ISM opens Canadian office in Vancouver, BC

Interactive Deal Maker Adds Bench Strength To ISM

VANCOUVER, March 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - ISM, the leading agency representing independent game developers (www.ism-agency.com), has opened its first Canadian office in Vancouver, BC, and added local dealmaker, Sean Murch, to its list of agents.  Previously in charge of central development for EA Sports, Sean's 20 years of experience in the traditional and interactive entertainment sectors make him a perfect fit for ISM.

"Sean's lasting industry relationships, combined with his thorough understanding of publishing and development priorities, make him the perfect addition to our team, and the perfect fit for our further expansion into Canada." said Clyde Grossman, ISM's Managing Director.

Representing 11 AAA game development studios with a total of over 800 developers, ISM assists independent companies in all phases of development.  By employing smart, experienced agents around the world, ISM expertly pairs its clients with global publishing opportunities.

"Enabling developers to reach their creative and financial goals is extremely rewarding." said Sean Murch, adding that "The game development scene in Vancouver is one of the strongest in the world.  It makes a lot of sense for us to be here."

"We are glad ISM will be involved in British Columbia and Canada", said Howard Donaldson, President of DigiBC, the industry association for digital media and wireless companies in BC. "Sean has played an integral role in the local video games industry for several years and now is in a position to attract new investment and new high paying jobs to BC and local video game developers."

"Its great news that ISM has opened its first Canadian office in British Columbia," said Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation. "ISM's presence will further strengthen the game development sector in B.C. by helping local game developers access global publishing opportunities. This announcement represents a series of recent announcements in B.C.'s video game sector that are creating jobs and helping us maintain our competitive advantage."

Prior to joining ISM, Sean was the CEO of game publisher, Playful Entertainment.  He also acted as Head of Business Development for renowned Nintendo developer, Next Level Games and Head of Central Production for EA Sports.  Sean produced his first console title for Radical Entertainment in 1995.  Before that, he enjoyed a successful career as a development executive and producer/writer in the Film and Television industry, most notably with director Francis Ford Coppola.

About ISM:

Founded in 1996 with offices in Southern California, Northern California, New York, Japan, and now Vancouver, ISM (Interactive Studio Management) is the leading agency in interactive entertainment representing AAA studios such as: Acquire CORP, Asobo Studio, Digital Extremes, Mass Media, Nihilistic Software, n-Space, Premium Agency, Red Fly Studio, Reverge Labs, Saber Interactive & Silicon Knights. On behalf of its clients, ISM has closed over 200 publishing deals, more than 25 with first party publishers.

SOURCE Interactive Studio Management