Ad-supported mobile games distribution network Greystripe has announced a partnership deal with Zapak, India’s largest online gaming company which is a part of the Reliance ADA Group. Under the agreement, Greystripe will provide its catalog of over 900 ad-supported games and apps to Zapak’s 5.1 million registered gamers.
Zapak’s integration with Greystripe signals India’s movement towards alternative forms of distribution for popular mobile content. With everyone from Apple to Google to Microsoft launching their own versions of game and application storefronts for cell phones in the U.S., Greystripe is the only company that is providing a solution similar to an app store in India. As proven through the popularity of Apple’s App Store in America, mobile games and applications are a critical category for media companies looking to get into the mobile market. Greystripe provides Zapak with the opportunity to offer this valued entertainment for free.
Commenting on the announcement, Zapak’s CEO Rohit Sharma said: “Greystripe is the global leader in ad-supported mobile game distribution and we have partnered with them to bring this unique experience to the Indian audience. We chose to work with them because they have proven the value of their rich media mobile ads to brands and they are cross-platform, which allows us to serve all of our users.”
Finally, to put this deal in perspective, here are some numbers from Gartner: According to the research company, India generated $80 million in total mobile gaming revenue in 2007 and the figure is forecast to reach $450 million by 2012.