Mobile Community mig33 Allies With GREE, Offering Social Game Developers Easy Access to Huge Emerging Markets

SINGAPORE, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- mig33, the world's largest mobile-first community, today announced an agreement with GREE, a major Japanese social networking service provider, to adopt the GREE Platform for smartphone, opening mig33's community to a vast array of social game developers throughout Japan and far beyond.

The agreement extends a huge opportunity for game developers looking to generate new customers and revenue streams, because games previously developed for the GREE platform can now easily be adapted and made available to mig33's more than 47 million registered users.

Today's mig33/GREE deal echoes an earlier announcement in which GREE partnered with China's Tencent.  While modeled on both GREE and Tencent, mig33 differentiates itself by bringing mobile community and entertainment to billions of consumers residing in the emerging, mobile-first markets throughout Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Together, the two deals mean that game developers throughout Asia and beyond can easily make their social games and other applications available to mig33 and tap its fast-growing virtual economy.

"mig33 is thrilled to partner with GREE, as this opens up tremendous opportunity for social game developers everywhere," said Steven Goh, CEO and co-founder, mig33.  "Today's announcement changes the face of social gaming throughout Asia, as the millions of mobile users in emerging markets far beyond China and Japan are now within reach."

Aside from the large market opportunity, mig33 also opens opportunity for games developers to monetize in the untapped market of mobile-first countries.  "Our unique merchant model has been successful at monetizing users in markets previously difficult to reach and the opening of GREE Platform for smartphone will provide opportunity to the social games developers to monetize that large and potential audience," added Goh.

Today's news radically expands mig33's Game Developer Program, which was announced in November and which offers developers full API integration support, significant promotion opportunities, virtual goods options, and a generous revenue share.(1)

Existing mig33 game developer partners are enthusiastic about the expanded opportunities available.

"Kooky Panda is delighted to be participating in the launch of the GREE Platform for smartphone along with mig33.  Not only will it dramatically ease the integration of our games onto the mig33 network as well as increase user engagement, but it will also enable Kooky Panda to expand our distribution through the GREE Platform for smartphone globally," said Cherry Wu, CEO and Co-founder of Kooky Panda based in Beijing, China.

Alvin Yap, founder and CEO of The Mobile Gamers also added, "We've been having a blast working with mig33 on bringing social games to their users.  I'm sure with the upcoming API release we can deliver games with better social experiences and better monetization opportunities!"

Developers interested in working with mig33 can learn more and register at http://developer.mig33.com.

About mig33

mig33 is the world's largest mobile-first social entertainment service, connecting over 47 million registered members around the world with chat and entertainment everyday, and hosting a fast-growing virtual economy. Launched in late 2005, mig33 is backed by Silicon Valley venture firms Accel Partners, Redpoint Ventures and DCM, GREE, Inc. and many others. For more information, visit www.mig33.com.

About GREE

GREE, Inc. is a Japanese Internet media company, founded in December 2004, with headquarters in Tokyo that has been operating social network service, GREE. SNS GREE, with over 24 million users, offers a variety of functions that support members' information sharing - such as a profile page, diary, communities, photo sharing and emailing - and serves as a platform that promotes communication and mutual understanding among members.  GREE participated in mig33's Series C venture round in November 2010.

(1) http://blog.mig33.com/uploads/2010/12/mig33_gamedeveloperplatform_102610_v3_1-1_Final.pdf

SOURCE mig33