FUNTASTIC INTERACTIVE JOINS Madman ENTERTAINMENT

Madman Entertainment – Australia’s largest independent distributor of theatrical and home entertainment product is thrilled to announce its expansion into the gaming market following the recent integration & rebranding of Funtastic Interactive into its business. Effective immediately, the division will now trade as Madman Interactive.

“To be integrated & rebranded as Madman Interactive makes perfect business sense and from a cultural view point we couldn’t ask for a better fit” said Gavin Wulfsohn, Business Manager – Interactive. “The entire team is genuinely excited to be part of Madman Entertainment and we believe this will further strengthen our appeal and credibility throughout the industry world wide.”

In 2009 / 2010 Madman Interactive will be bringing to market  the critically acclaimed Giana Sisters, Sacred 2 – Fallen Angel, Cursed Mountain, Divinity II – Ego Draconis & Split / Second just to name a few. “As you can see, we are no longer just a player in the casual market.” said Gavin Wulfsohn. “We’ve grown exponentially in revenue and personnel over a very short period of time. Our recent distribution acquisitions including Koch Media, dtp entertainment and Zushi Games, as well as our long standing partnership with Disney Interactive Studios allows us to capture a greater share of the Australian & New Zealand gaming market with a more diverse product offering.”

Recently appointed General Manager of Sales & Marketing for Madman Entertainment, Darrien Puddy, will oversee Madman Interactive, drawing on a wealth of industry experience and knowledge gained during a 25 year career in home entertainment across the DVD, music and interactive gaming categories, most recently as General Manager – Australia & New Zealand at Activision/Blizzard. “I am personally incredibly excited by the integration of Funtastic Interactive into the Madman business. With a strong product line up for Q4 and an excellent team in place, I look forward to working closely with Madman Interactive and our channel partners to maximise these and other shared opportunities in 2009.”

Tim Anderson, Managing Director – Madman Entertainment said “Madman Entertainment’s expansion into the gaming category via the integration of Funtastic Interactive is the next logical step for both businesses. I welcome the Interactive team on board and look forward to our joint continued growth and expansion.”