With over 165 million mobile phone users, a large share of 3D-capable Java mobile phones, and low data-connection costs, Russia is a large and important market for FISHLABS. Along with India and China, Russia is one of the three largest countries in terms of the spread of game-capable Java mobile phones. In addition, the connection costs via the mobile network is particularly low priced and the usage of mobile content is correspondingly high.
The complex games from FISHLABS, with a playing time of sometimes more than 20 hours, are extremely popular with Russian gamers; some of the games have even been translated into Russian by fans. For many there, mobile phones replace PCs and consoles. The new SMS billing has been implemented in cooperation with Iricom, the leading Russian Mobile Service Provider. Furthermore, in the past 18 months Iricom has successfully promoted FISHLABS games to the Russian market and became the number one FISHLABS games-seller in Russia and the CIS states.
‘The launch of our website in Russian was a very important step for FISHLABS,’ says Michael Schade, CEO and co-founder of FISHLABS. ‘Russia is an unbelievably attractive market for us. Along with the large number of game-capable mobile phones and the favourable connection costs over the mobile network, the Russians’ technical affinity is legendary. It is no wonder that by far the largest share of “virally acquired” mobile gamers come from Russia. Combined with an in-game online connection, we can now generate significant revenues even from pirated copies via the PSMS connection through Iricom.’
Nikolay Okorokov, CEO of Iricom, notes: ‘FISHLABS are absolute rockstars in Russia when it comes to mobile games – no other developer is as popular among mobile gamers. Naturally, software piracy is always a concern, but with our premium SMS billing and the connected versions of the new FISHLABS games, we can now make outstanding use of this potential.’
About FISHLABS
FISHLABS is one of the leading developers and publishers of high quality mobile 3D games. Founded in 2004, FISHLABS is responsible for the development of more than 18 high-end mobile games and employs a team of 30 people at the company's headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. FISHLABS' portfolio of mobile games includes numerous award-winning original IPs, such as Galaxy on Fire™, DEEP™ or Blades & Magic™, as well as AAA brands for well-known business partners, such as V-Rally® 3D for Glu, Star Wars™ – Imperial Ace 3D for THQ or Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam™ for Infospace (Activison license) and most recently Gladiator™. Thanks to the high-performance, platform-independent games engine ABYSS®, FISHLABS’ titles are able to offer a quality never before attained in the sphere of mobile gaming.
In October of 2007, FISHLABS concluded their first round financing with Neuhaus Partners, allowing the company to add increased community features to their mobile phone games in the future. Since July of 2008, the company has offered the mobile phone game community myFISHLABS, where users can benefit from features such as price advantages, easier payment, additional features, credit kick-backs, upgrades, and the exchange of information about their favourite games with other community members.
For more information visit www.fishlabs.net.
About Iricom (MMSKA™)
Iricom, the leading Russian Mobile Service provider, was founded in 2003. With more than 150 employees the Moscow-based company develops and provides additional entertainment services built around WAP, GPRS, SMS, J2ME technologies. Iricom creates and supports WAP-portals and Media interactive services on TV and Radio under its consumer brand MMSKA™ and distributes mobile content through more than 40 operators in Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Uzbekistan and Tadzhikistan.
With its unique content portfolio, being the most competitive business case on the Russian market, the company has build up good business relations with various partners and bring the best content solution to carriers WAP portals, interactive TV channels, large WAP sites and other content providers.
For more information visit www.iricom.ru/
