Nokia announced that they are teaming up with Vivendi Games Mobile to bring the CRASH BANDICOOT franchise to Nokia's new N-Gage mobile gaming platform launching this fall. In another big deal, Nokia and Capcom revealed that Capcom will be publishing games on N-Gage. Capcom is the first Japanese based publisher to commit to N-Gage, which makes its global debut later this year.
"Vivendi Games Mobile is one of the most respected publishers in mobile gaming," said Gregg Sauter, Nokia's director of third party publishing. "CRASH BANDICOOT is a gaming icon as well as a global powerhouse, having sold more than 33 million units worldwide. With its fun appeal to people of all ages and incredible graphics, the CRASH BANDICOOT franchise is the perfect fit for N-Gage."
"With our global reach, it's important to have strong, well respected global partners", said Sauter. "For many years, Capcom has been entertaining consumers around the world with exceptional gaming experiences. We've now reached a point with mobile technologies where companies like Capcom can deliver a whole new level of mobile entertainment. The N-Gage platform will enable this evolution with devices that deliver enhanced graphics and a development tool kit that allows for online tournaments, communities, multiplayer games and, of course, global distribution."
Speaking of the announcement, Yosuke Yoneda, Director of Capcom's European Mobile Division, said, "Capcom is dedicated to creating great mobile games, and believes that N-Gage will allow us to bring some of our most famous franchises to the platform. Our dedication to quality and creative thinking has seen the company produce a series of ground-breaking titles, with stunning visuals and in-depth game play, never before seen on the mobile."
CRASH BANDICOOT follows the original storyline where the crazy marsupial must save the world. The player must take on the role of Crash to defeat the game's villain and mad scientist, Dr. Neo Cortex. More information about the Crash franchise can be found at www.crashbandicoot.com.
Capcom titles include MEGA MAN, STREET FIGHTER, RESIDENT EVIL and PHOENIX WRIGHT.
N-Gage is a made-for-mobile games service available in compatible Nokia Nseries and other S60 3rd Edition devices from Nokia. N-Gage makes it easy to find, try, buy, play and manage high-quality mobile games as well as connect to friends and other players in the N-Gage Arena, Nokia's mobile gaming community. Nokia is working with the world's leading publishers to deliver a broad portfolio of games. For more information, visit www.n-gage.com.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
