N-Gage takes mobile games to the next level

And, Malaysians can join in the fun too!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – May 22, 2008 – Malaysians can now, together with the rest of the world, enjoy the new Nokia N-Gage mobile games service with more games, additional compatible devices, and an expanded online offering.

Millions of Nokia device owners can now find, try and buy high-quality made-for-mobile games directly from their mobile device. Players can also connect with one another through the N-Gage Arena community. They can meet friends, find others to play multiplayer games, discuss topics on the message boards and via live chat, and participate in tournaments and hosted events.

“The launch of N-Gage marks a very important step for Nokia as we roll-out our internet services strategy. Now, we’re offering a seamless experience for people around the world to try and buy games that are engaging, accessible and have wide appeal and Malaysians can enjoy this experience immediately too,” said Andrew Cheong, Managing Director, Nokia Malaysia.

“We’re very excited to get this into the hands of our customers, because with them we will shape the future of mobile gaming.”

The N-Gage platform has exclusive titles that are among the most ambitious and graphically rich mobile games ever produced. From strategy and sport to arcade and action, games of all genres are being developed for N-Gage by leading games publishers.

Games already available include: EA SPORTS™ FIFA 08 and Tetris® by EA Mobile; Brain Challenge, Block Breaker Deluxe and Asphalt 3: Street Rules by Gameloft; World Series of Poker ™ Pro Challenge by Glu Mobile; and Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep, Space Impact: Kappa Base, Mile High Pinball; and System Rush: Evolution by Nokia Publishing.

These games will be followed closely by The Sims™ 2 Pets by EA Mobile; Dogz by Gameloft; Metal Gear Solid Mobile by KONAMI; and Snakes Subsonic by Nokia Publishing. Starting today, players will have access to a range of high-quality games, many of which are exclusive to the N-Gage platform. N-Gage games incorporate exclusive, industry defining online community features, and in many cases, graphical experiences never before seen on a mobile device.

With the N-Gage application on their device, people can create a Friends List, send and receive private messages, and take part in instant messaging style chat. N-Gage Points can be earned for playing games and participating in community activities. Moreover, the experience can take place via the N-Gage web portal on the PC. Here players can interact seamlessly with the N-Gage community or purchase new games and download them to their N-Gage compatible devices.

Today’s N-Gage compatible devices include: Nokia N81, Nokia N81 8GB, Nokia N82, Nokia N95, and Nokia N95 8GB.

Prior to the N-Gage service going live, Nokia sought feedback from its fans through the N-Gage First Access program. In its eight week run, N-Gage First Access saw tens of thousands of participants register for the service from over 100 countries.

“With N-Gage First Access we offered Nokia N81 owners the first chance to try N-Gage and solicited their feedback to help us further refine the experience,” continued Cheong. “We were pleased that so many people took the time to test-drive the service and share their comments. Thanks to them we are now ready to offer an enhanced experience to a wider audience. Together with the N-Gage community we will keep developing the N-Gage experience further by adding new games and features that take advantage of rapidly evolving mobile technology.”

To download the N-Gage application, visit http://www.n-gage.com on your mobile device or PC. New games, features and compatible devices will be added regularly. Games are expected to cost between six and ten euros – all of which are free to try before buying.