‘Global social game network’ plans emerge

A social game network that has over 20 million users in Japan will launch across western territories next year – in a move spearheaded by Dena’s latest acquisition, Ngmoco.

The network, known as Mobage, will launch globally on iPhone and Google Android devices sometime next year.

That service will either replace or build upon Ngmoco’s own network, called Mobile Plus, which is said to already have 13.5 million users.

Ngmoco CEO Neil Young told CNN he hopes to “globalise what Dena has been able to do in Japan.”

“It’s hard for people in the west to get their heads around how big it is in Japan,” he added.

“What’s happening in Japan is really a blueprint for what’s going to happen here.”

Dena last month acquired Ngmoco in a deal worth $400 million, as well as making sizable investments in the maker of yet another game social network operator – Aurora Feint.