Koch Media invests in free-to-play firm

European distributor Koch Media is venturing into free-to-play games by investing in the company behind Brick-Force.

Koch has acquired a significant minority stake in Berlin-based developer/publisher Infernum Productions. The move will give the firm a stronger presence in the growing sector.

Infernum is best known for its F2P sandbox shooter Brick-Force, a Minecraft-style game that lets players build arenas and then use them for FPS deathmatches.

Brick-Force has more than 1.5m players worldwide. Koch will be assisting Infernum with the release of its next title, an MMO called Dragon’s Prophet.

Koch Media is the latest of many traditional games firms to invest in the rapidly-growing free-to-play market. Last month, MCV took an in-depth look at the sector.

"We see great opportunities for growth in the area of free-to-play online gaming," said Koch Media CEO Klemens Kundratitz.

"Infernum is in an excellent position, having high-quality products and one of the most experienced teams. Through our strategic investment, we want to support Infernum on the way to becoming a leading provider in the free-to-play market, and to participate in the enormous business potential."