Omerta Game Ltd, publisher of the web's leading Mafia-themed massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) announces the launch of the latest version of its very successful game, which has become famous with online gaming circles, for letting players decide which changes should be made.Omerta, is set against the backdrop of a 1930's Mafia underworld and plays out in several USA and Sicilian cities, where the top Mafioso is Don Gianluca Barafranca. Mafia families battle each other for control of city centres and of the lucrative contraband smuggling industry.
The goal of each player is to try to replace the venerable Don by plotting and killing his way to control of the Mafia empire. Players also progress by stealing, racketeering, robbing banks, stealing and racing cars and forging alliances. All game play happens in real time and without illustrations – Omerta is a text-based game, which means that players spend a lot of time role-playing in the dedicated IRC chat server, acting out Mafia themed scenarios.Omerta is free to sign up and play and the only requirements are a PC and internet connection. Monetary contributions are voluntary and players who contribute do not enjoy any specific advantages over those who cannot or choose not to. This ensures that the Omerta community remains the biggest of its type on the internet.
Since humble beginnings in a teenager's bedroom in Groningen, The Netherlands, in 2003, Omerta has grown up to be a worldwide concern with offices in Hull, UK, The Netherlands, Turkey, China and Portugal, employing a full time staff of 22 and with more than 250 dedicated volunteers, helping new players to understand how the game should be played.
There have been more than 3.5 million player registrations to date, a figure which grows daily. Omerta is playable in 34 languages including Mandarin Chinese and Frisian, a dialect spoken only in the North of The Netherlands. In total, 150 countries are represented by players of Omerta.
One feature of the game which sets it aside from countless rival products is community involvement – Omerta uses a system of suggestion management and a variety of different voluntary bodies to consider players wishes for how the game should work and make strategic decisions about new features.
Feedback from its playing community continues to prove invaluable as the company looks to constantly improve the game and recruit new players.
“We pride ourselves on involving our players, listening to their feedback and then responding accordingly. Our players can make recommendations which are then discussed in the user group and actioned by our development team”. Comments Steve Biddick, CEO of Omerta Game Ltd. “There had been a lot of talk among our players about making a change to how players are killed within the game. We have since implemented these changes so that in effect, the strength of the players account will be a crucial factor in a duel as a higher ranked player can take more bullets. But now is the best time for new players to join in with Omerta as with a new version, everybody starts from what is effectively a level playing field”.Omerta boasts a busy IRC chat server which frequently has more than 4,000 concurrent users and typically more than 70,000 log in every day to chat, race cars and organise Mafia family wars. The game is run by a crew of over 250 volunteers worldwide. And Steve Biddick is quick to acknowledge the role they play, “Omerta will only continue to remain as one of the biggest gangster games on the internet through innovation driven by its playing community and the management provided by our stellar network of volunteer crew members”.
