Top Mobile Games on Verizon for 2007

This week is the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. There will be lots of news coming out of the show that we will try to report on. One headline today came from Verizon Wireless, who announced the 10 most successful mobile games the company introduced in 2007. The top-ranked games of the past year include:

1. Tetris by EA Mobile (New 2007 version)
2. Smarter Than A 5th Grader? by Capcom Entertainment
3. Guitar Hero III by Hands-On Mobile
4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare by Glu
5. Need for Speed ProStreet 3D by EA Mobile
6. Diner Dash 2 by Glu
7. Assassin's Creed by Gameloft
8. Madden NFL 08 by EA SPORTS 3D by EA Mobile
9. The Simpsons by EA Mobile
10. God of War: Betrayal by Sony Pictures Digital

Tammy Robinson, manager of broadband, wireless downloadable content for Verizon Wireless, noted, "We are constantly adding new games to a variety of categories -- including sports, action and strategy games -- because Verizon Wireless customers have demonstrated they have a healthy appetite for mobile games."

2008 - The Year of the Mobile Game

The Mobile Phone Blog, powered by Movaya, predicts 2008 will be the Year of the Mobile Game.

Here at the MPB, we pay close attention to the daily barrage of blog posts, industry analysis, insider rumors, and of course to our business at Movaya. And everything we know adds up to 2008 being the year that the Mobile Game busts out of the shadows and into the hand of the average American.

Some of the reasons why:

• Mobile gaming growth rate stronger than console (XBOX, PS, Wii) and handheld (think portable playstation) games; trails only casual games today (MobileIndustry article)
• Mobile game publishers are embracing off-deck solutions, as witnessed by the GLU financial statements, EA's quarterly statements and the general traction Movaya is getting from game publisher sign ups (including Capcom, Com2uS, Machineworks Northwest, PlayerX, Superscape and more).
  
• Verizon opens up: Introduces 'Any app, Any Device'. No off-deck yet, but it is on the way, and Verizon is clearly starting to think outside 'the walls'. Read more here
  
• iPhone users are proving that games matter, since 6 out of the top 10 applications used today are games (Apple iPhone Apps Countdown) - this says a lot about the usefulness of advanced devices and their ability to play games.
  
• Google releases Android, the open-source mobile OS, suggesting a future of customer-centric devices made for advanced gaming
• Overall, the mobile-game market in the United States is worth more than $675 million a year - and has grown 24 percent in the past 12 months, according to Nielsen Media Research. Some analysts expect it to double in revenue next year, thanks to shows like Top Chef Challenge that target new demographics.
• The international market is also projected to double - topping $10 billion by the end of next year, with 920 million mobile users downloading games, according to a report issued last month by Jupiter Research, a global leader in high-tech communications research.

Help Movaya make 2008 a great year in Mobile Gaming and Applications, and let us help you by making our platform better, send us your ideas for the new year: Email the team

Happy New Year Everyone.

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader Number Two on Verizon

The Mobile Phone Blog congratulates Capcom Interactive on their tremendous success with their mobile game, “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?”. The game has climbed to the number two slot on Verizon Wireless, displacing perennial bestsellers that have remained at the top of the mobile gaming charts for several years. The game, based on the popular Fox TV series, debuted as a top-ten-seller on several major U.S. carriers including Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint.

"I'm very proud of the way we were able to quickly bring a high quality top-seller to market. With our internal development assets, Capcom Interactive is able to maintain a highly-maneuverable organization that can respond quickly to licensing and partnership opportunities as they arise," said Midori Yuasa, President, Capcom Interactive, Inc.

The amazing performance of the game is the latest in a series of successes for Capcom Interactive, which has seen its sales grow by an astounding 62% over the same year-ago quarter.

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? mobile incorporates all the charm, humor and deceptively difficult questions of the wildly popular FOX game show from Mark Burnett Productions in a portable format optimized for the mobile experience. As in the show, the mobile game asks a series of questions ranging from subjects like U.S. history, math and social studies. If a player performs well they can work their way to the $1 million question; however if they falter they're forced to utter the unenviable phrase, "I am not smarter than a 5th grader."

You can buy the game by clicking here or on the link on the right hand side of the blog. It's fun, give it a shot.

Capcom Interactive is Revving Up Off-deck Mobile Game Sales

Capcom Interactive, the mobile division of Capcom (makers of the legendary Street Fighter series, for one), has launched an advertising campaign on IGN.com's WIRELESS section to promote it's latest mobile game blockbuster 'Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?'.

Capcom uses the Movaya PlugNPlay service (the free mobile content distribution service our company has) to sell its game off-deck.

It is fair to say we are very excited about this campaign, as off-deck mobile games sales are a small fraction of the overall market. However, Capcom is eager to increase the volume in this channel, as are most other mobile game publishers. The fact they are launching a major campaign such as this is a big indicator of their position on whether or not off-deck matters.

Company plug: We (Movaya) are positioning ourselves to help all mobile game publishers succeed off-deck, and currently we are promoting the fact that we are here to help the entire industry move forward, which means opening up distribution for game publishers, helping merchants with the technology they need to sell games off-deck, and raise the overall awareness of the mobile gaming industry in the eyes of consumers.

Movaya Releases PlugNPlay 2.0 for Mobile Content Distribution, and Welcomes Casual Game Merchants

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) November 15, 2007 -- Movaya (www.movaya.com), a leading provider of mobile content distribution software solutions, today announces that it has released PlugNPlay 2.0, the newest edition of its Mobile Game and Application distribution and management platform.

With PlugNPlay, Movaya enables online merchants, casual game merchants and anyone with a website, blog or forum to create a store for selling mobile games, mobile applications or any type of mobile content. From the website to the sales page, everything that the customer sees can be branded with the company's logo, style and formatting.

Version 2.0 of PlugNPlay introduces three new, key components:

• Instant WAP store that allow any PlugNPlay client to have a mobile version of their store
• FLASH Interfaces provide the easiest way for clients to get online
• XML Feed for advanced programming.

"The ability to use the PlugNPlay XML Feed has allowed Capcom to build a custom web application and sell our games directly to consumers," said Matt Gillis, Senior Vice President of Publishing, Capcom Interactive, Inc. "This has created an additional revenue stream for us with little to no risk to the company."

With these new features in place, and more games in the system (currently over 400 titles from companies such as RealNetworks, Capcom, COM2US and more), Movaya readily welcomes Casual Game Merchants to use its system to add Mobile Game sales to their existing stores.

"Movaya is focused on developing the most complete, flexible, easy to use system for off-deck distribution," said Phil Yerkes, CEO of Movaya. "And this includes distribution of mobile games not only via websites but WAP sites as well. By taking advantage of the flexibility of our mobile game distribution platform, anyone can expand into mobile game and application sales."

Platinum Studios, an entertainment company that specializes in developing and adapting comics and graphic novel content to other media, has gone online with a website for mobile content sales, PT78Mobile.com. Additionally, with the new features of PlugNPlay 2.0, Platinum was able to instanly add a WAP store. Using your cell phone you can visit m.pt78mobile.com.

An example of the PlugNPlay Flash Interface can be seen at PhonePimp.com.

About Capcom
Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment. Founded in 1983, the company has created world-renowned franchises including Resident Evil®, Street Fighter®, Mega Man®, Breath of Fire®, Devil May Cry® and the Onimusha® series. Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, the company maintains operations in the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, Tokyo and Hong Kong. More information about Capcom and its products can be found on the company's web site at www.capcom.com.

Since its establishment in November of 2005, Capcom Interactive, Inc. has published several mobile games based on Capcom’s celebrated intellectual property, including 1942, Ghost n' Goblins, Mega Man and Resident Evil®: The Missions, to commercial and critical acclaim. For additional information on the company and its offerings, please visit www.capcommobile.com.

About Platinum Studios:
Platinum Studios is an entertainment company that specializes in developing and adapting comics and graphic novel content to feature film, television, animation, games, the Internet, and other media. Our independent library of comic characters is the largest in the world and contains more than 3,800 characters that have appeared in hundreds of millions of comics in 25 languages and more than 50 countries. Simply put, we create, produce, and distribute comic-based content, and lots of it.

About Movaya:
Movaya is a Seattle-based technology company focused on creating the premier E-Commerce Solution for Mobile Software Publishers and Online Merchants.

"Powering the Next Generation of Mobile Content Distribution"

Since its founding in 2006, Movaya has been dedicated to the development of its revolutionary mobile-content management and distribution software platform; a platform that has created a new distribution channel for mobile publishers and enables any one to sell and distribute mobile-content such has video games, applications, music and videos.

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Capcom Interactive has launched Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? mobile game.

Based on the hit show, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? brings all the charm, humor and deceptively difficult questions to the mobile platform.

Players are asked a series of up to 11 questions ranging from subjects like U.S. history, math or social studies. Perform well and you can work you way to the $1 million question. Choke and be forced to utter the unenviable phrase “I’m not smarter than a 5th grader.”

The game features more than 800 questions covering 12 different subjects. Simulated students provide “peek,” “copy” and “save” assistance just like in the TV show. And sound effects from the TV show complete the experience.

This game is selling very well on the carrier decks and it is a fun game for consumers of all ages. And just to eliminate any perceived subjectivity, you can read IGN's review here.

And the best part, is that if you want to buy the game, you don't have to dig through the store on your phone to find it. Simply click here and use Capcom's slick phone downloader tool to buy it. (Note: Verizon users are not supported yet, but rumor has it that this will change soon.)

Capcom partners with Movaya to launch Off Deck game sales

Here is an old press release we need to post (note that we are promoting our relationship!). Also note that this is significant, in that a major video game publisher is taking the step to reach out to its audience directly, off -deck, and using its own marketing dollars to support this D2C effort. Another small step towards opening the garden walls of Americas carrier giants

Capcom® Interactive, Inc., a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of mobile interactive entertainment in North America, today announced the launch of a new e-commerce service on the company’s website. The new service allows customers to locate and download Capcom branded mobile games directly to their handset using a simple and intuitive web interface.

"For mobile games to expand we need to find easier ways to get interactive content into the hands of consumers," said Matt Gillis, Senior Vice-President, Publishing at Capcom Interactive, Inc. "With the launch of our new e-store, it’s our intention to give Capcom fans a quick and easy means to experience classic Capcom content on their mobile devices."

To power the e-commerce services, Capcom partnered with Movaya, a leading provider of mobile content distribution software solutions. Movaya will manage the online sale and Over-the-Air (OTA) delivery in addition to jointly managing the store with Capcom. In addition Movaya is providing real-time reporting services and customer service support.

"Movaya is laser focused on the Off-Deck distribution of Mobile Games in North America," said Phil Yerkes, CEO of Movaya. "By taking advantage of our mobile content distribution platform, Capcom can expand its mobile game sales opportunities and offer customers a user-friendly experience directly from their own website."

Capcom is currently made available several of its best selling titles on the online store including Mega Man II, ESPN Poker Club, Millionaire ’07 and the newly released Street Fighter II.

Capcom Mobile Store powered by Movaya

Capcom Mobile - Go Buy a Game

Capcom Interactive, the fastest growing mobile game publisher in the US, recently launched a new website which allows consumers to buy their favorite Capcom games directly from the web.

Titles include:
Lost Planet, ESPN Poker Club, Mega Man II, Street Fighter II, and my personal favorite, Millionaire 2007.

The site is extremely easy to use. Using the downloader, consumers pick their carrier and phone model and then Capcom displays compatible games. Pick a game and enter the phone number and then you receive a text message with a link to download the game over the air.

This is one of the best implementations we've seen for selling mobile games outside of the carrier stores. Click here to get started and buy a game to play the next time you have 10 minutes to kill. You might actually learn something by playing Millionaire...