iPhone Drives Gameloft Sales Up 22 Percent

Paris-based mobile game maker Gameloft saw sales jump 22 percent during the first quarter, thanks in part to strong sales of iPhone games. But iPhone games weren't the only financial driver. Gameloft said today that sales of Java and Brew games for non-iPhone devices were "solid." In all, mobile game sales, which made up 94 percent of Gameloft's annual revenues, rose 21 percent year-on-year during Q1. Among Gameloft's current best-selling iPhone games are Real Soccer 2009, Hero of Sparta, The Oregon Trail, Let's Golf and Diamond Twister. Overall Gameloft sales were €30.8 million ($40.8 million) during the quarter, up from €25.3 million ($33.5 million) for the same quarter a year ago. The firm said growth continued during the economic slowdown because of new innovations in technology from mobile hardware players such as Nokia and Samsung. The company said it has gained market share in Smartphones and traditional Brew and Java phones. Apple and Google's respective iPhone and Android devices also buoyed the company's financials. European sales contributed 35 percent of total revenues during Q1, followed by North America with 37 percent and 29 percent for the rest of the world. North America represented the strongest growth, Gameloft said, up over 57 percent year-on-year. Gameloft said it expects "to grow its revenues and to improve its profitability in 2009." Six percent of the firm's revenues comes from console game sales. Gameloft is also a player on digital download services such as Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, Nintendo WiiWare and DSiWare.