PopCap teams with Taito for mobile games service
Pop Tower for Japan will add RPG elements to casual classics
PopCap has teamed with Taito to provide a dedicated mobile social games service for the Japanese market.
Pop Tower will host new versions of hits like Chuzzle, Bejewelled and Zuma, adding metagame and RPG elements for a new audience.
"Social games on mobile devices looks set to dominate gaming worldwide and Japan is already ahead of the curve," commented James Gwertzman, PopCap's VP for Asia Pacific
"PopCap is about identifying the curve and getting ahead of it. It's not about being 'trendy' or 'first'; it's about being the best; taking the talent and time to create something genuinely innovative. The Japanese game market is the second largest in the world, but historically, few Western companies have succeeded here."
Due for release in Japan in the first quarter of next year, Pop Tower is the first product from PopCap's Tokyo office, and is created in conjunction with Taito, a division of Square Enix.
"The social game market is undergoing remarkable growth, and we have high hopes for this partnership," added Akihito Shoji, Taito's SVP of Content.
"Mobile social games are a critical part of our overall strategy, with much of our resources devoted to the design and management of games that are not only fun pastimes, but also foster interaction and communication between players.
"We're confident that our mobile social market experience and PopCap's strong casual properties is a winning combination, and one that will deliver a whole new experience to the game users."