Here are just a few key points (there is a lot more): Internationalization: As even the Japanese social gaming market is limited, both DeNA and GREE have to internationalize quickly. DeNA has decided to take the M&A route, as can be clearly seen by them acquiring ngmoco for $400 million plus a...
On Android: Rakuten Adds Industry-First Top-Up Feature For Its Edy App [E-Commerce]
Rakuten has posted a press release in English about “Edy Autocharge”, a new feature that was added to the company’s Edy app on Android (“Edy” is a prepaid e-money service, more info here). With the new feature, a Rakuten user’s balance is checked every hour and once it falls beneath a...
CyberAgent Releases Social Game Gyakuten Salaryman On Mobage [Social Games]
CyberAgent announced it has released a new social game on Mobage this week, a “social office worker simulation” called Gyakuten Salaryman. Not too surprisingly, the player takes on the role of an office worker in the game and is supposed to raise in the ranks as fast as possible. For...
Twinkle Bar: CyberAgent’s Social Game For iPhone Available In English [Social Games]
The trend in Japan to port more and more social games from feature phones over to smartphones (and start with the hit games first) continues. CyberAgent recently brought Hoshizora Bar Town (Starry Sky Bar Town) to the App Store (free download), its popular cocktail bar simulation. The iPhone...
First For iPhone, Now For Android: Rakuten Releases Official App [E-Commerce]
The smartphone revolution Japan is seeing can’t be ignored by Rakuten, the country’s biggest online mall. After having released a special shopping app for the iPhone in February, Rakuten just released a counterpart for Android. Rakuten says there are two things especially worth...
Ooku: Mobage Gets “Harem Simulation” [Social Games]
DeNA has partnered up with major Japanese TV station Fuji TV to develop a very special social game for Mobage: Ōoku is based on the TV show (a drama series) of the same name and which centers on the harem of Edo Castle, “the section where the women connected to the reigning Shogun...