Ingenious plans GBP 50 million investment in games

Specialist media investment and advisory firm, Ingenious Media, has announced the launch of a new venture with plans to invest up to GBP 50 million in the interactive entertainment industry - including mobile games.

The company is set to establish Ingenious Games, which will become one of the largest single sources of finance for the industry, partnering with developers, publishers and merchandisers to bring a wide portfolio of games to market internationally.

Building on Ingenious' existing investment in the sector, which includes a stake in Lionhead Studios (creators of hit PC title Black & White, and acclaimed Xbox RPG Fable), the company is looking to drastically expand its presence in the videogames market - which, it says, is predicted to grow at twice the rate of the film and music industries over the next five years.

Ingenious Games will enable individuals to invest in a portfolio of video games across a range of genres and platforms, including mobile platforms as well as PC, current and next-generation consoles, and online gaming. The investments will be spread across development, porting, licensing, marketing and prototyping, in line with other Ingenious investments in the media industry.

Duncan Reid, Ingenious' commercial director, commented: "Now is an excellent time to invest in the games sector. The introduction of a number of new consoles later this year and increasing software sales are projected to contribute to rapid growth in the industry. We anticipate strong demand for quality games content as broadband and mobile expansion widens the appeal of games to new age groups."

"We recognise that many individuals will be unfamiliar with investing in games and this is why we have provided this opportunity for people to invest alongside us, therefore benefiting from our investment approach," Reid added.