June 10th, 2008 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Ad Funded Gaming | No Comments »
Greystripe just got its first operator distribution deal. Though it’s only the KPN owned MVNO Simyo, and only in Germany for now, it’s pretty promising for the future of the network.
Greystripe’s tight integration with simyo is an innovative solution for both MVNOs and carriers. The partnership disproves the notion that all carriers are attached to the for-pay model of mobile content. Mobile games have proven themselves to be very valuable entertainment for subscribers while, at the same time, driving increased data usage, which is an important revenue growth center for carriers. Additionally, the partnership is a logical next step for simyo as they provide the lowest data rates, attracting their subscribers to download games with minimal data charges.
"Ad-supported mobile game distribution is a growing trend in the industry," said Julien Theys, Analyst at Screen Digest. "Free mobile content drives data usage overall, thus improving revenues. Screen Digest expects to see more operators launching services in the coming year."
As part of the full Greystripe AdWRAP Catalog Platform integration, simyo has integrated three major components – a branded White Label Website catalog, a mobile Website and the in-game on device portal into each of the games. The in-game portal provides users with the opportunity to play the game, then return to simyo’s White Label mobile Website and choose from a collection of other games or download content directly from the in-game menu. This CRM and merchandising solution helps build awareness for other games in the catalog as well as for simyo as a brand.
“We are very excited about this partnership with Greystripe as they were the clear choice given their technology leadership, the breadth and quality of their games catalog and their superior, engaging advertising format,” said Rolf Hansen, Founder and CEO at simyo. “Our consumers are very Internet savvy and demand a great user experience and Greystripe’s model provides that in spades.”
“Our partnership with simyo demonstrates a clear trend toward ad-supported mobile content in the mobile industry as it provides a better end user experience. For carriers and MVNOs alike, it is a winning model because it provides their users low risk entertainment – no upfront charges, no subscription breakage and no difficulty in transferring games from one handset to another,” said Alvaro Bravo, VP of Business Development at Greystripe. “All of these things have stifled growth in the industry and we aim to change that.”
