EA supports growth in Asian mobile games market
Multi-year, multiple title licensing agreement signed
Significantly boosting the range of content available in the Asian marketplace, Electronic Arts and Indiagames have signed a multi-year licensing agreement to bring EA's growing portfolio of mobile games into India.
Initial game releases under the new agreement, which will be made available across multiple carriers throughout India, include dedicated mobile phone versions of some of EA's most successful console hits. Confirmed releases to date are: Need for Speed Underground 2, Need for Speed Most Wanted, NBA Live 06, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06, EA Sports FIFA 06, FIFA STREET 2, Madden NFL 06, SimCity and The Sims 2.
Jon Niermann, president and managing director of EA Asia Publishing, commented: "Indiagames is a key partner for us as we expand our business from packaged goods to mobile content in the burgeoning Indian marketplace. They have a strong technological infrastructure and share our passion for delivering top quality entertainment. Indian consumers are quickly adopting a mobile lifestyle and we believe that this partnership will give people the opportunity to experience the fun and excitement of playing great games on their mobile phone."
"We are thrilled to bring such legendary and popular games to Indian audiences. We are convinced that thousands of Indian fans will enjoy the opportunity to experience these games on their mobile phones," added Vishal Gondal, Indiagames CEO.
EA is just one of several videogame publishers making a determined effort to capitalise on the rapidly expanding mobile games market, establishing its dedicated mobile division and leveraging the new platform to reach a brand new audience for its extensive portfolio of games. The company's entry into the wireless market has initially been relatively cautious, though its strategy is quickly changing, and EA mobile intends to release some 25 new titles worldwide in 2006.
Headquartered in Mumbai, Indiagames is a leading global publisher of mobile games and entertainment, utilising an extensive global distribution network with operators including Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile, Orange, Verizon, Sprint, Singtel, Tata Indicom, and China Mobile amongst many others. The company recently appointed former Ernst and Young executive, Samir Bangara, to the position of Senior VP of corporate development and business development for Asia Pacific operations.