Online Games Leader Bigpoint Announces Summit Partners and TA Associates to Make USD 350 Million Investment

Hamburg (ots) -

- Funding marks the second largest investment ever in an online
gaming company
- Founder and CEO Hubertz keeps his 30% share in Bigpoint

Bigpoint GmbH, a worldwide leader in online gaming platforms,
today announced that Summit Partners and TA Associates have signed
definitive documentation to invest USD 350 million to recapitalize
the company and position it for continued strong global growth.

"The investment by TA Associates and Summit Partners is a
validation of Bigpoint's leadership position within the gaming
industry, and will give us a huge boost toward becoming one of the
most successful gaming companies worldwide," said Heiko Hubertz, CEO
and Founder of Bigpoint. "Summit Partners and TA Associates are
supporting Bigpoint's international expansion -- a course we set out
upon in recent months with the opening of new offices in the United
States and Brazil. I'm looking forward to a future partnership of
mutual trust and cooperation."

TA Associates and Summit Partners jointly will own a controlling
share of Bigpoint. Previous shareholder Comcast Interactive Capital's
Peacock Equity Fund will sell their holdings in this transaction. GMT
Communications Partners and GE will sell a majority of their stakes.
Hubertz will retain his existing ownership stake. "Regarding myself,
I kept my share," said Hubertz. "I see the potential in Bigpoint to
exceed a value of one billion dollars and become the top online
gaming company in the world." added Hubertz, "Our thanks go to GMT
Communications Partners and Peacock Equity Fund for three very
exciting years. Their support has seen the company rapidly grow
during this period."

"We received an excellent return on our initial investment," said
Megumi Ikeda, Executive Director, Comcast Interactive Capital. "While
we are selling our share, we are very optimistic about Bigpoint's
future and are continuing our operational relationship with them at
NBC Universal."

Bigpoint is one of the leading companies in online games that can
be played directly in the browser. With more than 185 million
registered users, the company has a varied portfolio of
internationally successful and recognized games and brands, including
Battlestar Galactica Online, Farmerama and DarkOrbit. The company's
over 700 employees are currently working on the next generation of
gaming with upcoming blockbusters such as The Mummy Online, RamaCity
and Drakensang Online. Bigpoint has offices in Hamburg, Berlin, San
Francisco, São Paolo and Malta.

John Meeks, a Managing Director at TA Associates, said, "We look
forward to making this investment in Bigpoint alongside Summit
Partners. With a highly scalable platform, revenues diversified
across numerous games and multiple geographies, and a highly
attractive free-to-play model, we anticipate significant continued
growth for Bigpoint."

Scott Collins, a Managing Director at Summit Partners, said, "We
look forward to working closely with TA Associates, Heiko Hubertz and
the rest of the Bigpoint management team to continue growing this
exceptional company."

Summit Partners and TA Associates will join the Bigpoint Board of
Directors, which consists of Founder Hubertz and Board Chairman Simon
Guild. Completion is subject to regulatory approval and other
standard conditions.

Montgomery & Co. acted as the exclusive advisor for Bigpoint and
NOAH Advisors acted as the exclusive advisor for Summit Partners and
TA Associates in the transaction process.

Related links:
- http://www.bigpoint.net
- http://www.bigpoint.com

About Bigpoint

Bigpoint ( www.bigpoint.com ) is an online-game developer,
publisher, and content provider for large media concerns.
Bigpoint-developed games are played by over 185 million people in
more than 30 languages, are free-to-play anytime, anywhere, and
require no download or installation. The company's portfolio includes
games of a quality that until now were associated exclusively with CD
or console games. More than 700 employees from over 35 different
nations work at the company headquarters in Hamburg, Germany or at
other locations in Berlin, San Francisco, São Paulo and Malta.
Bigpoint's many distinctions in the industry include the Mashable
Best Online Game Award for "Farmerama", the "Fastest Growing Larger
Company" and "Uniqueness of Offering" prizes at the 2010 Media
Momentum Awards, as well as the MTV Skyscraper Award for
extraordinary achievement in game development. For more information
or press material, please visit the press area at www.bigpoint.net .

About Summit Partners

Summit Partners ( www.summitpartners.com ) is a growth equity that
invests in rapidly growing companies. Summit Partners seeks
outstanding management teams that have built their companies to
profitability and market leadership, and provides capital for growth,
recapitalizations and management buyouts. Founded in 1984, Summit
Partners has invested in more than 320 growing companies across a
range of geographies and industries including technology, education,
business services, healthcare, consumer and industrial products,
among many others. With offices in Boston, London and Palo Alto,
Summit Partners has raised more than USD 11 billion in capital since
inception.

About TA Associates

Founded in 1968, TA Associates ( www.ta.com ) is one of the
largest and most experienced middle-market private equity firms. The
firm has invested in over 400 companies and manages more than USD 16
billion in capital. With offices in Boston, London, Menlo Park and
Mumbai, TA Associates leads buyouts and minority recapitalizations of
profitable growth companies in the technology, financial services,
business services, healthcare and consumer industries.

In the United States of America, Summit Partners operates as an
SEC- registered investment advisor. In the United Kingdom, this
document is issued by Summit Partners Limited, a firm authorized and
regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Summit Partners
Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales with
company number 4141197, and its registered office is at 20-22 Bedford
Row, London, WC1R 4JS, UK. This document is intended solely to
provide information regarding Summit Partners' potential financing
capabilities for prospective portfolio companies.

This document is approved for issue in the United Kingdom by TA
Associates Ltd., which is regulated by the Financial Services
Authority.

For questions, please contact:
Bigpoint GmbH
Janine Griffel
Head of PR
T: +49-(0)40 881413-163
F: +49-(0)40 881413-7163
E: j.griffel@bigpoint.net