mobile gaming

ALSO NOTED: Measuring mobile marketing; Virgin inks a deal with Limbo; and much more...

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> Forecast: Full-track mobile revenues to hit $4.2 billion by 2012. Article

> How should we measure mobile marketing? Article

> Virgin Mobile USA inks a deal with Limbo for SMS blasts about interactive programming. Article

> Garmin adds mobile TV service to its GPS device. Article

And Finally... Shortly after formally launching its N-Gage platform, Nokia launched a worldwide Mobile Games Innovations Challenge. Article

ALSO NOTED: The N-Gage follow-up; Digicel in Guyana; JT-TV; and much more...

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:01:30 -0500

> Undeterred by its failed N-Gage device, Nokia is ready to push into the mobile gaming market again with a new phone that is enhanced for mobile game play. The phone is expected to launch this summer. Look for more news on Nokia's mobile gaming initiatives at the GDC conference next month. WSJ (sub. req.)

> Caribbean operator Digicel will begin offering wireless service in Guyana this week. The company has invested $60 million in the country and will offer innovative wireless services such as prepaid roaming and rollover minutes. Release

> Justin Timberlake has his own V CAST offering, called JT-TV. The service will have four channels in 2007: Fashion, Film, Music and Lifestyle. Article

And Finally... Looks like contracts will make the iPhone a little cheaper. Article

ALSO NOTED: Mobile are "key" for youth, really?; Hot, new enterprise mobile apps; and much more...

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 20:01:30 -0400

> NYC ban on mobiles in restaurants bill may never be introduced. Blog

> Mobiles have "key role" for young people. Report

> Denver leads Silicon Valley for wireless savviness. Article

> Here's an interesting read for cool, wireless enterprise apps. Article

And Finally... O2 is giving away mobile games from EA. Article

HELIO details gaming strategy

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 20:01:36 -0400

HELIO, the MVNO owned by SK Telecom and EarthLink, announced a few more details about its mobile content strategy. The company announced its mobile gaming service will feature a custom-built portal, 2D and 3D and multiplayer games. One unique capability will be the ability to "gift" or purchase and share favorite games with other HELIO members or "beg" another HELIO customer to purchase the game for you. Another feature includes the integration of independent game ratings and reviews through a partnership with IGN.com.

To read more about HELIO's gaming plans:
- check out the company's release (pdf)

Nev. approves mobile gambling for casinos

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 19:01:35 -0500

The Nevada Gaming Commission passed mobile gambling regulations that allows handheld devices can be used for games in casino public areas. While major casinos are taking a wait-and-see attitude, mobile gaming companies are pushing ahead, saying they can offer a casino revenue enhancement because that means people will be gambling while lounging at the pool or eating at a restaurant. Of course, such a move could lead to minors gambling or Internet betting that is barred by state law. The process of certifying systems and having field trials will take at least several months.

To read more about the Nevada Gaming Commission's mobile gaming regulations:
- check out this report from AP

ALSO NOTED: Cingular to spend $300M to boost network in IL, WI; and much more...

Thu, 25 Aug 2005 20:00:41 -0400

> Cingular Wireless to spend $300 million on new cell sites in Illinois and Wisconsin. Release

> Verizon Wireless launches three mobile games from EA. Article

> After almost three years of operation, 3G carrier 3 expects to turn a profit this year. Article

And Finally... What is Google's master plan? Blog

Metric: Teens want MP3 players on phones

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 20:01:36 -0400

According to a new survey from the Yankee Group, 71 percent of US teens want MP3 players on their cell phones. Other coveted features include camera phones (70 percent), presence location (61 percent), TV (61 percent), video clips (57 percent), and mobile games (54 percent). The study claims that family share plans have been the primary driver of teen cell phone adoption to this stage, but moving forward prepaid services and MVNOs will account for growing mobile adoption in the your market.

For more on the Yankee Group's teen market data:
- go to this piece from eMarketer

I-play buys developer Ditto

Sun, 26 Jun 2005 20:01:37 -0400

I-play acquired game developer Ditto Studios for an undisclosed sum. Ditto's proprietary technology accelerates the process of providing mobile games to the hundreds of different handsets available on the market. Ditto also develops 3D games. I-play plans to use Ditto's technology to accelerate the pace of product development. I-play will also integrate Ditto's games into its portfolio. I-play is a member of the 2005 FierceWireless Fierce 15, an annual list of the top emerging wireless companies.

For more on I-play's acquisition of Ditto:
- check out this article from the Sunday Herald

SPOTLIGHT: Need for Better Mobile Games

Sun, 26 Jun 2005 20:01:25 -0400

Speaking at last week's ELSPA International Games Summit, Vodafone's head of global content, Graeme Ferguson, warned the industry that if the quality of mobile games does not improve, the market may soon crash. Ferguson urged the game industry to embrace 3G networks and devices in the hope that better technology will give mobile game developers the tools to make better games. Article

SPOTLIGHT: Mobile Phones are for Communication

Sun, 19 Jun 2005 20:01:25 -0400

Mobile phones are first and foremost communication tools, not broadcast terminals. The most successful mobile apps to date -- including voice, SMS, and even ringtones -- are forms of communication. The majority of non-communication content is either created by the users (i.e. camera phones) or downloadable appls that the user will access when they have time (i.e. mobile games). Will handsets succeed as mobile TVs? The jury is still out. Article

ALSO NOTED: Indian government to de-license low-power devices; Wireless automotive data logger; and much more...

Sun, 05 Jun 2005 20:00:41 -0400

> The Indian government is preparing to de-license the use of low-power (1 milliwatt) devices on selected frequencies in an effort to popularize the use of WiFi-based gadgets. Article

> Wireless automotive data logger gathers vehicle information and supports WLAN, GSM/GPRS and Bluetooth. Article

> Kagan Research forecasts the US wireless market will grow 48 percent from 185 million subscribers in 2004 to 274 million in 2014. Release

> Blackberry maker Research In Motion plans to introduce the device in Luxembourg. Article

And Finally... Cell phone games are a serious business. Article

Editor's Corner

Tue, 31 May 2005 20:01:40 -0400

I am traveling to sunny San Diego today for BREW 2005. This is my first trip to a BREW conference, and I look forward to seeing Qualcomm's mobile content ecosystem on display. I expect mobile gaming to be the hot topic at this show, along with lots of talk about ringtones and downloadable music. For those of you heading out to BREW, have a safe trip. - Stephen

Metric: Wireless media appeals most to young males

Thu, 26 May 2005 20:01:36 -0400

So who's consuming wireless media? Not surprisingly, according to a survey conducted by Management Network Group, the people most interested in multimedia wireless services are males between 13 and 24. The poll also discovered that two-out-of-five survey respondents said they would be receptive to commercially supported video clip services, offering an opportunity for advertisers seeking to reach the highly lucrative young male demographic.

Music ranks first among consumer service interests, with mobile TV and video ranking second and multiplayer, 3D gaming coming in third, found the survey. Additionally, nearly one-in-four users would either be extremely likely or very likely to switch to a competitive carrier if their existing carrier did not offer advanced multimedia wireless content and services.

For additional details on the MNG survey:
- check out this company press release

SPOTLIGHT: Mobile Gaming Still Big with VCs

Mon, 23 May 2005 20:01:25 -0400

Softbank Capital Partners' Craig Cooper thinks there are still plenty of opportunities in mobile gaming. Unlike some VCs and analysts who think the mobile gaming market is past its peak, Cooper thinks many pure-play mobile gaming upstarts have just as good a chance at winning this market as established console game publishers. Interview

FEATURE: Beating 'Build It, and They Will Come'

Thu, 19 May 2005 20:01:32 -0400

Beating 'Build It, and They Will Come'
MayInfo's Christopher Cherry explains how location intelligence and demographic data can be used to rollout new services profitably.

Once a carrier has determined which among the various newly developed mobile applications will likely create the most demand among customers, it faces an entirely new set of challenges. As carriers race to deploy these services, they must bear in mind that all services do not appeal to all consumers. While it is true that services like high-speed data, mobile gaming, push-to-talk, mobile communities, location aware services, ring tones, and wallpapers are rapidly entering the marketplace, where exactly does an individual carrier focus its efforts to gain maximum share? Will high-speed data service provide significant revenue everywhere? Will mobile communities appeal to all? Is mobile gaming for everyone? Most likely, the answer is "no."

Instead, in order to create new revenue streams and increase stickiness carriers would do well to identify target customers for each new service, and then locate geographic pockets that contain high density clusters of these target customers. Demographic and location analysis can help determine where these concentrations exist, and allow carriers to rollout specific services to specific market areas in a manner that will maximize the take rate and revenue stream for each service rollout.

Let me provide a few examples:

Perhaps the ideal high-speed data consumer is a business person over the age of 40. Or maybe the ideal mobile gaming consumer is a 20-something fresh out of college, working his or her first job. Perhaps culturally, a particular service is more appealing in one area of the country as compared to another. Perhaps certain business segments have a need for field force tracking capabilities available through mobile location services.

With these types of considerations in mind, wireless carriers (and MVNOs) can set their minds to answering the question, "Where are these groups located?" To get the answer, they can turn to analyzing detailed demographic information when planning and deploying new wireless services.

For example, a service provider launching a multiple handset family plan can examine the "Households with Children" data. This data is readily available and identifies block groups with the highest concentrations of households with children of the target age. Taking a look at this data enables the carrier to pinpoint areas in which multiple handset family plans will have the highest success rates.

To put in another way, if a carrier is deploying mobile gaming services targeted towards college kids, it would not make much sense to launch in an area where retirees greatly outnumber college students. By analyzing the demographics by age, carriers can ensure that this won't happen.

Carriers can also leverage detailed business demographic information. They can analyze the number of employees by industry type within certain market areas, for instance, or they can identify geographic concentrations of businesses according to SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) or NAIC (North American Industry Code). This data can help a carrier target business-specific services to the areas in which the demand will be greatest.

The Bottom Line

With the US wireless market reaching upwards of 180 million subscribers in 2005 and revenues of $100 billion, the stakes have never been higher. Carriers are increasingly looking to expand their coverage areas and offer new services to increase revenue. As the market crowds with seemingly limitless new capabilities, customers' attention spans can absorb only so much. At the same time, however, new infrastructure and new services need to pay for themselves quickly and efficiently. Carriers need to be able to focus new services and capabilities where they can quickly achieve maximum impact. By incorporating demographic analysis into the very core of service enhancement strategies, carriers increase the chance that their deployment decisions go straight to the bottom line.

Christopher Cherry is the Strategic Industry Manager, Communications at MapInfo.

Nokia to bundle N-Gage with Series 60 smart phone platform

Tue, 17 May 2005 20:01:38 -0400

Nokia yesterday announced a new version of its N-Gage mobile gaming platform. As part of that announcement, Nokia said it plans to offer N-Gage access on the company's Series 60 smart phones in 2006. While the company will continue to offer N-Gage specific handhelds, Nokia will also build much of the N-Gage platform into new Series 60 phones. The new N-Gage platform will make it easy for users to find and purchase games and manage their N-Gage titles from their PC. Some insiders claim this move is significant, and marks a strategic shift by Nokia in the mobile gaming market.

For more on Nokia's plans to build N-Gage access into the Series 60:
- see this press release

Metric: Mobile gaming is gender neutral, game genres are not

Mon, 16 May 2005 20:01:37 -0400

According to a new study by the U30 Group and commissioned by gaming company Sorrent, mobile gaming is neutral in terms of gender. The survey found that of those who use mobile games, 66 percent of men and 68 percent of women play at least once a day. More than 34 percent of both men and women play games more than three times per day. Men are more likely to play mobile games at work -- 37 percent compared to 31 percent. More than 60 percent of both men and women play for more than 10 minutes at a time.

In terms of title preference, men prefer sports games (41 percent to 20 percent ) and action/adventure (39 percent to 26 percent), while women like classic games (40 percent to 33 percent ) and puzzle games (64 percent to 55 percent). U30 conducted 754 Web-based surveys profiling the mobile consumer population in the US. Respondents were evenly split across men and women and ranged in age between 10- to 35-years-old. Sorrent is a member of the 2003 FierceWireless Fierce 15.

For more on the Sorrent, U30 survey:
- check out this press release

Sprint, Yahoo partner for mobile games

Sun, 15 May 2005 20:01:39 -0400

Sprint and Yahoo today announced a partnership to offer Yahoo's mobile multiplayer games to Sprint's subscribers. The first title, Yahoo! Poker, is a game that enables people on their Sprint PCS handsets to play against thousands of people playing Yahoo! Poker on their PCs, as well as mobile-to-mobile and PC-to-PC game play. Yahoo! Poker will launch on Sprint's Vision content service in June. Sprint's mobile game service, the Game Lobby, is powered by M7 Networks and claims more than 500,000 users. No financial details of the partnership were released.

For more on the Sprint, Yahoo mobile game deal:
- read this press release

Metric: Women under-served by mobile games

Sun, 15 May 2005 20:01:37 -0400

According to the latest survey from M:Metrics, mobile game play among women and men is roughly equal, with 32 percent of females and 34 percent of males saying that they play mobile games. Males, however, are twice as likely to download a mobile game than females. M:Metrics claims that although 67 percent of mobile game downloaders are men, women represent 46 percent of subscribers who download mobile content across all categories. Women are equally likely to pay for gender-neutral content, such as ringtones. In fact, nearly half (48.9 percent) of survey respondents who downloaded ringtones were women. The study postulates that women are under-served by most mobile game content, and if carriers launched more content-neutral games, like puzzle games, they would likely boost their overall mobile game downloads.

For more on the latest M:Metrics study:
- check out this press release

RealNetworks enters mobile game market through strategic acquisition

Tue, 10 May 2005 20:01:38 -0400

RealNetworks has entered the mobile gaming market by agreeing to buy Finland-based mobile gaming company Mr.Goodliving for $15 million in cash. Mr. Goodliving has a number of popular mobile game titles, including Trivial Pursuit and MetalSmash Pinball, and claims partnerships with a number of European carriers. RealNetworks expects to generate roughly $3 million in additional revenue this year through the deal. RealNetworks entered the online gaming market in 2001 with its RealArcade brand. The company currently offers 320 online titles which generated $12.2 million in revenue in the first quarter this year. RealNetworks plans to leverage its RealArcade brand and titles for its new mobile gaming service.

For more on RealNetworks' acquisition of Mr. Goodliving:
- see this story from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer