Gree teams up with KDDI for mobile game publishing and localization

Gree is working hard at remaking its fortunes in the smartphone age. The industry giant today announced a new mobile game publishing partnership with KDDI Corporation in Japan, under which it will develop, publish, and localize games from outside of the country.

KDDI – a mobile phone carrier – is best known for its mobile subscription service, au Smartpass, which allows users access to a variety of apps and games for a modest monthly fee of JPY 372, or US$3.50. Through the partnership, it will help Gree cover the cost of games and will also tap into its au Smartpass userbase for distribution. The published games will be promoted to 11 million Smartpass subscribers, although these individuals are admittedly a drop in the bucket compared to Gree’s own user base. KDDI will also provide marketing support through au Game, the mobile gaming portal for Smartpass users.

The first title under Gree and KDDI’s partnership is currently in development by the Tokyo-based studio Trifort Inc., and is scheduled for a winter release.

Japanese gamer tastes have been pretty insular so far, but developers in other parts of Asia have quickly picked up on – and cloned – hot game concepts like Puzzle & Dragons and various card games. The non-Japanese smartphone games out on the market right now might actually be able to cut it in the land of the rising sun.

Gree has struggled to transition from feature phone games to smartphone games, but it has taken proactive measures to diversify into other verticals. It also recently inked a partnership with Line, Japan’s leading mobile messenger.