Phil Elliott
08:41 (BST)
28/03/2008
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Codemasters unveils casual games strategy
Codemasters has released a statement revealing its plans as far as the casual games market is concerned - a market which is worth USD 2.25 billion per year, according to the Casual Games Association.
Principally the statement revolves around the licensing deals for Grenada Ventures' Bella Sara, and the Templar Company's 'Ology series, both targeting the under-12 market.
"Codemasters sees the acquisition of micro-targeted licenses as an integral part to its success," read the statement.
"This highly-selective strategy reinforces the company's belief in making smart investments focused on long-term growth.
"The company has deliberately sought out highly-targeted brands that may be stealth on the mainstream radar, but are both steady in growth and proven successes within their audiences.
"Choice licenses - like Grenada's Bella Sara - are an incredibly important part of the overall brand plan because they have a pre-existing interactive component that easily allows the brand to make the transition to the casual games space."
The Bella Sara brand has sold over 40 million trading cards globally, with over 2 million registered users online, while the 'Ology books focus on a specific theme, such as dragons or pirates, and have sold over 14 million copies.
Both Atari and Midway recently announced significant plans to enter the casual market, while Nintendo's current market strength is the result of a gamble on attracting new, non-core audiences.
Codemasters is also developing titles for the traditional gaming market, including the anticipated Race Driver: GRID, and has an online arm that publishes MMOs such as Lord of the Rings Online in Europe.
