Lara Croft coming soon to a phone near you!
Eidos/Nokia team to create WAP games
Dan Milmo
Wednesday February 21, 2001
Eidos, the troubled creator of the Tomb Raider gaming series, has moved into the mobile phone market in a bid to counter the non-appearance of the PlayStation 2 console.
The UK company has teamed up with handset maker Nokia to provide games for internet-friendly WAP phones over the next two years.
"It is the first step on the way to mobile games, which is potentially a very big market.
"The introduction of third generation mobile phones over the next few years will make it possible to receive even more content," said Simon Protheroe, technical director of Eidos.
Eidos has been hit hard by delays in delivering the much-hyped PS2.
Game buyers have held back from buying new software until the latest console is available.
This resulted in a series of profit warnings and top-level management resignations in the second half of last year.
The PS2 consoles will begin to arrive in Europe over the next few months.
But Mr Protheroe said the advent of third-generation mobile phones could provide an important revenue stream for Eidos.
"Today, our core business remains PlayStation 2 consoles and PCs, and that will be the case for the next couple of years.
"But mobile phones will become an increasingly important market," he said.
Eidos will soon release its Gangsters game on Nokia phones and is developing WAP versions of its other games.
The company's products include a highly successful tie-in with the Who Wants to be a Millionaire? quiz show.
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"non-appearance of the PlayStation 2 console"
Hope there not a repeat on GPRS, EDGE, etc. |
