Digital Chocolate secures new funding, again

August 12th, 2004 by Ashu Mathura Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

Mobile developer Digital Chocolate, the company of industry veteran Trip Hawkins and co founded by EA, has raised a new $13 million in funds by issuing shares of Series B convertible preferred stock to 23 investors according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

This will be the third time the company has made such an endeavor, with the company already having raised $8.4 million in December of 2003. Found here…

Elkware: The biggest stars and most beautiful celebrities will be going mobile

August 10th, 2004 by Ashu Mathura Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

The biggest stars and most beautiful celebrities will be going mobile as elkware GmbH, Europe’s leading mobile games developer, today announced an agreement with the marketing company iModel Music, enabling elkware to globally publish mobile games with a host of celebrities, effective immediately.

elkware is launching a dedicated new range entitled “CellEb”, combining “celebrity” and “cell phone.” The “CellEb” games’ glamorous design will appeal to a wide range of consumers, in particular the fans of the celebrities concerned. The games are easy to understand and easy to play through their simple controls, optimised for mobile phones. More …

VCs embrace mobile gaming

August 9th, 2004 by Ashu Mathura Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

New mobile gaming rage offers opportunity for deals. After years of virtually ignoring the gaming industry, venture capitalists are finally ready to play.

Mobile gaming is catching fire, thanks to the explosion of color phones and the desire by carriers to charge for services other than voice. Although mobile gaming is more prevalent in Asia and Europe, several U.S. startups are making a serious play to become the Electronic Arts Inc. of the mobile world. And VCs want in.

So far this year, Jamdat Mobile Inc., of Los Angeles, has filed to go public; Mforma Group, Inc., of Kirkland, Wash., has raised a $44 million round; and Sequoia Capital and Kliener Perkins Caufield & Byers, both of Menlo Park, have funded EA founder Trip Hawkins in a new venture dubbed Digital Chocolate Inc., based in San Mateo. Most recently, San Mateo-based Sorrent, Inc. has raised $20 million, led by BA Ventures, of Foster City. Three other Peninsula investors — New Enterprise Associates of Menlo Park, Globespan Capital Partners of Palo Alto and Sienna Ventures of Menlo Park — also played a role. More …

IN-FUSIO RAISES $27 MILLION

August 5th, 2004 by Ashu Mathura Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

Mobile Gaming Leader Furthers Expansion in U.S. Market, Firms Leadership Position in Europe with New Investment Headed by Insight Venture Partners

IN-FUSIO, the leading global game publisher and game services provider for mobile phones, today announced that it has raised $27 million in its latest round of financing. U.S. based venture capital firm Insight Venture Partners leads the funding, joining existing IN-FUSIO investors Banexi Ventures, Partech International, VPSA (formerly Viventures) and Innoven Partenaires.
The capital raised will help to further secure IN-FUSIO’s leading market share position in Europe, as well as its growing presence in the U.S. mobile gaming industry. More …

Airborne Entertainment Completes $22 Million Financing Round Led by Insight Venture Partners

August 2nd, 2004 by Ashu Mathura Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

Deal Underscores Airborne’s Leadership Position in the Rapidly Growing Market for Diversified Mobile Entertainment Products and Services

Airborne Entertainment Inc., today announced a $22 million round of financing led by Insight Venture Partners, with participation from existing and other new investors. This investment will step up expansion of new product lines and services in the mobile entertainment market, support the rollout of international distribution and accelerate strategic acquisitions. More …

Big Money for Sorrent with planned $20 million cash influx

August 2nd, 2004 by Ashu Mathura Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

The house of FOX Sports nails a fat round of financing.

Sorrent, the makers of fine games like FOX Sports Football, has secured a fat round of financial from its current investors as well as newcomer BA Venture Partners. More … (1) More … (2)

CEO Ollila says Nokia’s ‘sisu’ will see it past tough times

July 22nd, 2004 by Ashu Mathura Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

In times like these, the executives who run Nokia talk up a uniquely Finnish quality called sisu. “The translation would be ‘guts,’ ” says Jorma Ollila, CEO of Nokia, the world’s most prolific cell phone maker, in an interview at company headquarters here. “But it’s also endurance. There is a long-term element to it. You overcome all obstacles. You need quite a lot of sisu to survive in this climate.” More …

Q&A: Sony Pictures’ Yair Landau tells us where to look to spot the fast-approaching future of entertainment.

July 20th, 2004 by Ashu Mathura Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

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Focus On: Square Enix Ltd.’s John Yamamoto

July 20th, 2004 by Ashu Mathura Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

The expansion of Square Enix’ European division heralds a whole new era for the Japanese giant in this territory – with self-publishing, moves into other media and even local development all on the cards. Rob Fahey caught up with new European president and CEO John Yamamoto…

The arrival of one of Japan’s biggest publishers on European shores is a fairly major event for the games market in the PAL territories. Although some Japanese firms – Konami and Capcom are good examples – have major presences in Europe and have been publishing their own titles here for years, they remain the exception rather than the rule. In general, Japanese firms – even those with US subsidiaries – have been happy to sit back and allow other publishers to handle their products in Europe. More …