Winning at video games requires strategy, skill and speed - winning in the video game industry requires nothing less. Japan remains the undisputed leader in Asian video game innovation despite the industry's domination by the mainland and South Korea. One of the top 10 independent game developers in Japan, Premium Agency is strengthening its game in the Asian arena. "We're not specifically focused on creating everything only in Japan, we're also collaborating with Asian companies that we can partner with, or who can use our technology," says CEO and executive producer Katsunori Yamaji. Premium Agency recognises the industry's shift from consoles to handhelds to smartphones and social networking sites from a consumer and technology perspective. This trend gave rise to the company's proprietary Chidori Engine. The scalable and platform agnostic middleware allows Premium Agency to produce a wide range of applications including games, animation, live video and interactive technology. The Chidori Engine is the basis of Premium Agency's two other core businesses: 3D applications and LiveAR (augmented reality), which allows 3D images to be composited into video in real-time. Premium Agency has formed partnerships with media and entertainment companies in Hong Kong and Singapore to use LiveAR. The company also plans to create business and advertising applications for LiveAR, and is open to partnerships with Asian companies. Premium Agency encourages the use of the Chidori Engine via its own Chidori Academy, which focuses on talent, technology and teamwork. Through the academy, the company aims to guide aspiring content providers throughout East Asia. Premium Agency has teamed up with Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore and Tenone Technology on the mainland, and is looking for more regional educational partners. "While other middleware in the United States has become the de facto standard for many gaming applications, we can provide the high technology software to create a de facto standard in gaming applications in Asia," Yamaji says. Premium Agency http://www.premiumagency.com/eng/index.php
