Codemasters establishes mobile gaming division – key gaming brands and new IP’s planned.

Codemasters :

Codemasters, the leading developer and publisher of critically acclaimed video games, today confirms the formation of Codemasters Mobile, a new division that will expand the company's presence in the mobile phone gaming market.

Codemasters Mobile will manage the development and publishing of the company's games for mobile devices. Matt Davies has been appointed Director of Codemasters Mobile and will lead the company's activities in the wireless market, supported by marketing and production personnel. Previously, Davies was Codemasters' Business Development Manager and led the licensing of Codemasters' titles to mobile publishers.

Matt Davies, Director of Codemasters Mobile, commented:

"Codemasters Mobile will focus on managing the development process with external studios and establishing our distribution programme. We will grow the division organically from an initial roster of six titles and build additional development resources and mobile properties that will leverage Codemasters' key gaming brands, new IP's and introduce original titles created exclusively for mobile gaming.

"In a busy market place, Codemasters Mobile will place great importance on delivering top quality mobile entertainment that mirrors Codemasters' heritage of great gameplay."

The first titles to be published under the Codemasters Mobile brand will arrive in Q3 2005 for Smartphones (Symbian OS). Titles in development include the classic football action game Sensible Soccer, and old skool gaming favourites, Cannon Fodder and Psycho Pinball.

In Q1 2006, Codemasters Mobile will launch TOCA Race Driver 3 as its first major release alongside the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC editions of the hotly tipped motorsport game. The mobile edition will benefit from extensive exposure in the game's mainstream marketing programme.

The mobile edition of TOCA Race Driver 3 signals the way Codemasters Mobile will utilise the company's portfolio of successful game brands. The mobile edition has been co-designed by the established TOCA game studio to ensure it captures the full game's core elements and gameplay.

Java and M3G 3D (JSR 184) editions of the game will be available, both developed by Rockpool Games, a leading developer of games for wireless devices including the award-winning Worms Forts and the forthcoming MotoGP 3 Extreme.

Codemasters has already enjoyed success with its gaming brands in the mobile market having licensed titles to publishing companies such as Jamdat, I-Play and Kuju Wireless.

Exposure of Codemasters titles has included Colin McRae Rally 04 and 2005, TOCA Race Driver 2, Sensible Soccer and LMA Manager 2005, which was recently a number one best seller in ELSPA's official Mobile Games Java Download Chart (May 2005).

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