GLU MOBILE BUYS UK-BASED COUNTERPART
SAN MATEO - 05/11/06 - Mobile entertainment developer and publisher Glu Mobile has acquired iFone, a leading global wireless entertainment publisher based in Manchester, England.
The acquisition of iFone "strengthens Glu's position as one of the premier  worldwide publishers of mobile games and reinforces Glu's marketing and sales capabilities throughout Europe," the company said.
As part of the acquisition, Glu will obtain global rights to iFone's top-selling titles including Monopoly, Lemmingst, and Atari Classics, and European rights to iFone's latest run away hit, Sega's "Sonic the Hedgehog."
iFone was named the top-performing mobile games publisher in 2004 and 2005 according to a yearly analysis of the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) "Mobile Charts" conducted by Informa Telecoms & Media (ITM).
The British-company was also recently recognized as the second fastest-growing technology company, according to the Sunday Times of London "Microsoft Tech Track 100" list.
Nicholas Lane, ITM's principal analyst of mobile content and applications, said that the deal "will boost Glu's distribution and marketing capabilities, as well as deliver a strong portfolio of brands."
"These are all essential attributes at a time when mobile operators are reducing the number of publishers they deal with directly, and large console publishers and media companies are entering the market," he said.
A Mobile Entertainment report, published in August 2005 by ITM forecasts that by 2010, the global mobile games market will be worth more than $11.2 billion.
Financial terms of the Glu-iFone agreement were not disclosed.
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