Macrovision has announced that has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Trymedia Systems for $34 million in a cash transaction, which the parties expect to close by July 29, 2005. Trymedia is a provider of secure digital distribution products and services for the video game industry, and, according to the company, operates the world’s largest distribution network for downloadable PC games. Its ActiveMARK products include content protection, e-commerce, distributing and reporting functions. In tandem with this announcement, Macrovision has also announced plans to launch a new business unit that offers a complete, end-to-end solution for game publishers to secure, distribute, promote and continuously renew their PC video games. The new business unit, likely largely based on Trymedia's suite of products, is intended to provide services to casual and core game publishers designed to maximize the value of a game title. In addition, via these aggregation services, retailers, portals, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and Cable System Operators (MSOs) can offer more than 1200 legitimate downloadable games to their consumer audiences. "This acquisition, along with the formation of our new business unit, underscores Macrovision’s strategic focus to efficiently enable our customers to distribute their games both on and offline," commented Fred Amoroso, president and CEO of Macrovision. "Consumers today want to be able to get their game content when they want it, where they want it and that requires a distribution system that enables that flexibility securely, while also protecting the content from massive unauthorized usage." Upon closing of the acquisition, Trymedia will become part of Macrovision’s new games business unit. Macrovision will continue to provide support for all of Trymedia’s products and distribution services.