TOMB RAIDER HEADS TO NOKIA PLATFORM
Copyright 2003 Nokia Press Release

[ February 6th 2003 ]

Nokia today showcased its new mobile games, the Nokia N-Gage game deck, at "Get Ready to N-Gage" events in London, UK and Sydney, Australia. The Nokia N-Gage game deck enables an enriched interactive gaming experience by intorducing an innovative wireless multiplayer platform for both local and remote gaming. The Nokia B-Gage game deck allows users to play the latest high quality titles in a new way - multiplayer games connected locally via Bluetooth wireless technology or over-the-air games over mobile networks. Enabling new business models, the Nokia N-Gage is a unique platform that also provides opportunities for game developers and publishers, network operators and other service providers to generate new revenue streams and develop new games and service concepts.

"The Nokia N-Gage brings the start of a whole new gaming experience to the market, with an ergonomic design optimsed for playing games. Nokia is working with world-renowned game publishers, including Activision, Eidos, Sega, Taito and THQ, and developers to provide an appealing and balanced catalogue of high quality games to the marketplace. Titles will include both the latest blockbuster games and a variety of titles across game genres," said Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Nokia Mobile Phones. "The game experience can further be enhanced when network operators and service providers enter the value chain by providing game related mobile services such as downloadable game levels, additional features and game characters or even running online multiplayer games and communities. With these building blocks in place, the Nokia N-Gage platform will help to unleash the creative and innovative spirit of the games industry,"

The high performance games for Nokia N-Gage game deck are sold separately on game cards (using the MultiMediaCard standard). Game card distribution eneables a new kind of mobile gameplay experience with richer graphics, enhanced sound and more extensive game worlds in which to play. Nokia will also act as a game publisher to create branded N-Gage game titles and develop an evolving games portfolio. Nokia N-Gage game deck device and game titles will be available in major retail outlets, game-specific and video game retail outlets, as well as in regular mobile phone delivery channels in all major markets.

Nokia welcomes the games industry to publish and develop innovative new concepts for the Nokia N-Gage game deck. Game developers interested in learning more about the Nokia N-Gage game deck, including submitting information about applications for the Nokia N-Gage and other Nokia devices and platforms, can find more information at www.forum.nokia.com/games. Besides gaming, the Nokia N-Gage mobile game deck also features a digital music player (MP3/AAC) and stereo FM radio, as well as a tri-band GSM 900/1900 mobile phone. The Nokia N-Gage game deck is planned to be available in volumes across five continents in the 4th quarter 2003 well in time for the holiday shopping season.