Capcom, Namco Ramping Up In Europe; Jump Games In Global Push

MocoNews - November 7, 2008

By Dianne See Morrison

Just a week after Nokia (NYSE: NOK) said that it did not see mobile gaming growing in 2009, comes the news that Japanese games publishers Namco and Capcom are ramping up their European operations, while Indian games firm Jump is making a global push. Mobile Entertainment reports that both Namco and Capcom have restructured and are keen to challenge market leaders Glu Mobile (NSDQ: GLUU), Gameloft (EPA: GFT), EA Mobile and THQ (NSDQ: THQI) Wireless in hopes of each of them getting a 5 percent of the European market.

While Japanese games firms haven't had a big presence in Europe, Capcom president and head of its mobile team Midori Yuasa pointed to their experience in the US, noting that when they entered the market there in 2006, they were 62nd in the market, but are now fifth or sixth. Namco, meanwhile is doubling its European workforce from 25 to 50. European president Barry O'Neill said the company hadn?t really configured for the market in the past, but was now going to make sure that they will be more "proactive in marketing", and had handset coverage of at least 85 percent, while working closer with partners.

Meanwhile, Indian firm Jump, which bought the mobile IP from football club Manchester United earlier this year, has set up a London office. It also plans to open a Singapore office next year, and is continuing to staff up its U.S. office located in Chicago. Jump's CEO Salil Bhargava, told ME: "With our new business channels we will now have a presence locally in key international markets. We are committed to scaling our global operations as well as aggressively bidding for local game licenses."

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