Funcom and 1C Company announced today that the two companies have signed a Service Partnership Agreement. Under terms of this deal, 1C will fully localize Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures for Russia in addition to operating that region's in-game support, customer service, communities and websites. Funcom will handle continued game development, back-end technology and server infrastructure.

"1C Company is a clear leader in the Russian speaking regions, and we are confident we have found the perfect partner," said Trond Arne Aas, CEO of Funcom. "We have already shipped a substantial amount of English boxes into Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, but we know that the real key to success is achieved through localized servers and services. Together with 1C Company we will do our uttermost to make Age of Conan a success for many years to come."

"We are happy working together with Funcom on bringing Age of Conan to Russia. The game has already gained success here, reaching top places in many retail charts. With an already established fan base in Russia I'm sure it will become even bigger after the localized version appears on the market," said Nikolay Baryshnikov, International Sales Director of 1C Company. "Age of Conan is a great mix of action, RPG elements and adventure. I believe that the game has potential to become a big hit in Russia."

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures will release in Russia in late 2008. The MMO is currently available in America and many European territories and has sold over 700,000 copies.