SINA sponsors Nokia’s Mobile Rules! competition — MobileMonday Global: Industry News

^{Deadline SNAPs forward} SINA sponsors Nokia’s Mobile Rules! competition

Mobile Rules! competiton extends its reach to China.

19 Sep 2007 at 13:45 GMT Timo Poropudas

SINA, China's leading online media company, announced Monday that they have joined as a sponsor in Nokia's ongoing mobile multiplayer games competition to support the global search for new game developer talent.

As a result of SINA joining the competition, Nokia announced that the deadline for accepting mobile game concepts based on the SNAP Mobile platform has been extended to September 24. Selected concepts based on SNAP Mobile will receive free development support and preparation for market deployment.

"SINA will provide the winners of the multiplayer competition with a fast track opportunity to distribute games in China. This competition encourages developers and publishers to raise the bar on mobile game innovation, and developers located anywhere in the world, can compete," said Terry Tian, Network Business Dept Director, SINA.

"We are keen to add more SNAP Mobile based games to our portfolio, and see this competition as a unique way to speed deployment of innovative games to market."

"Based on our experience, many game developers and publishers are lacking global channels to bring their best innovative, connected mobile games to market. With SINA joining there will be attractive distribution channels in China,” said Antoine Doumenc, head of SNAP Mobile.

“SINA offers a rare chance for developers to gain access to one of the largest mobile markets in the world."

Developers interested in joining the http://www.mobilerules.org/multiplayer Mobile Rules! Multiplayer Competition and receiving free developer support should submit concepts based on SNAP Mobile by September 24.

Beta versions of multiplayer games based on any platform can also be submitted by January 25, 2008 as long as they include fully working multiplayer gaming functionality and backend technology. http://www.mobilerules.org/multiplayer

SNAP Mobile by Nokia is an industry leading mobile Java gaming solution that covers middleware and technology, hosting, maintenance, and online community management. It is available to 3rd parties for connected mobile game development and publishing, and also offers mobile game community development to operators.