Yet the new CEO of Glu Mobile managed to balance the demands of keeping the publicly traded company solvent, thanks to a $13.5 million refinancing, while streamlining its infrastructure, and transforming the one-time Java and Brew focused publisher into a freemium game company that released one of the year's fastest growing titles.
PocketGamer: What was the most significant event of 2010?
Niccolo De Masi: The rise of freemium and social gaming on mobile devices. Mobile games are no longer packaged goods that are launched as a fixed discrete product.
Social Mobile Gaming are a service model where the experience continually grows and deepens through updates, and the addition of new elements to keep a game fresh, topical and fun.
What was the most significant event for Glu?
Our strategic shift to become a leader in freemium and social mobile gaming with a focus on our own original IP.
I am proud to say we have now removed any doubts about our ability to bring to market compelling and commercially successful original content. Our scale, and increasing momentum will allow us play an active role in defining and growing the freemium and social mobile games sector.
What was your favourite mobile game of the year?
Gun Bros. It is a perfect example of the power and effectiveness of freemium social mobile games.
In less than two months, we have amassed close to 3 million downloads and are averaging north of 175,000 daily active users. We believe Gun Bros. is the best performing hardcore freemium social title in the App Store this year.
What do you predict will be the most important trends in 2011?
- The continued proliferation and growth of the freemium social mobile gaming space.
- Moore's Law driving mobile hardware power up exponentially and costs quickly downward.
- A dramatic increase in the penetration of smartphones and tablets.
- Consolidation of iOS and Android as the most commercially relevant platforms for mobile games developers.
- Android launching in-app purchases and the rumoured arrival of subscription on iOS devices.
If you could enforce one New Year's resolution, what would it be?
Micro-transactions being enabled on all carrier smartphone storefronts.
Thanks to Niccolo for his time.
You can keep up-to-date with Glu via its website.
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