011 – The Game Bakers, an independent video game studio founded by industry veterans, is pleased to announce the release of their debut game, SQUIDS. Now available for iPhone and iPod touch, SQUIDS sells for $0.99 on the App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/app/squids/id467904350 Developed by a team that has years of experience working on AAA console games, SQUIDS combines RPG elements and tactical gameplay with convenient touch controls, gorgeous graphics, and an epic adventure storyline. An infectious black ooze is threatening the Squids’ lush underwater world, turning ordinary crustaceans into dangerous monsters. Now it’s up to a ragtag team of Squid heroes to fend off the corrupted hordes and protect their peaceful homeland from certain destruction. The game’s heroes may be stretchy and springy, cute and colorful, but there’s also plenty of gameplay behind this fun façade. Choose your heroes among four classes, each with unique abilities and attacks, to build the perfect party. Then lead your team into turn-based battles against the infected crabs and shrimp. Use each Squid’s strengths, the environment, and enemies’ weaknesses to devise strategic attacks. Level up your Squids and customize your party with skill-boosting helmets. The game’s touch controls are easy to master: simply grab a Squid by the tentacles and fling it across the battlefield! “After years of working on best-selling console games, we formed our own studio so we could bring our expertise of AAA games development to iPhone gaming and make the best of the two worlds meet,” says Emeric Thoa, The Game Bakers’ CCO and co-founder. “SQUIDS has the depth hardcore gamers are looking for, along with the accessibility casual gamers expect on the iPhone or iPod touch. From the funny characters to the adventurous story to all of the tactical possibilities, SQUIDS offers something for all types of players.” SQUIDS is also coming soon to iPad (HD), Android, PC, and Mac. To learn more about SQUIDS, visit the website at http://squidsthegame.com or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SquidsTheGame. ###

Hello everyone ! Let me introduce today, the most powerful of all our Squids : Winnick. Winnick is an old master and a survivor of the first war. He certainly is the wisest of all. Always of very good advice, he is also very generous and devoted to those he particularly likes. He is now yearning for a more peaceful life, full of savory food, fine wine and good company. In battle, Winnick is unbeatable. He is a multi-class character : he has a very strong stomp attack, but he can also dash like Steev or Kapono. His stomp attack is very powerful but also pushes back enemies very far, increasing chances for them to fall in holes or crush themselves on urchins. You can learn more about the other heroes here : https://www.thegamebakers.com/squids-characters-reveal.html

We are pleased to announce that our upcoming game, SQUIDS, will release for iPhone / iPod touch on October 13. Please help us spread the news! In SQUIDS, The Game Bakers have combined classic RPG gameplay with intuitive touch controls, gorgeous cartoon graphics, and an epic storyline to create a fun and totally unique iPhone gaming experience. When an infectious black ooze infiltrates the Squids’ underwater kingdom, only a few wily heroes have the skills to fight back. Your job, should you choose to accept it: recruit a party of these stretchy sea creatures and lead them into battle against the dark hordes. New screenshots and videos! To celebrate today’s release date announcement, we have a new batch of SQUIDS screenshots and gameplay videos highlighting some of the game’s playable characters: Screenshots: https://www.thegamebakers.com/files/screenshots/squids_screenshots3.html Gameplay videos: https://www.thegamebakers.com/squids-characters-reveal.html You can also find our earlier screenshots and trailer on The Game Bakers’ press page: https://www.thegamebakers.com/vip Review copy details! We’re preparing an advance review copy for press, which should be ready next week. If you’d like to review SQUIDS for iPhone / iPod touch, please write back to us before the end of the week. In addition to the upcoming iPhone / iPod touch release, SQUIDS will also be coming to iPad (HD version), Android, PC, and Mac later this year.      

The game will be out soon now! And until then, every week, we are going to tell you a little more about the heroes who could be part of your team of Squids. > Steev – Hero # 1 – Scout

Steev is undoubtedly a hot head! Without hesitation, he will rush head down at your tougher enemy.

Steev is a scout and he has a special ability called dash. It allows him to cover more distance than his companions and perform combos. But his true specialty, and what he loves the most, is attack. He is one of the most powerful Squids with strong melee attacks and combos. > Clint – Hero # 4 – Shooter Clint is a mysterious cowboy, with a shady past. Rumor has it he fought along the Old guard in the time of legends, when the Black Ooze first appeared and the dark hordes rampaged through the Squids’ world. Another rumor has it that where he is from, his name is well known, not always for the most righteous deeds though… But he is also an experienced Squids who is always able to provide the best advice. And above all he is an incredible shooter! The accuracy of his shots makes him a real danger for the enemies. > Kapono – Hero #8 – Scout Kapono is by far the most enigmatic of all! Even if he is far from being discrete, he does not say much about himself. Some say that there is more to Kapono than what can be gathered at first look. Just like Steev, Kapono is a scout. Small and not so fit to take damage, his skill comes from his mobility: his dash is incredible and can be used to cover an astounding distance or inflict serious combo damage! > Vahine – Hero #2 – Healer Vahine has always been a loner. She is not alone anymore but she hasn’t realized it yet. Vahine is a great healer, but she is not as strong as her companions to attack or take damage. Who will you chose for your Squids team?

The two shows are now finished and we came back exhausted. It was an amazing experience. We had a great time with the journalists. It was very cool and also greatly constructive to have all the direct feedbacks about the game, and all the love! Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to visit all the booths but we enjoyed the food (especially sausages and pretzels in Cologne!). You can find some of the greatests moments of our trip in those two albums: Gamescom and PAX. Again, thank you very much to all who took the time to visit us and a special thanks to our PR team for the great organization. See you next year (or sooner)!

We are just back from Gamescom and we already on the plane for PAX! We are very happy to give SQUIDS their first swim across the Atlantic, and present the game on that side of the world. We will be there from August 26th to 28th. If you’re attending, let us know here in the comments or send an email to us at hello@thegamebakers.com so we can meet. We’ll also be tweeting photos and news about SQUIDS during the show! Follow #TheGameBakers to stay informed.

PARIS – August 16, 2011 – Get ready to grab some tentacles! The Game Bakers, a new development studio founded by video game industry veterans, is revealing the first details of their upcoming underwater epic, SQUIDS. The game will release for iPhone / iPod Touch in October, with versions for iPad, Mac, PC, and Android following soon after. In SQUIDS, players will command a small army of stretchy, springy sea creatures to protect an idyllic underwater kingdom from a sinister emerging threat. An infectious black ooze is spreading through the lush seascape, turning ordinary crustaceans into menacing monsters. Now a plucky team of Squids—each with unique personalities, skills, and ability-boosting attire—must defend their homeland and overturn the evil forces that jeopardize their aquatic utopia. With its adventurous plot, whimsical cartoon artwork, and tactical RPG-inspired gameplay, SQUIDS combines old-school gaming sensibilities with the hands-on convenience of touch-enabled smart phones and tablets. Turn-based battles are fought with simple controls that allow players to stretch Squid heroes by the tentacles and fling them across the battlefield. Special moves, combo attacks, and customizable characters make for a dynamic playing experience that goes deeper than most mobile games. Plus the game’s Retina Display optimized graphics, highlighted by breathtaking underwater environments and hilarious character animations, make SQUIDS one of the best-looking iPhone / iPod Touch games to date. The Game Bakers was founded earlier this year by former Ubisoft employees whose credits include Splinter Cell Double Agent™, Tom Clancy’s EndWar™, and other best-selling action games. SQUIDS was born of the team’s desire to return to the playful fun of video gaming’s earlier days. “Making SQUIDS has been like baking a cake,” says The Game Bakers’ creative director Emeric Thoa. “We took the best ingredients from our years of AAA console game development, especially in terms of depth, and we mixed those in with the best of iOS gaming. Then we layered a fun universe and characters on top. We’ve sneaked a bite of our cake and it tastes delicious—we hope you like it too!” SQUIDS will be shown to the press for the first time at this week’s GamesCom convention. To learn more about SQUIDS or sign up for The Game Bakers’ newsletter to receive development updates, visit https://www.thegamebakers.com. # # #

That’s it! Next week, Audrey and Emeric will attend GamesCom and reveal the first details on our upcoming underwater epic, SQUIDS.

We will be around from August 17th to 19th, and would be very happy to meet with you if you are attending. It will be a great opportunity to show you more about the game, and share tips about the best restaurants in town!

Visit us at our booth located in the Business Center: Hall 4.2. Stand B029 or get in touch by sending us an email (hello@thegamebakers.com)

Hope to see you in Cologne!

Audrey and Emeric for The Game Bakers

PARIS – 5 July 2011 – Audrey Leprince and Emeric Thoa, two award-winning video game developers, are announcing the formation of a new game studio, The Game Bakers. Based in Paris and Montpellier, France, The Game Bakers are dedicated to crafting AAA quality games for mobile platforms.

Having worked on AAA titles including Tom Clancy’s EndWar™ and Splinter Cell Double Agent™, Leprince and Thoa are accustomed to building traditional console games that require 200-person teams, millions of dollars, and years to develop. With The Game Bakers, the duo will focus on smaller scale, more agile creative projects that will take advantage of the opportunities afforded by touch devices and the exploding mobile market. They have been joined by senior developers and talents from the video game world and the comic book industry.

The Game Bakers are currently working on SQUIDS™ for mobile platforms, PC, and Mac. In this epic adventure game, the player recruits a team of misfit squid to banish the Black Ooze from the seas. More details will be revealed in the coming months, with a release planned for Autumn 2011.

Download the press kit: https://www.thegamebakers.com/files/TheGameBakers_PressKit.zip

Logo and Developers pictures: https://www.thegamebakers.com/TGB_announcement.html

For more information visit https://www.thegamebakers.com/ or follow The Game Bakers on Facebook.

Contact:

hello@thegamebakers.com

The Game Bakers – 59, Rue Reaumur, Paris, 75002, France

Phone: +33 699 183 109

DEVELOPERS BIO

Emeric Thoa is in charge of The Game Bakers’ creative content. In a previous life he was Worldwide Director of Conception for Ubisoft and played a major role in the design of best-selling AAA console games such as Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™, Splinter Cell Double Agent™ and Rayman Raving Rabbids™.

Audrey Leprince worked as a Producer on several best-selling console games. Her most recent game was the award winning voice controlled RTS Tom Clancy’s EndWar™. She started in the industry as a game designer and producer for independent studios, before spending 6 years developing games for Ubisoft in China.

Q&A WITH AUDREY AND EMERIC

What does it mean to deliver AAA games on mobile devices?

Emeric: it means that we take the best of the mobile gaming experience. For instance, all the qualities of a game like Cut The Rope™: super intuitive controls designed for the touch platforms, overall simplicity in gameplay, streamlined game structure, and attractive characters. But on top of that, we add a little bit of depth: an epic adventure to develop the universe, a light RPG progression where you build a team and take tactical decisions… all of it with top quality execution. A friend of ours said we want to be “Popcap meets Nintendo”. It made us laugh because we are big fans and we have a lot of admiration for those teams, and it became our dream goal!

How different is it to work for a major publisher than for a small independent studio?

Audrey: When you come out of a long console game development, it’s a breath of fresh air to work on shorter development cycles, with smaller development teams, and have a direct connection with the gamers. It’s a lot of work and presents a lot of new challenges, but it feels like this is where the future of gaming is happening. A lot of senior developers seem to be thinking along those lines, and it’s a great experience to be making games with people who would rather do nothing else but what they are doing.

Can you tell us more about the game SQUIDS™?

Emeric: I cannot say much right now but the game is about a team of squid that fate turns into the guardians of the oceans, and who must protect their world from an upcoming threat: the Black Ooze. The game features very cute squid characters, but it is also an epic journey that will seduce every gamer. More details on the game will be disclosed soon and we have a Beta test planned for this summer.

SQUIDS™, The Game Bakers™ are registered trademarks by The Game Bakers™. All trademarks are owned by their respective owners.

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So that’s it. After weeks of hard work we are happy to share with you the first pictures of SQUIDS: the preparatory work for characters and environments done by our Art Director Jerome. We hope you like it. The game is about a team of Squids that fate turns into the guardians of the Oceans, and who must protect their world from an upcoming threat: the Black Ooze. You will build an army of Squids to fight off zombie crabs and shrimps and live through an epic adventure. The game will release for iOS, PC and Mac. We are pretty impatient as we are preparing a Beta test for this summer so we can hear your feedback on the game and make the all the adjustments before it’s released in September. Stay posted as we will regularly release new information on the game. Or even better, register here for our newsletter so you won’t miss any news.