Mobile developer Gumi opens Berlin studio

Japanese mobile games developer and publisher Gumi has opened a new office in Berlin, Germany.

The branch will act as the company’s European HQ as well as a games development studio. It will support the firm’s operations in Paris, and will focus on developing games for Western audiences.

Mirko Hering, who has previously worked Koch Media and Travian, has joined Gumi as director of production for Europe. He will oversee the company’s development of mobile games.

“Our IPO in December put us in the fortunate position of being able to think long term as we start to build our presence in Berlin for the Western markets,” said Gumi VP and head of Europe Mack Growen.

“This is critical as user expectations, development budgets and acquisition costs continue to rise. We aim to become as successful here as Gumi has been in the Asian markets, and we now have the funding that it requires.”

Last year Gumi opened four new studios in Europe and the USA. These are based in Austin, Stockholm, Kiev and Vancouver.

Gumi has previously published games such as Brave Frontier, and already has other offices in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China and France.