Latest news with #Zoi
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Zoi launches Zoi North America Inc.
Zoi Opens U.S. Headquarters in New York Metro Area JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zoi, a leading cloud-native IT consultancy, announced today that it has launched Zoi North America Inc. Founded in Stuttgart, Germany, Zoi opens the doors to its United States headquarters in Jersey City, New Jersey, providing local talent to assist with the digital transformation of enterprises. Zoi has the experience to streamline operations and IT infrastructure for U.S. companies operating in Europe, as well as international enterprises that have business operations in the U.S. An enabler of digital infrastructure evolution, Zoi specializes in the development and consulting of digital, internet, cloud, data, and AI-based technologies and applications, specializing in retail, manufacturing, and automotive enterprises. With German engineering at its core, Zoi's international team of tech-savvy talent provides more than technical expertise. By understanding each customer's business, the team applies a methodology and mindset focused on identifying core challenges and needs from a business perspective—before determining the best-fit technology. This approach is supported by strong partnerships with all major hyperscalers. 'Enterprise transformation needs more than top-notch technology—it needs clarity, strategy, and structure to execute successfully. That's what we bring to the U.S. market,' says Danilo Kirschner, Managing Director of Zoi North America. 'At the interface of business and technology, we help customers prepare for the future by turning strategy into outcomes with a clear methodology, proven cloud architecture, and cross-functional teams that execute at scale.' Since 2017, Zoi has partnered with future-focused organizations to provide: Agile and reliable modernization journeys Translation of business complexity and legacy monoliths into scalable cloud services Cross-functional, industry-focused teams that deliver measurable outcomes A trusted, certified partner ecosystem that can scale internationally As one of the fastest-growing cloud-native consulting companies globally, Zoi maintains strong partnerships with public cloud providers. Zoi is an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Consulting Partner, Google Cloud Premier Partner, Microsoft Solutions Partner, and SAP Gold Partner. Previously earning an AWS Develop the Best Award in the DACH region and the AWS Transformation Award, Zoi was recently named a 2025 Google Cloud Partner of the Year, recognized for its strategic advice, technical expertise, and successful implementation of Google Workspace and Gemini models at companies operating worldwide. ABOUT ZOIZoi is a global cloud-native and technology consulting company with headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and Barcelona, Spain. In 2025, the company expanded into the U.S. with the launch of Zoi North America, Inc., establishing its U.S. headquarters in Jersey City, New Jersey. A 2025 Google Cloud Workspace Partner of the Year, Zoi maintains strong relationships with its partners such as AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and SAP, to accelerate the digital transformation of enterprises, specializing in manufacturing, retail and automotive infrastructure. With over a decade of cloud experience and more than 450 employees in six countries, Zoi develops innovative full-stack solutions in the public cloud that are AI-supported and business-focused. Visit PRESS CONTACT Sheri WachenheimM: +1 973 6705413sheri@ Dr. Nadine BrunnerM: +49 172 in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
South China Morning Post
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
New life simulation game inZOI targets Asian players and growing K-pop audience
Most people have fantasised about inhabiting someone else's life. For 25 years, video-game players have lived out those dreams in The Sims from Electronic Arts. Advertisement The problem, according to Hyungjun 'Kjun' Kim, a producer-director for South Korean game maker Krafton, is that those fantasies are often limited – culturally and graphically. He addresses those issues with his own entry in the life-simulation genre, inZOI, which releases on March 28 at US$40. The market for a Sims successor is potentially vast. Electronic Arts has taken in more than US$2.3 billion in lifetime revenue from The Sims 4, according to the analytics company Aldora, and has attracted over 85 million players. But it is a decade old. The company has no plans for a fifth instalment, meaning players will have to be satisfied with updates that sell for US$10 to US$50. In life-simulation video games, players create and control avatars that cook, clean, use the toilet, work, fall in love and watch TV. They meticulously customise homes for their characters – called Sims in The Sims and Zoi in inZOI. Outside, in the cities, avatars interact with automated characters, all with their own personalities and goals. Advertisement
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Sims' 25-Year Supremacy Is Challenged by Korea's Krafton
(Bloomberg) -- Most people have fantasized about inhabiting someone else's life. For 25 years, video-game players have lived out those dreams in The Sims from Electronic Arts Inc. They Built a Secret Apartment in a Mall. Now the Mall Is Dying. Why Did the Government Declare War on My Adorable Tiny Truck? How SUVs Are Making Traffic Worse Trump Slashed International Aid. Geneva Is Feeling the Impact. These US Bridges Face High Risk of Catastrophic Ship Strikes The problem, according to Hyungjun 'Kjun' Kim, a producer-director for South Korean gamemaker Krafton Inc., is that those fantasies are limited — culturally and graphically. His entry in the life-simulation genre, inZOI, debuts on March 28 at $40. The market for a Sims successor is potentially vast. Electronic Arts has taken in more than $2.3 billion in lifetime revenue from The Sims 4, according to the analytics company Aldora, and has attracted over 85 million players. But it's a decade old. The company has no plans for a fifth installment, meaning players will have to be satisfied with updates that sell for $10 to $50. Electronic Arts didn't respond to requests for comment but has mentioned a mysterious 'Project Rene' as the game's 'next evolution.' In life-simulation video games, players create and control avatars that cook, clean, use the toilet, work, fall in love and watch TV. They meticulously customize homes for their Sims or Zoi, as the inZOI digital humans are called. Outside, in the cities, avatars interact with automated characters, all with their own personalities and goals. InZOI is less American than The Sims, aiming to appeal to players in Asia and the growing audience for K-pop culture. When players' digital humans walk into their homes, they're asked if they want to remove their shoes. The architecture of two cities in the game are inspired by Seoul and Santa Monica, California. There's tteokbokki – a Korean snack made from rice cakes – in the fridge and Zoi tend to don Korean streetwear. 'I felt a lot of cultural barriers' playing The Sims, said Kim, who also serves as chief executive officer of Krafton's inZOI Studio and owns about $164 million of the shares. Krafton is South Korea's largest game company, based on market value. It reported record financial results for 2024, with 2.7 trillion won (US$1.85 billion) in sales and 1.2 trillion won in operating profit. It's the company behind the survival-shooter title PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, or PUBG, the predecessor to Epic Games' Fortnite. Kim's son inspired him to make inZOI. For years, he would come home from his job making online role-playing games and boot up The Sims with his only child. Then one day, his son asked him, 'How come there aren't other games like The Sims?' That got him thinking. 'The recent generation wants something with better graphics,' he said. When Kim pitched a photo-realistic life-simulation game, his superiors were surprised. The Sims isn't especially popular in South Korea, and his bosses asked if the product, which involves taking out the trash or working part time at a fast food joint, is even really a game. They had doubts about Kim's ability to pull off the project. 'I had a lot of failed games,' he said. He told his bosses he'd do it in two years, lightspeed in an industry where top titles can take up to eight years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Kim decided to approach inZOI differently from his prior titles. Instead of focusing on making money, he sought 'to make something positive that may lead to a more in-depth understanding of life.' One of the lessons of inZOI, he said, is 'Don't focus too much on things you can't control.' Early on, he met Charles London, widely admired for his work on Sims games. London, who now works at mobile-gaming giant Scopely, acknowledged that The Sims never caught on into Asia – a longtime goal for Electronic Arts. He cautioned Kim against photo-realistic graphics. 'The technological power for making games today is a threat to the believability of the experience,' he said in an interview. 'The audience will decide whether realism enhances immersion or depletes it.' Developing any game is difficult, but in the life-simulation genre, the challenges can be amusing. In early iterations, Zoi who were holding babies still gesticulated as if their arms were free. But in an emergency, the Zoi might have to put their babies down — unless, the developers realized, that emergency was a fire. 'We should have considered we would develop babies when we built the system,' said Chai Jong-duk, the technical director of inZOI. 'We had to change a lot.' Once a prototype was ready, the inZOI team tapped Sims YouTubers for feedback, sending them tricked-out PCs to livestream the game. Hardcore fans joined a messaging channel for inZOI on Discord and contributed to a wish list. Western players suggested features they wanted Krafton to consider. One contains dozens of pictures of Black hairstyles – a longtime desire of Sims players who felt the offerings were limited and had resorted to modifying the game on their own. Today, The Sims offers several options. 'After our feedback, lots of new curly and coiled Black hairstyles were added,' said Jaylen Dinkins, a 23-year-old YouTuber who participated in the inZOI creator program. Dinkins, who goes by Neuworld on YouTube, bought The Sims 3 in third grade. It was the first game he played that had no story or mission – and he loved it. But over the last 10 years, he's added so many modifications and expansion packs to The Sims 4 that he has had difficulty running it. When Dinkins saw inZOI, he was immediately attracted to its more-realistic graphics. He recorded his reaction on YouTube, and Krafton's developers asked if he wanted to be a tester. His next video on inZOI drew a million views. Early reviews for inZOI have been mixed. Some players praise its accessibility and graphics, while others say it feels 'soulless' or 'sterile.' Some have also posted complaints online after learning the game would utilize the popular anti-piracy software Denuvo. In response, Kim announced he would remove it from the early version. InZOI is currently the most wish-listed title on the PC game marketplace Steam, and Kim Jihyun, an analyst at Heungkuk Securities Co. in Seoul, estimates Krafton could sell more than 3 million copies in the first year. A hit would reduce the company's dependence on the shooter game PUBG. 'Krafton has managed to quickly catch up with the 25 years of know-how behind The Sims and emerge as a serious challenger, thanks to its pioneering use of AI,' Kim said. 'If inZOI becomes a blockbuster like The Sims, it could mark a 'Sputnik moment' in the industry.' Much of the game's charm is its take on normal human interaction. Players can choose from ample dialogue options or actions for their Zoi, and the software pops out infinitely varied outcomes. Even weird outcomes at times — for instance when an 'annoyed' Zoi vacuums an empty spot in the backyard. Other times, it is realistic. One Zoi was appropriately 'angry' when reading the stock market was down. Certain inZOI mechanics capitalize on advances in artificial intelligence, sometimes with uneven results. AI can generate furniture or clothing, which Kim hopes will make players' games more customizable. It's relatively easy to make the bathroom wallpaper in a 'sunflower' print, but when the request was for a 'pre-war dark wood pattern' for the floor in the AI interface, seven comically large slabs of wood appeared. Krafton made early bets on AI. It started investing in deep learning and AI more than three years ago and has built a team of 80 dedicated engineers. The company plans to add 35 more this year, CEO Kim Changhan told Bloomberg in January. Soon, inZOI players with Nvidia graphics cards will be able to use the experimental 'Smart Zoi' feature to write text-based personality prompts, like 'sassy' or 'stern,' that inform the Zois' in-game actions. Life-simulation games, producer-director Kim said, have a way of making troubles feel absurd, and for that reason he believes inZOI will be a hit, including in his native South Korea. 'There's the saying that when you look at sadness from afar, it's a happy event,' he said. --With assistance from Sohee Kim. (Updates users' comments in 21st paragraph. The company corrected the spelling of an executive's name in the 16th paragraph and photo caption in a previous version of this story.) Business Schools Are Back Google Is Searching for an Answer to ChatGPT A New 'China Shock' Is Destroying Jobs Around the World The Richest Americans Kept the Economy Booming. What Happens When They Stop Spending? Israel Aims to Be the World's Arms Dealer ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hyper-realistic The Sims rival inZOI will announce a "roadmap for future updates, and pricing and DLC plans" in this month's showcase
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. InZOI Studio is holding a global showcase later this month to dive into the nuts and bolts of its upcoming life sim competitor. We're only a few weeks away from the early access launch of Krafton's The Sims maybe-rival, and to give everyone an idea of exactly what to expect, the developer is hosting a livestream set to kick off on March 18 at 6pm PST, or March 19 at 1am GMT for all the night owls across the pond, available to watch on YouTube and Twitch. InZoit Studio has been pretty open about the fancy new features in its life sim, including a karma system that might make ghostly Zoi stick around after death, NVIDIA AI tech to power its characters, and the ability to turn real-life photos into in-game items. So game director Hyungjun 'Kjun' Kim will instead go over "new release details such as key features coming to early access, a vision and roadmap for future updates, and pricing and DLC plans" in the showcase. Any information about inZOI's price has been weirdly under wraps thus far, leaving us in the dark about whether we'll be able to pay one upfront fee or whether it'll go the free-to-play route. The mention of DLC plans makes me think inZOI might have more traditionally Sims-shaped expansions and content packs, though that doesn't completely rule out the possibility of an in-game shop or other microtransactions appearing, too. We'll find out soon enough. The showcase is also set to feature various other developer interviews to "reveal behind-the-scenes stories and insights into the game's development process." InZOI is set to launch into early access on March 28. inZOI's "community simulation" approach to the life sim genre could make it The Sims 4's biggest rival yet
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Inzoi's game director teases plans for ghost Zois getting shackled to the mortal realm, karma-starved and seeking redemption if they die with a bad rep
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The early access launch for fresh new Sims competitor Inzoi is just about six weeks away and information about its features—those coming in time for early access and those planned to be developed later—are arriving at a weekly pace now. Over the weekend we got yet more details about Inzoi's life sim features, this time revolving around the afterlife. In his weekly teaser for fans in Inzoi's official Discord server, game director Hyungjun "Kjun" Kim got into talking about the paranormal, specifically ghosts. He acknowledges that Inzoi is mostly focused on realism, which is obvious from its glossy, well-lit visuals but also the features it's chosen to prioritize. Kjun does want to see some fantastical elements make it into the game though. "We want to keep the playability of ghosts fairly limited so it doesn't overshadow the main gameplay, but we also want to make sure the experience is engaging enough when it does happen," Kjun told players in Discord. 'Ghost gameplay' as Kjun's currently explained it revolves around Inzoi's karma system, which we saw a little of during some Inzoi playtests with content creators last year. They showed some karma-affecting actions (like farting?) and a karma score in each Zoi's profile. Kjun says that Zois who die with enough karma points will pack up for the afterlife peacefully, but those with poor karma will remain as ghosts and will need to hang about attempting to restore their karma. Ghosts as they'll be implemented for Inzoi's early access in March will be present but you won't be able to control them. That's planned for later. "Any further development for ghosts will have to come after the release," Kjun says. "That said, our current build allows you to encounter ghosts at set times under certain conditions." As for what's planned for even further down the line, Kjun doesn't count out the possibility of other paranormal Zois. "While we're committed to refining the realistic elements of inZOI first, I'd love to explore more fantasy-driven elements in the future," he added. The majority of life sim players coming from The Sims 4 will be familiar with the popularity of "occult" sims like ghosts, vampires, werewolves, mermaids, etc. They're a whole popular gameplay category, some with their own dedicated expansions packs. As Kim says, that's not really Inzoi's aim, but it's nice to see Inzoi Studio entertaining the idea of dipping into some of those popular fantasy characters. You can keep up with everything we know about Inzoi ahead of its early access launch in March and in the meantime keep track of the other upcoming games like the Sims that we're expecting this year. Sims 4 cheats: Life hacksSims 3 cheats: Classic hacksSims 4 mods: Play your waySims 4 CC: Custom contentProject Rene: What we know
