Glu Mobile sticks out at BREW 2005

SAN DIEGO--Sorrent and its European studio Macrospace have been "Glu-ed" together, quite literally. At a private event last night at the BREW 2005 conference, the two mobile publishers announced they would be recombining into a brand-new entity known as Glu Mobile.

According to a statement by Glu Mobile president and CEO Greg Ballard, the company's rebranding is part of its move toward a more consumer-oriented philosophy. "The mobile entertainment market has evolved tremendously in the past few years, yet it's still early in consumer adoption and understanding, making the time right to launch a new brand. The creation and extension of a single brand that resonates with consumers supports our goal of becoming the leading developer and publisher of mobile entertainment worldwide," explained Ballard.

In addition, Glu Mobile's emergence signifies the completion of Sorrent's assimilation of Macrospace, which was acquired by the San Mateo-based publisher earlier this year. "Glu Mobile is the culmination of two world-class publishers coming together under a single global identity," remarked Ballard. Sorrent has produced notable games like Driver 3, Deer Hunter, Daily Puzzle, and Zuma. Macrospace's portfolio includes Ancient Empires, Fatal Force, and a number of Cartoon Network games.

Glu Mobile's rebranding comes at a time when other major mobile publishers have been bracing for the industry's transition into a more mature phase. Going forward, the consensus is success in the mobile games business, which will likely depend upon revenues and competitive marketing rather than the stockpiling of venture capital. Digital Bridges beat Sorrent to the punch by metamorphosing into I-play several months ago, and other big names are reported to be contemplating similar maneuvers, perhaps as a leading step toward going public.

The creation of Glu Mobile also portends the company's move toward other forms of mobile content, said Jill Braff, Glu Mobile's senior vice president of worldwide marketing. "Gaming will still be the lion's share of our revenue in the short term, and maybe forever," said Braff in a recent interview, "but our new Web site speaks to a broader scope of mobile entertainment." One example mentioned by Braff was Glu's use of its Adult Swim license to generate ringtones and wallpapers for the popular suite of Cartoon Network shows.