Mobile Social Network OpenFeint Raises $8M From Intel, The9

Aurora Feint, developer of cross-platform mobile social gaming network OpenFeint, closed an $8 million round of funding led by Intel Capital (Intel's global investment organization) and Chinese MMO operator The9. OpenFeint allows developers to add social gaming features, such as online leaderboards, invites, chat, and cross-platform play to their titles. The social network has supported over 3,400 games and reached more than 45 million registered users since its launch in February 2009. Though Aurora Feint faces competition from rival mobile social network platforms and Apple's recently introduced Game Center service, the company says it will use this new funding to expand its investments in iOS and Android -- the company launched OpenFeint for Android last month. Shanghai-based MMO company The9 revealed its participation in the investment round, some $4 million, in July. Japanese mobile social gaming platform DeNA has also previously backed Aurora Feint to the tune of $3 million for a 20 percent stake in the company last year, according to a VentureBeat Report. "OpenFeint is a cross platform social gaming network that helps players find, buy and play great games they love regardless of the mobile OS that’s on their phones," says Aurora Feint chairman Peter Relan. He adds, "With the backing of Intel Capital, we will build a truly global network of gamers that will accelerate the social discovery of games and help game developers unlock the true revenue potential of their games."