Mobile app news roundup: DeNA, Fruit Ninja merchandise and GREE

DeNA teams with Huawei to crack Chinese market -- DeNA’s Chinese subsidiary has signed a deal with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei Technologies to promote DeNA’s games in Huawei’s HiSpace app store. Mobage games now have their own dedicated category in the HiSpace store and soon Huawei phones will come preloaded with a homescreen link to Mobage games, reports Gamasutra. EA yanks Battlefield 3: Aftershock after poor reviews -- EA has removed its new free-to-play Battlefield 3 spin-off, Battlefield 3: Aftershock from the App Store after poor player response according to PocketGamer. When we included the game on our free iOS app roundup last week, we noted the app had been criticized heavily by users. Gameloft, Ubisoft Games coming to GREE -- GREE revealed more details about its upcoming global mobile-social gaming network this week, announcing that an all new Assassin’s Creed title developed by Ubisoft would be a platform exclusive title. GREE also announced it is working with Gameloft to create a new social game called Gang Domination. Rovio not in a rush to sell, considering acquisitions, publishing -- Rovio’s CEO Mikael Hed has told AllThingsD his company is working on a non-Angry Birds games, and the company is contacted “regularly” by interested buyers. Hed maintained the company is not in a rush to sell and is considering acquisitions and publishing. Licensed Fruit Ninja merchandise is coming to a store near you -- Halfbrick has announced a swath of licensed Fruit Ninja merchandise partnerships. The deals, with companies like Mattel, Hybrid, Basic Fun and Trends International, cover plush toys, card and board games, novelty toys, apparel, sleepwear and underwear, calendars, posters and fruit snacks. DeNA launches Daum Mobage -- DeNA and South Korean internet service provider Daum Communications have launched Daum Mobage, an Android-only, localized South Korean version of the Mobage mobile-social gaming platform that is fully integrated with Daum’s services. Betaworks acquires Vibe -- New York-based Betaworks has acquired semi-anonymous local information and messaging app Vibe according to TechCrunch. The deal is rumored to be in the low six figures. Z2Live goes international with Big Sandwich -- Seattle based mobile game developer Z2Live has bought Vancouver, BC-based independent studio Big Sandwich Games. [Launch] Midway Arcade launched on iOS -- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has followed Atari’s lead and has released a series of 10 classic arcade games as a paid $0.99 app called Midway Arcade. The app includes versions of Rampage, Joust and Defender. [Launch] Free-to-play Infinity Blade Cross debuts on Mobage -- Epic’s paid hit Infinity Blade has gone free-to-play as Infinity Blade Cross on DeNA’s Mobage network reports Andriasang. The Japanese adaption of the game was developed by Epic’s subsidiary Chair Entertainment and Japanese studio iNiS. [Rumour] Apple to redesign App Store? -- 9to5 Mac is reporting that Apple is planning to redesign the iTunes store to introduce interactivity features for music, movies, TV and apps. In related news, Apple has also acquired app search and discovery service Chomp for $50 million to revamp the way users can search the App Store and discover apps.

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Mobile app news roundup: DeNA, Fruit Ninja merchandise and GREE

Kathleen De Vere

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Kathleen De Vere