Skiller launches multiplayer mobile skill gaming

There's certainly no shortage of companies looking to launch multiplayer mobile gaming communities at the moment.

In recent months we've seen GameJane, Dojo and Playtomo launch, all aiming to get mobile gamers playing against each other for points or prizes.

Now you can add another service to that list: Skiller. Although it's actually been around in alpha form for a while - Pocket Gamer picked up on it last March.

Launched by Israeli firm Skiller, it offers skill-based multiplayer games (as opposed to gambling) for mobile handsets, based around contests and prizes.

The games include checkers, chess, backgammon, Connect 4 and other casual titles. Players can compete against each other, while maintaining buddy lists of their favourite opponents.

It's a nice theory, although the challenge will be in building up a big enough user base to make the community fly - not to mention generating revenues.

It's one to watch in 2009, alongside its various rivals.