Digital Bridges Targets Japan
Shigeru Ota, former President of both Nintendo of Europe and Capcom Eurosoft, To Drive Mobile Game leader’s Japan Business
London UK, 18th October, 2004: Digital Bridges, a world leader in the creation and distribution of mobile entertainment solutions, today signalled its ambitions in the Japanese market for mobile games with the appointment of Shigeru Ota as its Vice President, Business Development. Shigeru, who brings over 20 years of blue-chip experience from the videogames industry, will be responsible for extending the company's sales reach into the large and dynamic Japanese market for mobile entertainment.
Additionally, Shigeru will promote Digital Bridges' mobile-specific expertise, its connectivity technology, and its multi-channel distribution network to Japanese games developers and publishers, offering them immediate access to the global mobile entertainment market.
Industry research firm Strategy Analytics estimates that the mobile games market in Japan was worth US$246 million in 2003 and will grow to reach US$657 million by 2009. They also estimate that there were over five million active mobile gamers in Japan in 2003 and forecast this figure to rise three-fold over the next five years to approach 15 million by 2009.
Shigeru, a Japanese national, most recently worked at Capcom Eurosoft Ltd. in London where, as the company's President, he managed Capcom's European business. Prior to this, Shigeru was President of Nintendo of Europe GmbH, where his career highlights included the launch of the hugely successful Nintendo GameBoy in 1990. Shigeru was also responsible for growing Nintendo' s German base into a strong, highly successful and profitable European headquarters for Nintendo's $1 billion European business. Prior to his European post at Nintendo, Shigeru spent 10 years at the games giant's American Headquarters in Redmond, Washington.
Shigeru Ota said: "From the earliest days of mobile gaming and entertainment, Japan has been an innovator and a global leader. As the global market has grown, Japan has remained at the forefront of the industry in terms of penetration and technology. I look forward to helping Digital Bridges establish a dedicated and effective presence in the very important Japanese market, and further reinforcing and expanding its relationships with the leading companies in the Japanese entertainment and handset manufacturing industries."
Commenting on his appointment, Brian Greasley, CEO of Digital Bridges said: "We're delighted that Shigeru is joining us and are tremendously excited about having a person of his calibre and experience spearheading our entry into the Japanese market."
-- Ends --
About Digital Bridges
Founded in 1998, Digital Bridges is a world leader in the creation and distribution of mobile entertainment solutions. An industry pioneer, Digital Bridges provides the best in mobile entertainment to a global distribution network of operators, portals, retailers, interactive TV channels and other e-commerce outlets, representing over 400 million subscribers worldwide. The company possesses a unique combination of mobile technology, development and publishing expertise, and works with many of the world's leading media and entertainment brands including Crash BandicootTM, RollerballTM, RobocopTM, The Pink PantherTM, PlatoonTM, The Fast and the FuriousTM, Weakest Link, Space Invaders®, EA SPORTSTM FIFA Football 2004 Mobile International Edition and EA SPORTSTM Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 2004. UNITY, the company's best-in-class technology platform, supports all current and future mobile standards, protocols, technologies and operating systems. Digital Bridges' investors include Apax Partners, Argo Global Capital and Openwave Systems Inc. Digital Bridges has its commercial and publishing headquarters in London, with technology & production divisions in Dunfermline, Scotland, as well as sales offices in Paris and New York.
For more information, please call +44 (0)20 7901 1760 or visit us at our corporate site www.digitalbridges.com , our games publishing site www.dbigames.com or our mobile games retail packs site www.dbiplay.com
Contact:
Annabel Brog
Digital Bridges
+44 20 7901 1770