It’s alive! : Nokia launches N-Gage platform

Nokia Corp. quietly – and finally – launched its N-Gage gaming platform.
The handset-maker-cum-content-company made five games available on its online storefront, and teased gamers with more than a dozen titles “coming soon.” The games are supported by five handsets – the Nokia N81, N81 8GB, N82, N95 and N95 8GB – and said the downloadable application will eventually be available for the N73, N93 and N93i.
“We are live!” the company posted on the N-Gage blog. “There will be an official announcement on Monday, but for you, the N-Gage faithful we wanted to let you know we’re up and running!”
A key component of Ovi, Nokia’s aggressive direct-to-consumer play, N-Gage is aimed at gamers with high-end handsets in Europe and elsewhere. The platform is backed by nearly every notable mobile game maker including EA Mobile, Gameloft, Glu Mobile and Digital Chocolate.
But the launch of N-Gage, which had been slated for November 2007, was delayed twice thanks to technical problems.