RealNetworks Inc. announced Wednesday that it will join the crowded mobile gaming playground, acquiring European publisher Mr. Goodliving for $15 million in cash.
A 40-person company based in Helsinki, Finland, Mr. Goodliving has enjoyed success with mobile titles like “Trivial Pursuit,” “MetalSmash Pinball” and the “Playman” series of sports titles. Real expects the acquisition, which officially closed last week, to generate $3 million for the rest of this year and $8 million in 2006.
The move is an extension of the company’s RealArcade business, a casual gaming portal that generated more than $12 million in revenues in the first quarter of 2005. RealNetworks, which also develops streaming audio and video software, will integrate Mr. Goodliving’s business with GameHouse Studio, an Internet game developer and publisher that RealNetworks acquired last year.
Key to the deal was Mr. Goodliving’s Emerge platform, which allows developers to efficiently port titles to different handsets in different languages, according to Martin Plaehn, head of RealNetworks’ games business.
“(Emerge) is a development methodology-a database of methods that enables the rapid publication of game variations so they can all run successfully on their targeted handsets,” Plaehn said. “It’s a sophisticated developmental environment and toolset that allows rapid porting.”
