In Brief: Verizon expands online-gaming aspirations

Verizon acquired a stake in Super Computer International, a game server hosting company.

One key factor for the purchase was to develop an online game browsing and messaging platform called PlayLinc that will give gamers more control over their multiplayer gaming interactions, more social networking tools and a wider variety of gaming experiences. Among the features gamers can take advantage of on the PlayLinc platform will be support for a variety of gaming platforms, messaging tools including IM and VoIP, dynamic server launching, server browsing, team management, buddy tracking, player invitations, on-game controls and more.

"Verizon's relationship with SCI will help us speed the development and distribution of an advanced online gaming platform with capabilities that we believe no other game messenger currently delivers," Mitch Dornich, group product manager for new product development at Verizon, said in a news release. "We're bringing together Verizon's strengths in broadband, the Internet, communications and mass marketing with SCI's state-of-the-art gaming technologies and expertise to create an entirely new experience for the online gaming community."

Financial details of the equity purchase were not disclosed.