EA extends mobile focus with Digital Bridges deal

Leading publisher Electronic Arts has announced plans to strengthen its presence in the mobile gaming space, with an exclusive deal with wireless games firm Digital Bridges set to bring EA's key franchises to mobile handsets.

Under the terms of the deal, which was announced at the European Games Network conference, EA's existing partnership with Digital Bridges will be expanded to grant the company exclusive rights to distribute all EA mobile games in Europe and the Americas.

Three new EA titles are expected to launch on mobile handsets this year thanks to the new deal, with FIFA Football 2005, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 and Need For Speed Underground 2 all appearing in wireless incarnations, while a mobile version of The Sims is on the cards for 2005.

"Digital Bridges has a deep understanding of this market," commented EA's European managing director Gerhard Florin, "and building on our past three years of working together, they continue to be our ideal partner as the mobile games market moves into its next phase of growth and maturity."

"Consumers around the world are increasingly moving to interactive entertainment, and while we create and produce games for the mobile platform, the expertise of Digital Bridges will help us bring new opportunities for game players to join in the trend with the familiar, user-friendly format of the mobile phone," he concluded.

Digital Bridges hit the industry headlines earlier this summer when the Scotland-based firm, which has raised over UKP 20 million in funding since its launch in 1998 and now employs around 80 people, announced that former Nintendo Europe managing director David Gosen has joined the company as chief operating officer.