Three most innovative concepts offered Nokia Publishing pre-production contracts and cash prizes

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today launched the worldwide Mobile Games Innovation Challenge, a unique global competition with €70,000 in prizes, designed to encourage development of innovative game concepts with the power to positively disrupt the global mobile gaming industry and to help propel mobile gaming with handheld devices into a new and exciting future.

The first competition of its kind to encourage unique concepts in mobile gaming from developers of all backgrounds and all levels, the Mobile Games Innovation Challenge seeks the best in groundbreaking ideas and game concepts from the brightest and most creative minds in mobile gaming today.

Sponsored by Nokia Publishing, the Mobile Games Innovation Challenge invites developers to submit mobile gaming concepts to help drive mobile gaming to the next level, relying on the advanced features and functionalities of N-Gage compatible devices, and Java- or Symbian-based Series 40 or S60 devices from Nokia.

The three most innovative game concepts will be offered Nokia Publishing pre-production contracts, targeting publication of their winning concept on the corresponding Nokia device platform. In addition, the first winner will be awarded €40,000, the second €20,000, and the third €10,000 to enable the participant to further develop the concept.

“Nokia enthusiastically presents this Mobile Games Innovation Challenge as a unique opportunity for the best and brightest mobile game developers worldwide to really rock the industry with innovative, one-of-a-kind concepts that showcase what you can do with our mobile platforms,” said Dr Mark Ollila, director of games publishing, Nokia. “The pre-production contracts and €70,000 in cash prizes toward development of the winning game concepts is only part of the excitement – the Challenge also gives developers a chance to truly make their mark on global mobile gaming through unique and positively disruptive gaming concepts never seen before.”

Beginning immediately, developers wishing to compete for the Mobile Games Innovation Challenge can submit their game concepts online at http://developer.n-gage.com/innovation. Contestants are encouraged to enter more than one mobile gaming concept, with the winners to be selected by an external panel of mobile gaming industry experts on the criteria of innovation, fun, feasibility of execution, and market potential.

Gaming concept submissions will continue through August 20, 2008. The winners will be chosen by the external panel of judges and announced during a special award ceremony at the Nokia Games Summit in Rome, Italy, October 29-30, 2008.

Deadline for submission of all applications is August 20, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. GMT. Further information on the registration process, including description of entries and eligibility requirements are available at http://developer.n-gage.com/innovation.