The day was marked by several mergers around the world in the mobile content space, an area that seems to be consolidating at an even faster clip than other areas of the shrinking wireless industry.
Vidiator, a provider of rich media delivery systems, acquired the software applications and intellectual property of Eyematic Interfaces Inc. Products acquired include the Whisper3D player, FaceStation, Shout Messenger, Eyematic Rendering Kernel, Avatar Editor, xPression, Junior Animator, and Device Assistant.
Vidiator said the acquisition provides it with compelling applications for the consumer mobile marketplace, for three-dimensional rendering and 3D content authoring.
“We are pleased to augment our rich media delivery capabilities with Eyematic’s rendering and avatar animation capabilities,” said Connie Wong, chief executive officer of Vidiator Technology (US) Inc. “These technologies enable Vidiator to enhance our core mobile rich media delivery platform in new and innovative ways and to use the products to develop new 3D applications to drive streaming and download adoptions.”
The value of the deal was not disclosed.
Meanwhile, Linktone Ltd., a provider of interactive entertainment products and services to consumers in China, acquired Brilliant Concept Investments Ltd. A British Virgin Islands company, Brilliant is a developer and operator of online casual games in China through Shenzhen Yuan Hang Technology Company Ltd.
The acquisition is intended to complement and leverage Linktone’s core wireless value-added services business. Under the terms of the transaction, Linktone has acquired all of the outstanding shares of Brilliant for total cash consideration not to exceed $11.5 million. The final purchase price installment will be determined based on Brilliant’s performance for full-year 2005. Linktone expects the transaction to be accretive to its 2005 earnings.
Privately held Brilliant currently offers online board and card games to a community of more than 15 million registered users in selected provinces and has supported approximately 60,000 concurrent users during recent peak periods. The Brilliant community of casual gamers maps closely to Linktone’s target user demographic of 16- to-30-year-olds with disposable income to spend on wireless and online entertainment. Linktone said it plans to expand this community nationwide through the use of its localized sales force, to develop a flexible wireless and online service platform for the seamless delivery of games, and to leverage its international and local content partnerships, as well as internal resources, for the development of new gaming products.
Finally, Mitsui & Co. Ltd., one of Japan’s largest general trading companies, and Buongiorno Vitaminic SpA, an Italian multinational active in the field of multimedia content, are forming an alliance for wireless value-added services.
Mitsui invested $8.2 million in the equity of Buongiorno USA Inc., the U.S. subsidiary that Buongiorno Vitaminic launched at the beginning of this year. The deal gives Mitsui a 19.9-percent ownership in the U.S. subsidiary. Buongiorno U.S. is valued at $43 million.
Mitsui and Buongiorno Vitaminic also said they will cooperate to accelerate globalization of mobile service in the Russian and Asian markets.
