Gameloft sells 10 million awesome game apps

Friday, January 8, 2010

Mark Hickey of Gameloft at the Apple Keynote Sept 2009

When Mark Hickey from Gameloft was invited on the stage at the Apple Keynote last September we knew it was for a reason. Steve and Phil don’t let just anyone up there. And sure enough he announced the now released iPhone game N.O.V.A. -Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance (App Store), which has proven to be a huge hit with it’s amazing graphics and interesting gameplay. This Halo-like first person shooter has only enhanced Gameloft’s reputation as a superior app developer for the iPhone, iPod, Android and Windows mobile. Then they snag the rights to develop a game based on the crazy popular movie Avatar. So it comes as no surprise to hear that Gameloft has now sold over 10 million iPhone/iPod games since the App store launched in June of 2007.

Gameloft has a rich gaming heritage based in Paris, France. Their sister/founder company Ubisoft is a well-known video game developer from way back starting in 1986. Gameloft was set up in 1999 as an offshoot mainly to work on downloadable mobile games. Business has been going well apparently, with staff ramp-ups, and huge increases in income. Their games have won all kinds of best of class awards from IGN and Spike TV, not to mention 5/5 ratings from the vast majority of their satisfied customers.

Their momentum seems to be exponential, with 4 million of their sales coming since September, indicating that the one two punch of the Avatar game’s release on December 15 and then N.O.V.A being released on December 17 really hit the big time. What else were bored teens going to do over Christmas break? Play games on their iPhones while they were travelling to see family for the holidays! Over the holidays, N.O.V.A. was the #1 best selling game in the U.S and Japan; #2 in France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Canada and #4 in the U.K. and Italy. James Cameron’s Avatar secured the #1 spot in France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland; #3 in the U.K.; #4 in the U.S.; #5 in Canada and #6 in Italy.

Even Gameloft seems surprised by their success, with the CEO Michael Guillemot stating “We have had a remarkable year on the App Store.” He goes on to say that Gameloft “is defined not only by great production values, but a vested interest in bringing to market games that are commercially friendly and appeal to a mass consumer base”.

The sky is the limit for Gameloft. They are poised to become the app developer to beat in a new market with a huge app-etite, just starting to feast on tasty apps. Might be time to invest in some Gameloft stock!

This is an gameloft article by The Apps Machine.