Press release: 2002-04-18: Sega.com Enters Wireless Gaming Market With the Launch of Sega Mobile

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: The Free Library

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 18, 2002

Sega Mobile is Set to Lead the Wireless Interactive Gaming Market With Their Rich Video Game Heritage, Extensive Wireless Experience in Japan

Sega.com, Inc., the network entertainment company integrating Internet technology with innovation, today announced the launch of Sega Mobile, a new division of Sega.com dedicated to bringing the thrills and excitement of Sega gaming to cellular phone and PDA users in North America. Taking advantage of the phenomenal successes of the mobile gaming market in Japan and the burgeoning wireless and 3G network adoption in North America, Sega Mobile is well positioned to lead the market in wireless gaming content.

"Staying true to our history of innovation in the gaming industry, Sega.com continues to push the boundaries and expand the video game market into new territories with the launch of the Sega Mobile division," said Mr. Ryoichi Shiratsuchi, CEO of Sega.com and general manager of Sega Mobile Japan. "Bringing great Sega content to wireless platforms is another step toward Sega.com's goal of bringing networked gaming to all devices and thereby extending the pastime to mainstream audiences across the world."

Sega Mobile draws upon both Sega's heritage in the video game industry and its current successes in the Japanese wireless gaming market. Relying on the experience that comes from more than 2.5 million subscribers to wireless games and other entertainment related content in Japan, Sega Mobile is well prepared to lead the next wave in gaming in the U.S. Wireless gaming is widely expected to take off in the next few years, with Ovum, a leading analyst and consulting company, estimating that the global revenue for wireless gaming will reach $4.4 billion by 2006, up from $124 million in 2001.

Sega Mobile is tapping into Sega's extensive content library launching classic titles such as Pengo, Flicky, Puyo Puyo, and Monaco GP. Beginning this summer, Sega Mobile will be bringing the hit title Monkey Ball to wireless devices nationwide. Appealing to the more mainstream wireless user with familiar and fun content, Sega Mobile will round out the launch repertoire of games by publishing new puzzle, sports and entertainment titles.

Sega Mobile is led up by Shiratsuchi, a 23-year veteran of the IT industry. Since 1999, Shiratsuchi has been part of the Sega family, working to bring online and networked games and community to gamers around the world.

About Sega Mobile

Sega Mobile (www.sega.com/mobile), a division of Sega.com, is an interactive gaming division that is dedicated to bringing the thrills and excitement of networked gaming to cellular phone and PDA users in North America. The new division consists of Publishing, Content delivery, and Marketing teams solely focused on providing innovative, unique and classic content for the mobile market.

About Sega.com, Inc.

Sega.com, Inc. (www.sega.com) is a network entertainment company that integrates Internet technology with innovation while leveraging a video game heritage dating back more than 50 years. Sega.com also built SegaNet www.seganet.com the only high-speed online console gaming network and community destination for gamers. Sega.com is dedicated to bringing the technology and content required for networked entertainment to game developers and game players alike, leveraging the network possibilities for a multitude of devices including game consoles, cellular phones and PDAs.