Nokia will not publish any new games for the N-Gage platform, according to a notice published on its blog, and it will not ship any new devices with the application pre-installed. Interested potential N-Gage buyers can still buy existing device with the app, but don't expect anything shiny or new to bear the N-Gage name.

The N-Gage Arena will remain operational through 2010, but the N-Gage store will close in September of next year.

Mobile gaming evolves – Ovi Store is here [N-Gage Blog]

Its Vancouver studio was shuttered on June 30, nixing 100 or so jobs in the process. This decision seems to be part of Nokia's March announcement to cut 1,700 company wide.

This N-Gage Design Studio was responsible for a large chunk of games for the first and second gen N-Gage systems as well as mobile phone games.

Nokia closes Canadian studio [Develop]

According to a statement released by the company yesterday, the number of registered users on the new service (think Xbox Live, but for phones) has "accelerated". The reason? When the new N-Gage service was launched, it was an optional download. People didn't care.

But now, it comes bundled and pre-installed on many of the company's phones, meaning more people are willing to give it a shot. While refusing to disclose the number of actual, active users, the company did say that "almost" 1 million N-Gage accounts have been created and registered since the launch of the service.

Which will sound like complete rubbish to American readers, but remember: in many other countries (especially European ones), Nokia phones rule the mobile roost. The more handsets that come with N-Gage included, the more users Nokia will be able to attract to the service.

Nokia says gaming service take-up growing [Reuters]

There are decent games out there, but there is a lot of dross - derivative, badly designed and poorly implemented.

Nokia want to change all that. They have been running the Mobile Games Innovation Challenge - a competition that asks developers to submit their most innovative game designs for - running under Symbian or Java on N-Gage or standard Nokia handsets

Being Nokia, they have a certain amount of hard cash to throw at the problem and have put up prize money worth €70,000 - that's €40,000 for the winner, €20,000 for second place and €10,000 for the third runner up.

The ten finalists up for the big money are:

* Active Tecnologia e Consultoria Ltda. (Brazil) with Cinemarena – set in a movie theatre, controlling avatars on the big screen
* CreatePlayShare (India) with Ball – play any ball game on your mobile or even create your own new game
* Different Game (Sweden) with Ghost Wire – use your mobile device to communicate with ghosts
* Eclipse Interactive (UK) with Watchers – conspiracy adventure game that uses Nokia Maps and other real world tools to find locations
* Int13 (France) with Kweekies – augmented reality virtual pet game
* Jadestone (Sweden) and C4M (France) with Melokey – a music game for mobile devices where you learn to master songs and play them against other in-game characters to win the hearts of your fans
* LemonQuest (Spain) with Wave Pirates – turn into a pirate navigating the seven seas, looking for gold and glory
* Onur Yazilim (Turkey) with Comet Hunter – a 2-D shooting game which combines the excitement of shooting with natural sound effects made by players themselves
* Simlife (China) with XDancery – a music game where players can touch the screen, draw patterns on screen, shake the device or sing into it to hit the music tempo notes
* TechnoBubble (Spain) with Fun Cam – a mixed reality game that connects your camera on your mobile device to the TV

The winners will be announced at the Nokia Games Summit in Rome on 29 October.

Who will win one of the most prestigious mobile gaming prizes of 2008? [Game Challenge via NokNok.tv]

As for the remaining 850 handsets, this is a good time to check and see if your phone needs upgrading. If yours isn't one of the 850 you obviously need to step up to a newer model, unless that military field phone is part of your whole campy, retro vibe.

THQ WIRELESS UNLEASHES THE FORCE TO HANDSETS WORLDWIDE

Star Wars®: The Force UnleashedT available for download on iPhone, N-Gage and feature phone handsets

LightsaberT Unleashed now available to fans via the iTunes App Store

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. - September 29, 2008 - THQ Wireless Inc., a subsidiary of THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI), today announced Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is now available for download on more than 850 handsets globally, including the iPhoneTM, iPod® touch and N-Gage devices. The game casts players as Darth Vader's secret apprentice during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed offers truly cinematic action in breathtaking 3D visuals. Players will assist Darth Vader in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi - and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny. The game introduces the CellWeaverT mobile control system (created by THQ Wireless' development studio, Universomo) where players can form sequence patterns through the phone's keypad allowing them to feel and use the Force.

The LightsaberT Unleashed, available for free today on the iTunes® App Store, offers features directly from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, including: · Multiple lightsaber colors and hilts that correspond to the main characters in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, including Darth Vader, The Secret Apprentice and more · All-new music from the game · Hidden treats, including character dialogue directly from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

The release of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed mobile game coincides with the worldwide debut of the LucasArts videogame which is now available on the Xbox®360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo WiiT and Nintendo DST, PLAYSTATION®2 and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment systems and PSP®.

THQ Wireless' growing line of successful Star Wars titles span several genres including the side-scrolling Revenge of the Sith, space shooter Battle Above Coruscant, first person shooter Battlefront Mobile, and action titles like LEGO Star Wars Mobile and LEGO Star Wars II Mobile.

It was a nice idea, hampered slightly by the fact that games had to be rewritten to add support for the thing. Now Nokia has decided to embrace the ZeeMote by releasing downloadable software to let the controller work with almost any S60 app or N-Gage game.

The ZeeKey app is available for free download from the Nokia website and the mobile manufacturer has promised to bundle the app with selected handsets (presumably its more entertainment focused N-Series models).

Zeekey app for Zeemote available for Nokia phones [Pocket Lint]

PocketGamer got a look at a new accelerometer-based mobile racing game from Firemint.

As you can see from the video, Real Racing runs on the iPhone — and certainly confirms our hopes for that platform's gaming prowess — but Firemint also have it up and running on a Nokia N95 (all the recent N-series phones have motion sensors built in).

Multiplayer races can take place over a wifi link, and your racing stats are automatically uploaded to the Firemint web site. Brilliantly, the game will also upload videos of your best times to YouTube and share your rankings via Facebook and OpenSocial into the bargain.

GCDC 2008: Firemint shows off awesome iPhone racing game [PocketGamer]

Our policy is that the N-Gage activation codes only work on the device where they were first activated. As with any digital media there is a potential risk of piracy and this policy is one of the ways we are dealing with piracy and ensuring our partners receive their rightful revenues from our platform.

Gamers 'angry' over new N-Gage's DRM [Develop]

Nokia to add Konami games to N-Gage platform [Reuters]

Official N-Gage Site [via Gizmodo]

I'm not scared about anybody. The real question is how do they [Sony Ericsson] do it? Can they create a link between the PSP games and a phone? Can they do the multiplayer and online stuff? We've been doing this for two years and it hasn't been easy.

The mobile version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will be developed by THQ's Universomo in Finland using Cell Weaver technology and will support tournaments, score uploads and downloadable content through N-Gage's Arena service.

A press release that makes the whole thing official is after this.

Espoo, Finland - Nokia, THQ Wireless, Lucasfilm, and LucasArts today revealed that Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is coming to N-Gage, Nokia's next generation mobile gaming platform in 2008.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed casts players as Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" and promises to unveil new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The game's expansive story is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.

The mobile version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is in development by THQ's Finland-based studio, Universomo. Using Cell Weaver(TM) technology, the game lets the player harness the Force while assisting Darth Vader in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi - and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Mobile game provides players with unique community features, including tournaments, score uploads and downloadable content, through N-Gage Arena services.

"We're proud to be able to deliver the next chapter in the Star Wars saga on the N-Gage platform," said Gregg Sauter, Director, Publishing, Nokia. "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Mobile game will take advantage of the N-Gage platform's robust native development environment to provide the ultimate mobile gaming experience, including powerful graphics, connectivity and community elements."

"THQ Wireless is dedicated to creating an awesome mobile Star Wars experience that delivers on the concept of unleashing the Force. The N-Gage platform makes it possible for us to release a rich mobile gaming experience to entertain as wide an audience as possible on N-Gage compatible devices," said Adam Comisky, vice president of THQ Wireless.

"The launch of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will be a major entertainment event in 2008, and bringing the game to the N-Gage mobile gaming platform is a big part of that because it means that millions of people around the world will be able to access the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed world right in the palm of their hand," said Howard Roffman, President of Lucas Licensing.

Get out and play - with N-Gage games in your Nokia device

Nokia reveals N-Gage games service with new publishers and game titles

London, UK - Life just got more entertaining with the new N-Gage mobile gaming service. The service allows you try all N-Gage games for free from any one of the tens of millions of compatible Nokia devices in the market. Once hooked, you can conveniently download and buy a game on your device or PC and continue the fun. You can also share the fun by connecting instantly with friends, challenging players around the world, and participating in community activities in the N-Gage Arena.

"As we expand our focus from a dedicated game phone to a gaming service, we are making getting and playing games even easier," said Jaakko Kaidesoja, head of the games business at Nokia. "The N-Gage service combined with powerful devices, world class titles and brands, and interactive social networking features, takes the mobile gaming experience beyond traditional boundaries."

The N-Gage service will be available globally in November 2007. At that time, the free N-Gage application can be downloaded from http://www.n-gage.com (PC or mobile) and installed in compatible devices. Later, the N-Gage application will be embedded in a wide range of Nokia devices, including the new Nokia N81 and Nokia N95 8GB, so consumers can play straight out of the box.

Furthermore, support for N-Gage continues to grow with EA SPORTS™ FIFA 08, The Sims™ 2 Pets, Tetris®, and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® being developed for the platform as well as new publishers Capcom and Vivendi, and its famed Crash Bandicoot®, on board. Nokia Publishing also announced new titles: Snakes Subsonic and Bounce Boing Voyage.

"With the new N-Gage experience, fans of some of our most popular franchises like FIFA or The Sims can play and stay connected with other fans. With millions of compatible Nokia devices already in the marketplace, we're very excited to help bring quality mobile gaming expriences to the fingertips of a global audience," said Barry Cottle, Senior Vice President and General Manager, EA Mobile.

The indicative pricing for N-Gage games sold through the N-Gage store will range between six and 10 euros excluding local taxes and can be bought with a credit card or charged through operator billing where available. Operator billing is supported in over 20 countries and credit card billing is available globally. Daily and weekly game licenses are also available at lower prices and all games are free to try before purchase. Moreover, whether you choose to get games over the air or over the internet, managing your games catalog is a breeze with simple store and sync to your PC.

"Vivendi Games Mobile is one of the most respected publishers in mobile gaming," said Gregg Sauter, Nokia's director of third party publishing. "Crash Bandicoot is a gaming icon as well as a global powerhouse, having sold more than 33 million units worldwide. With its fun appeal to people of all ages and incredible graphics, the Crash Bandicoot franchise is the perfect fit for N-Gage."

Nokia Announces Vivendi Games Mobile's Popular Crash Bandicoot Franchise For N-Gage

Espoo, Finland - 27 August 2007 - Nokia, the world leader in mobile communications, announced today that they are teaming up with Vivendi Games Mobile, a division of Vivendi Games, to bring the legendary Crash Bandicoot ® franchise to Nokia's new N-Gage mobile gaming platform launching this fall.

"Vivendi Games Mobile is one of the most respected publishers in mobile gaming," said Gregg Sauter, Nokia's director of third party publishing. "Crash Bandicoot is a gaming icon as well as a global powerhouse, having sold more than 33 million units worldwide. With its fun appeal to people of all ages and incredible graphics, the Crash Bandicoot franchise is the perfect fit for N-Gage."

"We are excited to offer Nokia customers the opportunity to enter the thrilling world of Crash Bandicoot and play a number of award winning titles from the popular Crash® franchise," said Paul Maglione, president of Vivendi Games Mobile. "We look forward to working with Nokia to offer entertaining, innovative mobile games that tap into the performance and innovation of the N-Gage application and Nokia's mobile devices."

Crash Bandicoot follows the original storyline where the crazy marsupial must save the world. Jam packed with action and comedy, the player must take on the role of Crash to defeat the game's villain and mad scientist, Dr. Neo Cortex. More information about the Crash franchise can be found at the official Crash Bandicoot Web site at http://www.crashbandicoot.com

"Capcom is dedicated to creating great mobile games, and believes that N-Gage will allow us to bring some of our most famous franchises to the platform. Our dedication to quality and creative thinking has seen the company produce a series of ground-breaking titles, with stunning visuals and in-depth game play, never before seen on the mobile".

Capcom to bring games to N-Gage platform in 2008

August 27, 2007 - Nokia and Capcom today revealed that Capcom will be publishing games on N-Gage, Nokia's next generation mobile gaming platform, in 2008. Capcom is the first Japanese based publisher to show their commitment to N-Gage, which makes its global debut later this year, ushering in a new era for games on mobile devices.

"With our global reach, it's important to have strong, well respected global partners", said Gregg Sauter, Director of Third Party Publishing, Nokia. "For many years, Capcom has been entertaining consumers around the world with exceptional gaming experiences. We've now reached a point with mobile technologies where companies like Capcom can deliver a whole new level of mobile entertainment. The N-Gage platform will enable this evolution with devices that deliver enhanced graphics and a development tool kit that allows for online tournaments, communities, multiplayer games and, of course, global distribution."

Speaking of the announcement, Yosuke Yoneda, Director of Capcom's European Mobile Division, said "Capcom is dedicated to creating great mobile games, and believes that N-Gage will allow us to bring some of our most famous franchises to the platform. Our dedication to quality and creative thinking has seen the company produce a series of ground-breaking titles, with stunning visuals and in-depth game play, never before seen on the mobile".

Capcom has been highly successful in the mobile market as a result of the company's commitment to innovation and faithful conversion of some of the world's greatest video game franchises. With classic titles such as Mega Man, Street Fighter and Resident Evil, and contemporary brands such as Phoenix Wright, Capcom has captured a wide audience of fans, in terms of age, gender and game playing ability.

N-Gage games are created in a native development environment, allowing developers to take advantage of Nokia devices with advanced graphics and physics capabilities which deliver extremely sharp, clear and fluid game experiences to users. The N-Gage platform provides flexible opportunities for operators and publishers alike. Games can distributed digitally over the air through operator networks or over the internet to a user's PC, which allows for larger file downloads and therefore games with enhanced audio and graphical elements.

What does shared experiences mean? Judging by the features shown and talked about during the session, N-Gage is aiming to be Xbox Live for mobile phones. An easy interface for connecting to other players, a friends list, game demos and ratings, and even eventual game achievement points were just a few of the similarities discussed.

Like Xbox Live Arcade, players will be able to download demos and then upgrade them to full versions, with certain titles having multiple price points depending on how much of the game you wanted to see, effectively turning titles into their own series of microtransactions.

So yeah, Xbox Live, and why not? It certainly isn't a bad community tool to mimic. Hell, I would just be happy being able to purchase a phone knowing what games I would be able to play on it myself. Having a universal friends list and quick n' dirty matchmaking available as well only sweetens the pot.

This marks the first time I have ever been even remotely interested in anything with the named N-Gage attached to it. Savor this moment, Nokia.

Community is key to Nokia's strategy, says Howard [GamesIndustry.biz]

Is a PlayStation Portable Phone coming? Not so, says David Reeves, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. He told MCV that:

I haven't heard anything about it at all - and I would know. They wouldn't develop it without our knowledge.

Reeves reminds us that Sony Ericsson has Cybershot camera phone and Walkman music player phone combos in the works, but no PSP-branded version in the works. Too bad. It could've been the N-Gage of the twenty-first century. Michael McWhertor

Reeves: 'No PSP phone coming' [MCV]

You might recall that Nokia announced at this year's GDC that they were taking a third run at the mobile gaming market, this time abandoning the hardware side of things (goodbye N-Gage taco) and aiming instead to fill a very big need on the development software side of things.

In essence, Nokia wants to create a unified platform and back-end for Series 60 mobile phones that all developers can work on. Of course this is a business decision and very self-serving, but it's also a great idea and much needed.

Greg Howson over at GamesBlog said he had a chance to spend some time with it and left relatively impressed.

What I saw showed an intuitive looking interface, with easy access to your games, friends etc. As you'd expect community is vital, with the ability to create events, post reviews and generally do that web 2.0 thing.

The service hits this autumn and I'm actually holding my breath. Weird. Brian Crecente

N-Gaged [GamesBlog]