IOMO

IOMO was a pioneering European mobile game developer and publisher based in Hampshire, England. IOMO was founded by John Chasey and Glenn Broadway in 2000. Initially a developer, the company was very successful in the early stages of the mobile game industry and worked with the majority of mobile technologies and customers across the whole value chain. This ranged from pre-installed titles developed for handset manufacturers and carriers, creation of branded titles for mobile games publishers and self-published original titles.

History

The first public announcement mentioning IOMO is in May 2001 when Nokia announced development of seven WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) titles by IOMO for the Nokia Mobile Entertainment service, one of the first platforms designed for carriers to be able to host and bill for games content. [cite web |url=http://press.nokia.com/PR/200105/821309_5.html|title=Nokia and Supedo to develop mobile gaming content for WAP enabled phones |accessdate=2008-04-10] IOMO also worked on SMS titles including TxtDating which launched on O2 in the UK.

As the industry moved away from WAP and SMS to J2ME titles, in May 2003 IOMO acquired mobile game studio Covert Operations for an undiclosed sum. [cite web |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/05/29/iomo_buys_covert_operations |title=IOMO buys Covert Operations |publisher=The Register |accessdate=2008-04-10]

The peak of IOMO's success came in 2004 when in addition to winning the Develop Industry Excellence award for the second year running, IOMO were developers of half the games in the Top 10 charts for two different UK operators.

January 2004 the Vodafone Top 10 games charts included five titles developed by IOMO; Tomb Raider: The Quest for Cinnabar, Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf, Pub Pool, Tomb Raider: The Osiris Codex and Monopoly. [cite web |url=http://www.midlet-review.com/index?content=news&id=258|title=Five Out Of Ten Ain't Bad |accessdate=2008-04-10]

November 2004 the Orange UK Top 10 games charts included five titles developed by IOMO; Pub Fruity, Colin McRae Rally 2005, Monopoly, Golf Club and Pub Darts. [cite web |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=5601 |title=1, 2, 4, 6, 9 IOMO's Games Are Doing Fine! |accessdate=2008-04-10]

In March 2004 IOMO partnered with Kayak Interactive to demonstrate the first live multiplayer pool tournament between J2ME and BREW handsets on at the GDC Mobile day of the 2004 Game Developers Conference. [cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_/ai_114605341 |title=Kayak Interactive and IOMO Partner to Create Dynamic, Mobile, Multiplayer Games; Partners to Enable First Live Mobile, Multiplayer Tournament at Mobile GDC |accessdate=2008-09-28]

This success culminated when on 1 December 2004 it was announced that InfoSpace had acquired IOMO for approximately $15 million in cash. [cite web |url=http://www.secinfo.com/d14D5a.16958.d.htm |title=SEC Info - Infospace Inc - 8-K - For 12/1/04 - EX-99.1 |accessdate=2008-04-10]

In January 2005 an N-Gage version of the classic Snakes, developed by IOMO was launched. The title had universally positive reviews averaging a metacritic score of 85. [cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ngage/snakes?q=snakes |title=metacritic.com Snakes (ngage: 2005) |accessdate=2009-09-28]

As a studio within the InfoSpace group, IOMO games were published under the InfoSpace brand. However, on 25 January 2007, InfoSpace announced it was exiting the content space and had sold its US games studio to Twistbox Games with IOMO to follow. [cite web |url=http://www.moconews.net/entry/infospaces-us-games-division-sold-to-twistbox/ |title=Updated: Infospace's U.S. Games Division Sold To Twistbox |accessdate=2008-04-10]

On 6 August 2007 IOMO was closed and staff from IOMO formed a new mobile game developer, FinBlade. [cite web |url=http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/28432/Finblade-opens-its-doors |title=Updated: FinBlade opens its doors |accessdate=2008-04-10]

Awards

* 2002 Nokia Mobile Challenge - Entertainment Category - Foto Fun Pack [cite web |url=http://www.midlet-review.com/index?content=news&id=479 |title=IOMO takes Asian mobile market by storm]
* 2003 BAFTA Nomination - Scooby Doo [cite web |url=http://apps.shareholder.com/sec/viewerContent.aspx?companyid=INFO&docid=3317031 |title=Infospace, Inc. - Current Report|accessdate=2008-04-10]
* 2003 Develop Industry Excellence Award - Best Mobile Studio [cite web |url=http://apps.shareholder.com/sec/viewerContent.aspx?companyid=INFO&docid=3317031 |title=Infospace, Inc. - Current Report|accessdate=2008-04-10]
* 2004 BAFTA Nomination - Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 [cite web |url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/video-games/nominations/?year=2004 |title=Past Winners and Nominees - Video Games - Awards - The BAFTA site|accessdate=2008-04-10]
* 2004 BAFTA Nomination - Colin McRae Rally 2005 [cite web |url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/video-games/nominations/?year=2004 |title=Past Winners and Nominees - Video Games - Awards - The BAFTA site|accessdate=2008-04-10]
* 2004 Develop Industry Excellence Award - Best Mobile/Handheld Studio [cite web |url=http://apps.shareholder.com/sec/viewerContent.aspx?companyid=INFO&docid=3317031 |title=Infospace, Inc. - Current Report|accessdate=2008-04-10]
* 2006 Edinburgh International Entertainment Festival Edge Mobile Award - Dirty Sanchez [cite web |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=19306 |title=Dirty Sanchez from InfoSpace wins EIEF Edge Mobile Award // Press Release // GamesIndustry.biz|accessdate=2008-04-10]

Embedded Games

*"Adventure Race" on Nokia 5140i
*"Foto Fun Pack" on Motorola RAZR V3
*"GemGemPanic" on Sony Ericsson T610 (Vodafone live! handsets only)
*"Golf" on Motorola RAZR V3
*"Jedi Trainer" on Nokia handsets
*"Monopoly" on Motorola V525/V600
*"Munkiki's Castles" on Nokia 3410
*"Skydiver" on Nokia 3510i and Nokia 5500
*"Snakes 2 EX" on Nokia 3300 and others
*"Stuntman" on Motorola V525/V600

ExEn Games

*"Football Challenge" published by InFusio

J2ME Games

*"" published by Vodafone
*"Activision Anthology" published by InFusio
*"Aquastax" published by InfoSpace
*"Colin McRae Rally 2005" published by Digital Bridges
*"DBI 3D Golf" published by Digital Bridges
*"Dirty Sanchez" published by Infospace
*"Fight Club" published by Superscape
*"Fight Club 3D" published by Superscape
*"Finding Nemo" published by Airborne/Disney Interactive
*"FPR Superbikes" published by InfoSpace
*"Golf Club" published by IOMO
*"Le Mans 2006" published by InfoSpace
*"Monopoly" published by iFone
*"Now Quiz" published by InfoSpace
*"Chase H.Q." published by Nokia
*"Pub Arcade" published by IOMO
*"Pub Darts" published by IOMO
*"Pub Fight" published by IOMO
*"Pub Fruity" / "Pub Slots" published by IOMO
*"Pub Pool" published by IOMO
*"Pub Pool 3D" published by IOMO
*"Pursuit Squad" published by IOMO
*"" published by Digital Bridges
*"Slot Racers" published by Infospace
*"Steve Davis Snooker" published by IOMO
*"Stuntman" published by iFone
*"" published by Eidos New Media
*"Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf" published by EA/Digital Bridges
*"Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004" published by EA/Digital Bridges
*"Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005" published by EA/Digital Bridges
*"" published by Eidos Interactive
*"" published by Eidos New Media
*"" published by Eidos New Media
*"" published by Eidos New Media
*"Tony Hawk's Project 8" published by Infospace
*"Tony Hawk's Proving Ground" published by InFusio
*"Treasure Planet" published by Airborne/Disney Interactive
*"Trickshot Pool" published by Infospace
*"Urban Freestyle Soccer" published by Acclaim Entertainment

MS Games

*"TxtDating" published by Digital Bridges

ymbian Games

*"Snakes" published by Nokia
*"Foto Fun Pack" published by IOMO
*"Foto Puzzle" published by IOMO

WAP Games

*"Blinker Thinker" published by Nokia
*"Dial-A-Word" published by Froghop
*"Infiltrator" published by Nokia
*"Fortune Cookie" published by gameplay.com
*"Magic 8-Ball" published by gameplay.com
*"NumbaRumba" published by Nokia
*"Runway" published by Nokia
*"Thief: Constantine's Sword" published by Digital Bridges/Eidos New Media
*"Pass The Egg" published by Vodafone
*"StrikeOut!" published by Nokia
*"Tamacutie" published by Aspiro
*"The Love Game" / "The Dating Game" published by Aspiro
*"Thunderbirds" published by Digital Bridges
*"TicTacToe" published by gameplay.com
*"WAP Fishing" published by Nokia
*"WAP Hunter" published by Nokia
*"WAPPet" published by gameplay.com
*"Wapundrum" published by Nokia
*"Wentworth Golf" published by Digital Bridges/Empire Interactive

References