Japanese Cellular Game Company Making Play for US
By Shawn on Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 at 6:42 PM PST In Game Companies, Game Platforms, Gamer Life, Games, Portable
Cellphone game company DeNA aims to replicate its success with mobile social networking in Japan in the U.S. market. The company offers free online games to people who sign up for its social networking services. These customers are asked to create an avatar which grants DeNA easy access to demographics. limited blogging, social communities and chat rooms are all part of the plan. Although the site has attracted advertising they make their money from a micro-transaction model offering clothes, homes and accessories for customers’ avatars.
The Wall Street Journal points out that DeNA will face several challenges in the U.S. it hasn’t had to deal with previously. The majority of social networking is accessed by PC in part because mobile rates are higher in the U.S. The current unstable economy has investors less likely to risk their advertising investment on mobile outlets. Cell phones aren’t as sophisticated and most aren’t equipped with the Flash Lite software that allows mobile sites to display animation.
The company isn’t phased by these draw backs and plans to pioneer its brand of mobile social networking in the U.S. With the iPhone and competitors becoming more prevalent, if DeNA can get in early they could set the trend in a market where texting is as natural as breathing for most users. For a look at the basic offerings check out the MobMingle pilot online mobile site for limited blogging,social networking and avatar services.
