Taiwan's IGS eyes online games push, Korea
Taiwan's International Games System (IGS) is looking to bolster its online games business through a deal with Taiwanese telco Chunghwa Telecom, and is also eyeing partnerships with South Korean carriers to break into the country's online and mobile games market.
IGS, which is the largest arcade and online game developer in Taiwan, said it would collaborate with Chunghwa to build the country's biggest online games platform, Taipei Times reported Thursday. The company also estimated sales of its online games for mobile platforms will double in 2013.
"As the global software market is expanding and growing at a rapid pace, we are gradually shifting our target to some of our key application software segments and have developed many online game products for mobile platforms," said Steve Chiang, manager of IGS' arcade game division.
The company expects the collaboration with Chunghwa to boost its position in the games software market, and is also optimistic the global mobile devices market will continue to grow in 2013, doubling its game app sales, Chiang added.
According to IGS' Web site, arcade game sales currently account for about 62 percent of its revenue, while online games make up 38 percent.
Chiang said Salon Boss I, one of the company's most popular games, garnered more than 300,000 iPad and iPhone users in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau since the start of 2012. Earlier this month, IGS released an updated version of the game on the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Chunghwa's Hami Apps--all of which saw the game downloaded by more than 100,000 Taiwanese users, he added. Salon Boss I is an interactive social game where players run a beauty salon.
IGS intends to launch Korean and English versions of Salon Boss II next month to meet strong demand from South Korean and U.S. customers, the report said.
Chiang added the company was planning to sign agreements by next month with the top three carriers in South Korea--SK Telecom, KT, and LG U+--becoming the first Taiwanese online game developer to break into the country's game applications market.