IRM Partners With Glu To Create Mobile Mastermind – The Mobile Version Of The Classic Seventies Board Game
London, UK -November 9, 2005 - Glu Mobile, a leading creator and global publisher of mobile entertainment, today announced it has partnered with International Rights Management (IRM), an independent interactive rights investment and exploitation company, to develop and publish a mobile version of Mastermind, the multi-million selling code cracking board game, which has been updated and relaunched for a new generation of board game fans.
It is the first time this hugely popular game will be available to play on mobile phones. It will feature a Quick Play mode, Tournament mode (where players compete against six Mastermind professionals), Pass and Play mode for up to 5 players, six board game styles, multiple difficulty levels and an online score system.
"Mastermind has been a global phenomenon since the 1970s and we're delighted to be bringing it to mobile, especially given the current love for everything retro" said Chris Meredith, vice president publishing EMEA, Glu Mobile. "It's a perfect time to launch this kind of simple and fun game, especially with the re-release of the board game with a massive marketing programme for Christmas 2005. This will raise awareness of the brand among both original players and also introduce a brand new audience of young families, kids and teenagers."
IRM was founded in 2004 and the core team was involved in the original launch of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, which has gone on to become a worldwide phenomenon.
"We're particularly excited about Mastermind which has consistently performed over the last 30 years, selling more than 60 million units worldwide and Glu is the perfect partner to bring this mass-market title to mobile and to a new global audience," said Valerie Bottezzo of IRM. "Mastermind is simple to understand and to play, yet massively addictive and challenging. Classic games like Mastermind have proven to be big sellers on mobile, and we look forward to working with Glu to bring the game a new generation of play-anywhere gamers."
Mastermind will be available internationally in early 2006. For more information, visit www.glu.com.
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About Glu Mobile
Glu Mobile (formerly Sorrent, Inc. and Macrospace Ltd.) is a leading developer and global publisher of mobile entertainment. Glu's portfolio of games, ringtones, wallpapers and information applications include both original titles and entertainment based on major brands including Atari, Cartoon Network, FOX Sports, PopCap Games, Twentieth Century Fox and Celador International. Based in San Mateo, California with offices in London and Singapore, Glu is funded by top venture firms NEA, BA Venture Partners, Granite Global Ventures, Sienna Ventures and Globespan Capital Partners, and by Time Warner Investments. Consumers can find fresh entertainment created exclusively for their mobile phones wherever they see the 'g' character logo or at www.glu.com.
About IRM
Interactive Rights Management limited (IRM) is an independent interactive rights investment and exploitation company founded in October 2004
Partners Bruce Vandenberg, Megan Goodwin and Valerie Bozzetto, the multi award winning team responsible for the global interactive success of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?".secured financial backing from private investors and formed the privately owned company, which is based in Fleet Street London. Their combined experience includes launching the world's most successful mobile SMSgame pay-for-play internet games and interactive applications for TV as well as DVD, for Celador, the makers of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
IRM's main focus is to create, acquire, license and commercially exploit interactive rights by developing and managing paid for interactive consumer services across all platforms around the globe.
Clients include Fox Television Studios, Distraction Formats and Kidz Wireless/Daydream, and they are currently working with Celador Productions, BT Entertainment, Tailormade Films, Big Ideas and TF1.
GLU MOBILE, GLU, and the 'g' character logo are trademarks of Glu Mobile. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For more information about IRM please contact:
Kelly Lloyd-Watson or Cathy Carpenter at KLW Communications
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8994 6111
Email: firstname@klwcom.com
For more information about Glu please contact:
For UK
Charlotte Fox, Luke Geoghegan or Dean Barrett
Bastion
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7490 1323
Email: firstname@bastion.co.uk
For Europe
John Ozimek
Head of marketing and communications, EMEA
Glu Mobile
Tel: +44 (0)20 7368 1122
Email: john.ozimek@glu.com