Halo Multiplayer Lead forms New company in Austin

Certain Affinity, Inc. unveiled itself to the world today as a new development
studio based in Austin, TX. In a strategic partnership with Bungie Studios and
Microsoft Game Studios, Certain Affinity’s first project is developing
multiplayer maps for Halo 2, which will release this spring by Microsoft
Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360. The company is also creating a new
Xbox 360 title to be announced at a later date.

Founded by Max Hoberman, an industry veteran and former Halo 2 and
Halo 3 multiplayer team lead, Certain Affinity is focused on creating
top-tier games and content in an efficient, no-nonsense manner. The company’s
staff and leadership averages 12 years in the industry and draws on a wealth of
experience from such companies as Origin, Digital Anvil, and Bungie. The team
includes major contributors from dozens of hit titles including games in the
Ultima, Wing Commander, Myth, Asheron’s Call,
Freelancer, and Ghost Recon series, as well as all of the titles in
the Halo series.

"We’re not setting out to change the industry," says Hoberman. "We’re creating
games by choosing strong leaders, talented and experienced developers, and solid
partners. This partnership with Bungie and Microsoft Game Studios is a piece of
that puzzle and we hope it’s the start of a long and fruitful relationship."

This down-to-earth approach has been a hallmark of Hoberman’s success as the
former Halo 2 and Halo 3 multiplayer team lead, where he initiated
and oversaw the multiplayer gameplay, user interface, and online systems.
Hoberman drove the invention of features like matchmaking and the party system
that helped to make Halo 2 the most played game on Xbox Live for two
straight years after its release in 2004, with a total of 800 million hours of
Halo 2 played online to date.

After 10 years at Bungie, Hoberman is leaving in the wake of a remarkable string
of achievements and maintains a strong relationship with the studio. He spent
the first year and a half on Halo 3 developing a solid foundation for the
multiplayer and online game, and building a team able to carry the project
through to completion. "What we’ve accomplished with Halo 3 is extraordinary,"
he says. "Halo 2 turned the online world on its head, but Halo 3 is going to rip
its head right off. I am proud of my contribution to the Halo series and have
learned a lot from my friends at Bungie."

Certain Affinity is not releasing details yet on the game they are working on.

About Certain Affinity
Certain Affinity was founded in 2006 to make innovative action-oriented
games set in immersive worlds. The studio is focused on creating original
content and titles with top leadership talent, an experienced, professional
team, and with strong partners. For more information about Certain Affinity,
visit
www.certainaffinity.com