Just as social gaming powerhouses GREE and DeNA begin their break out in the west, so it appears they may have to contend with a new major player back at home.

NHN Japan has revealed plans to transform its LINE messaging platform into a social gaming hub, with the tool set to carry third-party games and apps in the near future.

A new challenger appears

NHN Japan CEO Morikawa made the plans public during an industry event in Sapporo, with further details set to be laid out on 3 July.

LINE, which launched little over a year ago, already boasts 40 million users worldwide, with almost half – 18.5 million – based in Japan.

The platform already plays host to first-party LINE releases, making the move to take on additional titles a logical one.

The company, which operates as a Tokyo-based subsidiary of a larger Korean web company, also already has experience in the field, having launched online gaming portal Hangame for PC, smartphones and feature phones.

[source: SerkanToto.com]