Mobile publisher Gameloft (GFT.PA) has announced its sales figures for the three months ending September 30.

Consolidated sales were €34.7 million ($48.7 million), up 15 percent year on year.

Total sales over the past 9 months were €101.3 million ($142 million), up 12 percent year on year, or 10 percent on a constant exchange basis.

Fighting fit

This strong performance contrasts with rival EA Mobile, which saw its sales over the same period drop 4 percent to $49 million.

EA Mobile has always been the largest of the western mobile publishers, but this shows the gap is narrowing. Gameloft's sales take into account some non mobile digital sales via Nintendo's DSiWare and WiiWare channels however.

It's a big world

The company pointed to sales in emerging countries (something it also noted a year ago), and the "massive success of smartphone devices around the world" as reasons for its strength.

In particular, game sales on iPhone and iPad have risen 80 percent during 2010.

The European and North America markets represented 32.6 and 31.9 percent of Q3 sales respectively, while the rest of the world accounted for the remaining 35.5 percent, up from 32 percent during Q2.

Gameloft noted it expected continued revenue and profitability growth throughout the year. Its full year financials will be published on January 31, 2011.