RealNetworks Launches RealArcade Mobile Content Site With PlayPhone
SEATTLE, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RealNetworks®, Inc. (NASDAQ:RNWK), the leading publisher of casual games, today announced the launch of the RealArcade mobile content Web site, www.realarcade.com/mobile , in partnership with PlayPhone, the pioneer of direct-to-consumer wireless distribution. Through the partnership, Real and PlayPhone will provide customers access to an extended catalog of more than 150 games and thousands of ringtones and wallpaper graphics for mobile phones.
The RealArcade mobile content portal supports more than 500 mobile phones on the Cingular, AT&T Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile wireless networks, and is accessible from the Internet via PC as well as mobile phones. The new portal allows customers to quickly and easily load their phones with a wide variety of entertainment content. Hit mobile games like Luxor, Gorillaz and The Apprentice are available, as well as top ringtones such as Sean Paul's "We Be Burnin" and Madonna's "Hung Up." The $9.99 monthly fee is added to customers' mobile phone bill and includes 14 download credits that roll over for up to 90 days if unused.
"The market for mobile entertainment has grown tremendously over the past few years and consumers are increasingly using their cell phones for much more than just talking," said Ron Czerny, CEO of PlayPhone. "The new Web site will make it easy for people to find a whole host of games and content that work with their particular phone and service -- all from one location."
In August, Telephia Research released its most recent "Mobile Game Report," which found that in Q2 2006, 13.5 million wireless subscribers downloaded a mobile game.
"Digital entertainment is a growing phenomenon on mobile phones, with consumers downloading millions of games, ringtones, and graphics every year," said Derrick Morton, general manager for mobile games at RealNetworks. "PlayPhone's deep expertise in this space allows us to offer a wide catalog of mobile content to RealArcade customers. With the new site, we can now bring our most popular game titles to an even larger audience."
According to a recent RealNetworks mobile games survey conducted by GMI (Global Market Insite, Inc.), a leading provider of global market intelligence solutions based in Seattle, almost half of mobile gamers don't know what model of phone they have, making it increasingly difficult to download mobile entertainment from sources other than their carrier. RealArcade's content site will help solve this problem, supporting hundreds of phones across the major wireless service carriers. The study also found that more than 55 percent of consumers who download a mobile game cited "getting bored and looking for something to do on my phone" as the reason for doing so. This illustrates the growing demand for mobile entertainment and sites that offer an extensive content catalog.
The RealArcade mobile content site will offer mobile versions of many hit casual games, including Super Collapse, Luxor, Zuma, and Jewel Quest. Customers that enjoy playing those games on their PC can now download them to their mobile phone via the new site, which can be found at www.realarcade.com/mobile .
About RealNetworks, Inc.
RealNetworks, Inc. is the leading creator of digital media services and software including Rhapsody, RealPlayer® 10, and casual PC and mobile games. RealNetworks has more than 2.2 million paid subscribers to its premium digital media www.real.com/ . Broadcasters, network operators, media companies and enterprises use RealNetworks' products and services to create and deliver digital media to PCs, mobile phones and consumer electronics devices. RealNetworks' corporate information is located at realnetworks.com/company .
About PlayPhone
PlayPhone ignited the direct-to-consumer mobile revolution in 2003 with one of the first retail mobile entertainment products in the world and continues to innovate new, unique ways to bring mobile content to consumers. Today, PlayPhone is the innovation leader in direct-to-consumer wireless distribution with its best of breed technologies and extensive content portfolio; enabling consumers to purchase thousands of ringtones, images and premium mobile games through any medium, anytime for everyone. PlayPhone is based in San Jose, CA and is funded by top venture firms Menlo Ventures and Cardinal Venture Capital.
Source: RealNetworks, Inc.
CONTACT: Carol Rogalski of RealNetworks, Inc., +1-425-890-4747, or crogalski@real.com; or Ashley Allman, +1-206-344-3133, or ashley@barokas.com, for RealNetworks, Inc.
Web site: http://www.realnetworks.com/
