Massive Mobile Multi-Player Game Rollout Announced

DoCoMo ruled 2004 with their 900i-series 3G phones and exclusive Final Fantasy VII spin off game ‘Before Crisis’ but spring 2005 belongs to KDDI. Japan’s leading 3G carrier has just whipped out a whole new posse of BREW-based mobile multiplayer games for their WIN CDMA 1X 3G handsets: Bandai’s Gundam (Kidousenshi Gundam 3D Meguri Ai Sora Hen); Bomberman 2 from Hudson; Armored Core; Ace Combat by Namco; Sega Rally; Street Fighter II and more. In February, KDDI launched EZ Game Street a new gaming platform powered by Square Enix; the user-friendly image-based interface and landscape of 350 games is set to become even more engaging with this boulevard of multiplayer options powered by new, fixed data rates.

Anyone who has ever run up a quick hundred dollars in mobile game fees (my hand’s up!) will appreciate the new fixed-fee packet transmission service starting 1 May. KDDI’S cheapest fixed rate starts at 1,050 yen/month; their Double Fixed service combines an all-you-can-eat EZ Web-and-email combo priced at 4,410 yen/month. Suddenly, multi-playing options are no longer so financially frightening on mobile phones.

Roll out begins 28 April, but don’t look for many of the big releases (Gundam/Bomberman/Streetfighter II) until June and July. Let the games (below) begin!

See the press release Here for more details

– Gail Nakada