Looking ahead to GDC
3GSM may be grabbing all the wireless industry headlines this week, but for mobile game developers the fun doesn't start until next month at GDC.
The pre-show buzz is focusing on Nokia's expected re-launch of the N-Gage. Nokia is keeping quiet before the announcement, but as I wrote in October, Nokia's next-generation N-Gage will not just be a single device; instead it will be a gaming platform spread across several S60-based phones. MarketingWeek reports that Nokia is talking to Disney, Sega of America and Vivendi Games about creating games for the platform, and Pocket Gamer adds Sony, Capcom, EA Mobile and others to that list. The N-Gage relaunch has been a long time coming; expect Nokia to make a very big deal out of this.
Other GDC highlights are expected to be Sonivox's mobile version of Guitar Hero (the successful console game of which I am a huge fan) and, well, whatever Trip Hawkins has to say.
Also don't forget that you can come party with me and FierceGameBiz editor Nathan Eddy on Wednesday, March 7th at the Portal One Arcade. RSVP and partnership information is available at the Game On! website. -Eli
P.S. If you're looking for 3GSM news, tune in to the FierceWireless dedicated 3GSM channel for updates throughout the week.