While several mid-tier mobile publishers bite the dust – Vivendi Games Mobile and Eidos Mobile most recently – others are ramping up their ambitions.

Notably, both Namco Bandai and Capcom have recently announced a shift in their mobile strategies, with both companies getting their US and European arms to work more closely together – and in Capcom's case, unifying the two.

Traditionally, Europe and the US have been treated as two separate markets, but as Capcom Mobile boss Midori Yuasa explains, the company thinks that's an outdated way of thinking.

"There is often a perception that the North American market is very different from the European, but there are actually more similarities than differences now," she says.

"Hardware is fairly comparable across both markets, so it is possible for us to design and deploy a single game across both continents. Also, both markets require publishers to deliver balanced portfolios of both casual and hardcore titles in order to appeal to a diverse group of consumers."

With that in mind, Yuasa says the decision to merge Capcom's North American and European divisions was a logical one.

"It just makes sense that we should have one cohesive business unit moving forward. This will allow us to better leverage developmental and deployment resources and increase overall profitability."

That's not to say that Capcom is treating the two markets as one homogenous mass. US and Japanese mobile publishers alike have often blanched at the sheer complexity of doing business in Europe - complexity that Yuasa accepts still exists.

"One of the main differences is the lack of subscription-based models in Europe," she says. "Another big difference is the level of customisation required for the different territories in Europe. Not only technical customisation is required, but also game adaptation to suit different tastes, trends and gaming habits in the different European countries."

Yuasa says Capcom will be placing an emphasis on quality and handset coverage going forward, while keeping a balanced portfolio of titles.

"Retro, casual and new gaming licences all have their place," she says. Capcom has already been spreading its wings beyond its stable of retro and current console licences on mobile, for example with Are You Smarter? games.

Europe particularly is a tough market for a mid-tier mobile publisher right now, with operators continuing to consolidate the number of publishers they deal directly with – at least one UK operator is down to five. Will Capcom continue to self-publish? Yuasa is bullish.

"Capcom have been a major player in the video game industry for 25 years, and we've published our content in Europe for much of that time. We've seen Capcom IP such as Street Fighter, Resident Evil and Dead Rising grow into huge brands in Europe, so it makes sense for us to continue publishing our own mobile titles in Europe also."

Will this be enough? Although the history angle is strong, fellow console firms Konami, Sega and Codemasters have all signed publishing and/or licensing deals with Glu, while Taito and Eidos are going through EA Mobile. If Capcom is to continue going it alone in Europe, those promises of game quality and handset coverage will have to be delivered on.

What about advanced mobile platforms though, such as iPhone, N-Gage and Android? Yuasa says Capcom is taking each on its merits.

"As next-generation platforms emerge, we are looking at each one and assessing their feasibility," she says. "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader is already on the iPhone, and Resident Evil Degeneration is coming to the N-Gage. In time we hope to leverage all of our amazing IP and bring ever more exciting content to the mobile marketplace."