RealNetworks makes play for mobile gaming

RealNetworks is making a play for the European mobile games market with the acquisition of Helsinki-based gaming developer and publisher Mr.Goodliving.

According to RealNetworks, the $15m cash purchase will help establish the company in the mobile games market and provide European sales opportunities for its existing library of game titles. It will also expand the reach of Mr.Goodliving games into the US and Asia.

"Four years ago, we entered the casual games market with RealArcade. In that time, we have established a strong leadership position on the PC," said Rob Glaser, chairman and chief executive at RealNetworks.

The firm hopes to tap into demand from European consumers where "mass market adoption of advanced mobile services is firmly established".

"By joining forces with Mr.Goodliving we are expanding our casual games business onto mobile handsets worldwide," said Glaser.

Juha Ruskola, chief executive at Mr.Goodliving, added: "Joining with Real enables our team to continue creating more of the top selling mobile games and provide those games to a wider global audience through Real's mobile distribution network."

Ruskola claimed that the acquisition would help the firm compete in "this rapidly expanding and ever changing mobile games industry".

Founded in 1999, Mr.Goodliving's library of games includes the Playman Sports series and the European distribution rights for the mobile edition of Trivial Pursuit.

The firm's games are available through more than 100 distributors and carriers including Vodafone Global Content Services, MMO2 Group, Telefonica, H3G, T-Mobile International and Orange Group.

Mr.Goodliving has also developed Emerge, a proprietary development platform which enables the publishing of games to more than 200 handsets in 20 languages.