When it comes to Chinese Android mobile games, thirdparty channels are the battleground for success.

Tencent has its WeChat mobile messaging app, while Qihoo 360's strength is its anti-virus website; one of the most popular portals in China.

UCWeb's backbone is its mobile browser, which with over 400 million users has now overtaken Opera in terms of total user numbers.

Feeding the pipeline

Of course, the browser acts a trojan horse for deeper integration into the Android OS and app distribution, and this, combined with its strong developer support, is what UCWeb is looking to develop.

Through its wholly-owned UC 9game subsidiary, it's just announced exclusive distribution and operational agreements to bring three popular Chinese web games to Android and iOS.

These are DDtank, Zui Xi You (Enamored Journey to the West), and Kuang Lu Ren Zhe Cun (Village of Ninjas).

UC 9game says it hopes to share RMB 300 million (around $49 million) in annual revenue with its development partners.

Making the shift

"We will see many web games extending presence to the mobile platforms in the second half of 2013, it'll become an industry trend," comment UCWeb's COO Shunyan Zhu.

"UC 9game will accelerate this migration by providing assistance to game developers in the development, publishing, and operations.

"The mobile game platform that UCWeb has built not only provides opportunities to game developers, but also creates an environment where we all benefit. Last year, we already shared more than RMB 100 million in revenue split with our partners, this year, we hope to triple this figure to RMB 300 million."

As a web game, DDtank was the title to generated RMB 100 million (around $16 million) in monthly revenue.

"UC 9game has a RMB 100 million growth fund to support small & medium sized developers; we can invest in the team, even pay in advance for the game being developed. " added Zhu.

[source: UCWeb]