Chinese online publisher Changyou (NASDAQ: CYOU) has made a push into mobile messaging and communications.

It's announced it's acquired a majority 62.5 percent stake in Raidcall, previously owned by Kalends Inc.

The deal will cost $50 million, which Changyou will pay in cash.

Its goal is to use Raidcall, which currently has 20 million registered users, to help build a global gamer platform for online and mobile games.

Sweet talking

A free communication platform handling voice, text and video, Raidcall enables users to create and organise groups for online gaming, music, karaoke and other live performances.

Available in 14 languages, it's popular in countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Brazil and Russia.

"With this transaction, Changyou offers gamers a more comprehensive selection of products and moves forward in its plan to develop a platform business," said president Dewen Chen.

"In addition, we will add a proven team of top engineers, and we are confident in their capabilities to continue to make Raidcall a popular product in new countries that we market to."

[source: Changyou]