Hands-On Mobile™ and 3 Bring Multiplayer World Poker Tour® to Mobile
First ever free play, multiplayer WPT game for European fans offers global, real-time play
LONDON, UK-AUGUST 20, 2007-Hands-On Mobile, the world's leading developer of connected games and applications, has announced the launch of multiplayer World Poker Tour® Texas Hold 'Em 2 with multi-media company, 3UK. The arrival of the game on this side of the Atlantic marks the first time a free play, multiplayer World Poker Tour game will be available to European poker fans. Now poker players can play in real-time against up to five other people from around the globe.
"We have been looking forward to this launch for a long time and we are all incredibly excited to bring the huge success of multiplayer World Poker Tour on mobile from the US to Europe," said Eric Hobson, President and General Manager EMEA, Hands-On Mobile. "Poker is a real community game and now, with World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em 2, that community will be able to play and interact with each other no matter where they are in the world."
Hands-On Mobile's original World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em 'play-for-fun' multiplayer game has enjoyed huge success in the US market, where it consistently ranked as the number one card and casino title. Currently 200,000 multiplayer hands are played each week in the US, with around 10,000 unique users playing each day. The average user plays for four hours per month, with hundreds of players exceeding sessions of nearly eight hours straight. The game has provided a highly sustainable revenue stream far beyond the natural shelf life of most other mobile products and it has consistently remained in the top 10 performing game titles in the US with over 3.6 million downloads.
In the UK, World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em 2 multiplayer will initially only be available from 3UK. It will have one payment option - a monthly subscription fee of £1.99.
"We're excited about being the first operator to offer true multiplayer poker in Europe," said John Penberthy-Smith, 3UK Marketing Director. "Connected, subscription-based games with a strong community approach represent a huge growth opportunity in mobile gaming. With World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em 2 we have the mobile gaming equivalent of a royal flush."
Note to editors: High resolution screenshots available upon request.
About Hands-On Mobile, Inc.
Hands-On Mobile is a leading global publisher of mobile games and personalisation products targeting all market segments of the mobile handset marketplace. With operations in four continents, Hands-On Mobile develops, publishes and distributes mobile content to more than 150 of the world's leading operators in 40 countries. Hands-On Mobile provides operators and their customers with the world's best entertainment brands and applications and provides brand owners with the shortest route to market. The Hands-On content catalogue is diverse, including BREW, Java, SMS, MMS, and WAP games, and music, sports, lifestyle, personalisation, and information-services subscription products. Hands-On Mobile is a U.S. corporation with headquarters in San Francisco and offices in San Diego, London and Manchester, Madrid, Munich, Krakow, Săo Paulo, Shanghai and Beijing, and Seoul, Korea. For more information about Hands-On Mobile's products and organisation please visit www.HandsOn.com.
Hands-On Mobile is a trademark of Hands-On Mobile, Inc. All other product or company names are trademarks of their respective owners.
About 3
3 is a mobile media company delivering a convergence of communications, entertainment and information to customers on the move.
The three areas which form the core of its business are:
Communications - including all forms of personal communications, voice and video calling; text, picture and video messaging; and mobile blogging Entertainment - including television, music audio and video, computer games, and media publishing Information services - including wireless web, access to the best of the internet and a range of news services3 UK is a member of the HWL group of 3G companies, which include 3G operations in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Sweden and soon Norway.
Three facts about 3:
3, a mobile media company, launched the UK's first 3G network 3 has over 3.9 million customers in the UK and over 14.7 million worldwide (March 2007 figures) The 3 network offers national coverage for calls and texts, and over 90% population coverage for 3G services.About WPTE
WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE) is a company engaged in the creation of internationally branded entertainment and consumer products driven by the development, production, and marketing of televised programming based on gaming themes. WPTE is the creator of the World Poker Tour®, a television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments that airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and is scheduled to begin broadcasting on GSN in early 2008. WPT is licensed for broadcast globally. WPTE also operates a real-money online gaming website, www.worldpokertour.com, which prohibits wagers from players in the U.S. and other restricted jurisdictions. WPTE currently licenses its brand to companies in the business of poker equipment and instruction, apparel, publishing, electronic and wireless entertainment, DVD/home entertainment, casino games, and giftware. The company is also engaged in the sale of corporate sponsorships. For show information, tools for improving poker play, and other WPT news, fans may log on to www.worldpokertour.com. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: LACO). Photos and media information can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com/media (WPTEG)
Media Contact:
Carl Foster
T: +44 (0)20 7033 2660
E: cfoster@uk.peppercom.com