Masthead Studios was at the Games Convention 2008 in Leipzig. But they don't got a place to show the game. But we got the chance to talk with CEO Atanas Atansov.

Hello Atanas Atanasov,
Thank you for your time. We hope you got a nice trip to Leipzig and we got some Questions for you.

EarthriseHQ.de: For our new reader, can you give us a brief summary of the main features and the idea behind Earthrise?

Atanas Atanasov: Earthrise is a post-apocalyptic science fiction MMORPG, set in the distant future. It is a skill-based sandbox MMO with emphasis on PvP and freedom of the player. The game will also feature sophisticated crafting and player-run economy.

Gameconvention 2008 in Leipzig

EarthriseHQ.de: Can you tell us about your trip to the GC08?

Atanas Atanasov: Our trip to GC was mostly for business purposes. It was part of our strategy to find and work with the best possible partners who are in one way or another related to running a top quality MMORPG.

EarthriseHQ.de: Do you have plans to attend future trade fairs? When do you plan to bring Earthrise public for conferences?

Atanas Atanasov: Yes, we are going to the 2008 Austin GDC in one week. Like Leipzig, this trip will be for meeting with possible partners and the media. We plan to bring Earthrise public after Q1 next year, but before that we plan to show in-game videos and start beta testing.

EarthriseHQ.de: What is your team currently working on?

Atanas Atanasov: Our priority right now is the gameplay and the content of the game. We want to start testing as early as possible in a more realistic environment, not just on theory.

EarthriseHQ.de: Has everything gone according to plan so far or have there been some obstacles in the past?

Atanas Atanasov: There are always obstacles when people are working on a large scale project, but we are overcoming them fast and there are no serious delays so far.

EarthriseHQ.de: How many Developers do you have working at Masthead Studios at the moment?

Atanas Atanasov: Right now we have more than 50 full time employees.

EarthriseHQ.de: Do you think the game is competitive to other MMORPG giants like World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, or Eve Online etc.?

Atanas Atanasov: When Earthrise launches, it will be competitive with the other top MMO titles. The game will feature great graphics and gameplay, which will satisfy both the casual and the hardcore gamer.