Location-based mobile developer Grey Area Labs started the year as the #1 top grossing iPhone game in its homeland of Finland.

Its mission during 2011 was to extend that success as it rolled out its debut game Shadow Cities globally - something that happened in May, and helped as the company raised $2.5 million in its first funding round in February.

We caught with CEO Ville Vesterinen to get his view on a busy 12 months.

PocketGamer: What do you think was the most significant event for the mobile games industry in 2011?

Ville Vesterinen: Angry Birds' staggering success through brand extension into a full blown entertainment brand.

What was the most significant event for your company?

Shadow Cities' launch and seeing how it became a category-defining game.

What was your favourite mobile game of the year?

Happylatte's High Noon and Remedy's Death Rally.

What do you predict will be the most important trends in 2012?

Social sweeping onto mobile, and quality coming back to mobile games in a big way.

What's your New Year's resolution and what resolution would you enforce on the industry?

Mine is to work less and spend more time with family and close ones.

For the industry, we should experiment, hack, have fun and tinker more with new concepts. Take more risks.

Thanks to Ville for his time.