Global number 2 mobile publisher Gameloft (GFT.PA) has announced its sales figures for the first three months of 2010.

Revenues in its first quarter ending 31 March were €33 million ($44 million), up 7 percent year-on-year.

The company's shares rose 12 percent to over €4 on the news.

Up Apple

In terms of platforms, Gameloft pointed to iPhone, in particular, as a driver of growth.

Apple's App Store represented 21 percent of the company's sales during the period.

This is an increase from 2009, during which iPhone game sales accounted for €17.6 million, or 14 percent of Gameloft's mobile total.

Old faithfuls

There were also contributions from Java and Brew as Gameloft grew its market share as smaller competitors such as I-play and Glu Mobile withdrew from that market.

Overall Europe represented 37 percent of sales, down from 39 percent during 2009. North America was 34 percent, compared to 32 percent in 2009, while the rest of the world was unchanged at 29 percent.

"The recent and future releases of high-performance smartphones from Apple, Palm, Samsung, Nokia and Google should continue sustaining Gameloft's growth in the upcoming quarters," the company added.

[source: Gameloft]