IOMO, the UK mobile games developer, today announced that it has acquired fellow mobile studio Covert Operations Ltd for an undisclosed sum of cash and shares. As part of the acquisition, Niall Fraser, Managing Director of Covert Operations has joined IOMO as Development Director. All current Covert staff have been retained and relocated to IOMO's studios in Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK.
Covert Operations was one of the most experienced developers of mobile games in the UK, working across the Nintendo Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance and java-enabled mobile phones. The studio developed the Game Boy Color version of the award-winning Denki Blocks! As well as many high profile licenced and branded games available for mobile phones in the UK today.
"The mobile entertainment industry is growing at a tremendous rate and a lot of consolidation has occurred over the last few years," said John Chasey, the Managing Director of IOMO. "The acquisition of Covert Operations is a natural move that will allow us to expand our capacity and acquire both assets and extremely experienced staff simultaneously."
"The rapid growth of the mobile gaming market means that the expectations for developers are rising constantly," said Niall Fraser, the former MD of Covert Operations. "Covert had reached the point where we had to either expand greatly or join a company which has the resources to take full advantage of the market as it continues to grow. We're very pleased to be joining such a leading developer as IOMO. Their staff and their products are very highly regarded across the industry and we look forward to working with them."
Posted to the site on 29th May 2003
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/8956.php