ION Storm - Press News - Coming Soon Magazine

ION Storm to Create Computer Game Design Utopia in Dallas Landmark

Dallas, TX, April 28, 1997 -- Wealth and wonderland combine when computer game developer ION Storm moves into its new office space high atop Dallas, Texas. ION Storm plans to create a high-tech gaming utopia in the penthouse suite of the Texas Commerce Tower. One of the city's architectural landmarks and tallest buildings, the glass-roofed 55-story skyscraper is home to many of Dallas' finest financial, legal and oil executives.

Led by industry vanguard John Romero of computer game DOOM and QUAKE fame, and the company's other co-founders Todd Porter, Tom Hall and Jerry O'Flaherty and biz guys, Mike Wilson and Bob Wright, ION Storm is the industry's hottest new game design company. According to Mike Wilson, ION Storm's 26-year-old chief executive officer, "We are designing the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory of the computer gaming world. This space is an architectural dream. Once the construction is completed, it will be the epitome of what a gaming company's offices should look like."

The capacious office with 40 ft. glass ceilings, loft spaces and industrial staircases is ideal for the game designers as it encourages open collaboration among the artists and programmers and the sharing of resources. The "crystal palace" will house more than 60 artists, designers, programmers, both male and female, and the biz guys.

ION Storm is the first tenant in the nine-year-old building's 21,000 square foot penthouse suite which occupies the top two stories. While the penthouse is being built-out, ION Storm will reside on the 30th floor, developing three titles to be released over the next two years - the 3D action Daikatana; a fantasy role-playing game, Anachronox; and Doppelganger, a real time strategy game. ION Storm plans to move into their permanent space in August 1997.

"Paine Webber is on the 53rd floor and the 'pain givers' are on the 54th floor," quipped ION Storm co-founder and game designer Tom Hall, alluding to the action-packed and sometimes violent nature of computer games.

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ION Storm, based in Dallas, TX, is a revolutionary new computer game design company where the designer's vision is law. Led by industry legends, John Romero, Tom Hall, Todd Porter and Jerry O'Flaherty, ION Storm currently has three titles in development: a role-playing game, an action/adventure game and a real-time strategy game. Founded in November, 1996, the company will break down the barriers between computer game genres creating a more immersive and engrossing gaming experience.

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