Joymax, an independent developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for the global market, became the first Korean game developer to host the Game and Game World Championship (GNGWC) qualifying tournament in Egypt and Turkey. The tournaments took place within Silkroad Gold, the historical fantasy MMORPG. These regional competitions for the GNGWC 2008 were sponsored by Korea SW Promotion Agency (KIPA) and KT.

In Egypt, over 1,500 players in 50 internet cafes participated in the tournament, which was organized into two rounds. The top 30 players earned a place in the international finals, which will be held in Korea. To add to the success of the event, a record-setting 12,500 Turkish players participated in the tournament, designating them as the largest contingent of Silkroad Gold players in the world.

“We chose to hold tournaments in Egypt and Turkey because their passion and enthusiasm for Silkroad Gold was immediately evident to us,” said Joe Cho who is in charge of Joymax’s Global Business Team. “The support that players from both countries have shown was essential to making these regional tournaments a resounding success.”

Silkroad Gold is a massively multiplayer online RPG that puts the player deep into historical fantasy, joining the Chinese and European civilizations along the Silk Road trade route. Traveling across Jang’an, from China to Constantinople, players can make their fortunes as merchants, prey on the rich as thieves, or be protection-for-hire as hunters. The recently released expansion, Legend III Roc Mountain, added new territory, quests, weapons, and an increased level cap for adventurers. With over 18 million registered users and 170,000 concurrent players worldwide, the triangular conflict of Silkroad Online has never been more exciting.