RAN Online, developed by e-games of South Korea, is a popular online game in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and was recently introduced in Thailand. IPVG acquired exclusive rights to distribute the game in the Philippines through its gaming arm, IP Interactive.

Unlike its competitors like the popular Ragnarok (hosted by Level Up!), RAN Online will be offered for free although in-game items or merchandise will be sold online through prepaid credit cards.

While most of its competitors charge users fees alone for playing the game, IP Interactive's chief operating officer Steve Tsao believes RAN Online has a great chance of capturing a large chunk of Filipino gamers.

'In the Philippines, there are 10 to 15 games. RAN Online has been leading in countries like Taiwan where the industry is a lot more competitive and the number of MMORPGs in operation total close to a hundred,' said the Taiwan-born Tsao, who describes himself as a 'rabid gamer.'

IP Interactive also introduced a casual game called O2Jam and Dreamville, an online community portal wherein players make use of avatars as characters. These games, including RAN Online, will be made available through its gaming portal, www.e-games.com.ph.