(3 October 2006) Global mobility leader Nokia and Bridge Mobile Alliance announce their collaboration to bring HinterWars, a revolutionary cross-platform gaming experience, to gamers across Asia. HinterWars will be available to subscribers of participating Bridge Mobile Alliance member operators – Globe Telecom (Philippines), Airtel (India), CSL (Hong Kong), SingTel Mobile (Singapore), Maxis (Malaysia) and Telkomsel (Indonesia), by the end of November 2006. HinterWars is a Cross-Platform Massively Multiplayer Online Game allowing the same gaming community to play from PC or Mobile with a single subscription. HinterWars is playable on a broad selection of existing Nokia Series 60 devices such as N70, N-Gage QD and 6600, plus progressively on future models from Nokia’s Nseries multimedia computers range. This establishes a new level of flexibility and freedom for the gaming community to play where they want, when they want, on either PC or mobile. HinterWars is expected to appeal to a significant group of existing mobile gamers and will increase in popularity with the release of future handsets from Nokia. Subscribers of participating member operators will enjoy benefits including easy purchasing through operators’ billing, complimentary game subscriptions and other promotional offers during the launch period. More information on specific service offerings is available from the respective Bridge Mobile Alliance member operators. For Nokia, this Asia Pacific wide collaboration will help rapidly bring to market a community based multiplayer gaming solution and reinforce Nokia’s leadership role in the mobile-PC cross-platform online gaming. Jawahar Kanjilal, Director, Multimedia Experiences, Nokia Asia Pacific said : “This collaboration between Nokia and Bridge Mobile Alliance marks the beginning of an exciting gaming experience that we are bringing to gamers in the region. HinterWars – a revolutionary cross-platform (mobile-PC) game – brings gaming to the next level and enables gamers the freedom to play from either mobile or PC through a single subscription, in one community, anytime, anywhere. We are pleased to launch this exciting offer with Bridge Alliance partners, rapidly reaching out to a large gaming community in Asia Pacific." Dr. Patrick Sim, CEO of Bridge Mobile, said: “Mobile gaming is a strategic area of focus for the alliance. Our vision is to create cross-border mobile gaming communities across Asia Pacific. The collaboration with Nokia for the release of HinterWars is a step towards delivering competitive advantages to our member operators and we look forward to its successful launch.” Quotes from member operators Sanjay Kapoor, Joint President, Mobile Services, Bharti Airtel Limited "CSL is very pleased to bring another exciting online game to our customers together with our Bridge Mobile Alliance partners. Mobile gaming is always one of the most popular services in Hong Kong. With CSL's unique integrated 3G network, customers can enjoy the online interactions of HinterWars with full speed.” Dr. Tony Seeto, Director of Business Development, CSL “With HinterWars, PC access will no longer be a barrier for online gaming. The experience is made richer by the opportunity to play against fellow Asians on the Bridge Mobile Alliance network. We are excited to have been first-to-market with this revolutionary service.” Ferdinand M. Dela Cruz, Wireless Consumer Business Head, Globe Telecom “Maxis is very pleased to bring another exciting game to our mobile gamers together with Bridge Mobile Alliance partners. This will further enhance our innovative games portfolio in the Maxis Games Zone. It will elevate mobile gaming to the next level and further build the mobile gaming community in Malaysia.” T. Kugan, General Manager, Head of Products & Infotainment Business, Products & New Businesses Division "We are extremely pleased that the Singapore gaming community can now harness the collective power of SingNet Broadband and SingTel 3G networks to enjoy this revolutionary cross-platform gaming experience. This collaboration with Nokia and Bridge Mobile serves to further reinforce SingTel's commitment towards continuously improving the overall experience of our subscribers both on our Broadband and 3G mobile network." Low Ka Hoe, Director, Consumer Business, Content, Singapore Telecommunications Limited "Telkomsel has recently launched Indonesia's first 3G service and is in the process of also revamping its various content portals. One of these new portals is our Mobile Gaming Portal. We see mobile gaming as a potential new business segment for us to enhance our services based on customer demand. The Indonesian mobile games market is a growth market with lots of future potential. With our new 3G capabilities, we can now offer games that are much more exciting and interactive. Just like the mobile entertainment industry that has gained momentum in Indonesia, mobile gaming is also transforming very fast with many new innovations, of which HinterWars is a great example with its unique platform, and mobile-to-PC interface. Together with Bridge Mobile, Telkomsel is very pleased to bring HinterWars to Indonesia exclusively, as another step forward to further increase customer satisfaction and build an exciting and active mobile gamer community in Indonesia." Erik Meijer, VP Marketing & CRM, Telkomsel For more information, please contact: Bridge Mobile Nokia Airtel CSL Globe Telecom Maxis Singapore Telecommunications Limited Telkomsel About Bridge Mobile Alliance Bridge Mobile Alliance offers significant commercial benefits and economies of scale to alliance members. Through close collaboration, alliance members can leverage on collective capabilities and best practices to develop relevant, cutting-edge mobile technologies for the Asia Pacific market. Bridge Mobile Alliance will invest up to US$40 million over the next three years to build and establish a shared regional mobile infrastructure, and to deliver a wider suite of regional mobile services. More importantly, Bridge Mobile Alliance is focused on creating a consistent delivery of mobile services across the region, thereby offering customers a seamless experience beyond borders. About HinterWars The Aterian Invasion was derived from an original storyline that revolves around a group of space-faring races that face the possibility of being invaded by the Aterians. The game features four broad character types – the Humans, Firans, Brucians and Taikuus – whose costumes, appearances and armours can be customized according to each player’s specifications. Successes are rewarded by new downloads, rare items, additional power and experience, virtual cash rewards – and ultimately, fame within the HinterWars gaming community. The list of supporting Nokia devices can be located at http://www.hinterwars.com, along with the link to the free download of the Mobile and PC Clients. New account creations are credited with a 5 day complimentary subscription, after which a subscription is payable. About Nokia A market leader in the cellular industry in Asia Pacific, Nokia provides innovative, industry leading and market-relevant technology and products to around 20 diverse markets in the region. Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. Visit the Nokia Asia-Pacific website at http://www.nokia-asia.com or the Nokia Group website at http://www.nokia.com |
