Carroll County News covers formation of Brainstem Games.

ES Folk has a post on the formation of Brainstem Games.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:
Ken Rundel, Public Relations
City Advertising & Promotion Commission P.O. Box 522
Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
Phone 479-253-7333
E-mail ken@eurekasprings.org

Roenigk and Partners Form Local Game Software Development Firm

(EUREKA SPRINGS, AR): Three businessmen have announced the formation of a new video game software development firm, Brainstem Games, to be headquartered in the Eureka Springs area. The partnership consists of Marty Roenigk, owner of the Crescent and Basin Park Hotels as well as the War Eagle Mill, Chris Breckenridge, president of Eureka Computer Systems (ECS), and Pat Wilkinson, a New York City native with a background in design and manufacture. Wilkinson will serve as President of the new company, Breckenridge as Vice President of Operations, and Roenigk will provide financial backing. Brainstem Games has leased the 4,700 sq. ft. space that was formerly the Blue Heron restaurant at Holiday Island.

“Gaming has become a worldwide phenomenon,” said Marty Roenigk. “For an increasing percentage of the population it is becoming a second reality, and a compelling activity. We have some tremendous new ideas for massively multiplayer games, both on the technology side and the story/artistic/animation/involvement side. We believe we can have a real impact in the gaming world.”

While initial plans call for Brainstem Games to start with a very small staff, Breckenridge noted that it could eventually bring a “hundred or more new jobs” to the community. Breckenridge added the company has immediate openings for C++ programmers and creative personnel with a heavy personal involvement in the gaming world. He said the firm prefers to hire locally if possible.

In addition to the software development company, the three also plan to launch a software publication firm in the near future. “This is a huge and growing industry and we intend to bite off as big a piece of it as we can,” said Breckenridge.

The partners are also discussing with the CAPC the possibility of bringing a video gaming convention to Eureka Springs. According to Breckenridge, there’s an enormous convention void that has just developed because the huge E3 convention has changed its rules this year. “They’re only going to allow the top companies in the field to attend,” he explained. “So the public at large as well as the small and medium-sized software developers will be crying out for another place to go.”

According to publicist Ken Rundel, the CAPC will take a very serious look at the possibility of the city hosting such a convention. “It’s easy to see how this type of convention could attract young people and considerably broaden our demographic base,” he said.