Nokia unveiled a new software development kit (SDK) and consumer interface for its next generation mobile gaming platform. The new tools and consumer interface are designed to empower the mobile games industry to create high quality 3D mobile games for Nokia smartphones.
Our new SDK contains familiar tools for developers, making it easy to focus on doing what they do best creating great mobile games, said Gregg Sauter, director, games publishing, Nokia. Our platform lets developers put their games in millions of pockets worldwide and these new tools ensure developers can get on board to take advantage of this fantastic business opportunity.
Nokia also showcased its next generation mobile gaming consumer interface, showing how consumers can easily discover, purchase, play, manage and share the best mobile games.
With our new consumer interface, you get quick access to new games and information, its easy to buy and manage your games, and share game accomplishments with your friends. You can play fantastic looking games for a great overall entertainment experience in your pocket. This new consumer interface is going to transform the way people find and play mobile games, continued Sauter.
The new developer tools include Game Development Libraries, based on C++ programming libraries, which will be available across multiple devices. The Game Development Libraries can be updated on the devices for resolving compatibility issues, and adding new features, including industry standard DRM solutions for content protection with minimal integration. Developers can also take advantage of the real-time connected gaming and community features enabled by the N-Gage Arena.
Nokia provides a professional development environment with debugging and analyzing tools such as on target real-time debugging and profiling over USB. Developers also have access to world-class developer support through the new Forum Nokia PRO Games Zone launched today.
Nokias next generation mobile games platform is expected to launch in the first half of 2007, with a range of titles and devices.
Nokia announced today the launch of a business solution that enables operators and publishers to create online communities for mobile Java games in days, rather than months. Operators who choose SNAP Mobiles Starter Kit or Standard Package can have their users hosted on the SNAP Mobile Community, a full-featured, generic website, which creates an online gaming community almost instantly.
SNAP Mobile offers a full-featured, turnkey gaming community infrastructure that connects mobile gamers via Nokias SNAP Mobile gaming platform. Building on the inherent social aspects of mobile phones, these communities can be accessed by gamers PC web browsers and internet-enabled phones.
Mobile technology was born out of the fact that people are social by nature and demand the ability to communicate outside of their offices and family rooms, said Lisa Waits, head of Nokia SNAP Mobile. We asked why shouldnt mobile gaming offer the same and were answering with our plug and play community solution for operators and publishers that will deliver a seamless, social experience for gamers.
Nokias SNAP Mobile online communities give mobile gamers the ability to communicate in-game with friends, strangers and co-workers all the time, anytime, and deliver a variety of in- and out-of-game features. In-game, players will have their own unique user identities, as well as features such as friend lists, presence, rankings, chat and instant messaging. Out-of-game, users will not only have the ability to maintain their unique user identities and view rankings, but will also have at their disposal news and events, message boards, and featured gamepages.
In addition to being a win for mobile gamers, SNAP Mobile provides operators and publishers with a highly effective, low-cost way opportunity to increase online usage and downloadable game sales.
At the heart of our commitment to offering online communities was the requirement that this offering be easy to implement, continued Waits. We want to bring long-term solutions and easy to use technology to a broad base of players in the mobile content market. The result is happy operators and publishers as well as ecstatic, connected gamers.
Nokias SNAP Mobile is the ideal hosted solution for operators who want to create a gaming community site quickly, with no configuration hassles or up-front costs. Operators choosing SNAP Mobiles Premium Package provides a community website that can be fully customized to suit the operators needs. A generic version is also available for more rapid deployment.
For more information on the Nokias SNAP Mobile online communities, visit www.snapmobile.nokia.com.
Nokia (www.nokia.com) is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
