Kongregate betting big on Android

Kongregate has said that it is backing Android as its mobile format of choice, as it looks to expand to more screens following the acquisition by GameStop.

Speaking to GamesBeat, Jim Greer, CEO of Kongregate, said that Apple is too controlling of the iPhone format and it wants to work on more open systems.

"We want to go beyond the desktop to mobile and other venues for gaming. What gamers want is to play games on different screens," he said. "We are not big on the iPhone. We make social games and monetise them through our own platform.

"Apple wants to control its own platform. We are betting heavily on Android because it is more open and they are working on providing a great experience. We are looking for other opportunities like that. We will continue to have great indie games with the fidelity of top games."

Neither Greer nor GameStop executives would go into the specific details of how yesterday's acquisition would work on a practical level, although Greer said that both businesses are catering to the same crowd – the hardcore gamer.

Kongregate has between 10 and 15 million unique visitors per month on its website, and although social networking site Facebook is the number two aggregator for visitors, Greer said that the company would not be creating specific games for Facebook in the future.

"We have Facebook Connect integration and it is our No. 2 source of traffic. But we are not trying to do the kind of games that are currently on Facebook."

Shawn Freeman, general manager of digital business at GameStop added: "We see Facebook as a valuable gamer acquisition channel for us, but there are aspects of the casual play on Facebook that are not a match for our hardcore audience. Our strategy is more about drawing audiences to our own destination site."