MTV Networks investing $500 million in gaming

After reporting significant growth across its gaming properties in June and July, MTV Networks announced it will invest more than $500 million over the next two years to develop and distribute games across its global portfolio. MTVN said it will focus on online and mobile casual games targeted to kids, young adults and women; games media and editorial content for hardcore gamers in the young adult and adult male categories, and console and handheld games for kids, young adults and men. The $500 million investment includes a $100 million commitment from MTVN's Nickelodeon Kids & Family Group earmarked for the development, distribution and creation of casual gaming titles, sites and platforms.

"Whether hardcore or casual, online or console-based, we know that games are a dominant activity across all our audiences, so we're upping our efforts to connect with more gamers in a more engaging way than ever before and provide added value to our marketing partners," said Mika Salmi, MTVN Global Digital Media president.

In related news, the MTVN Kids and Family Group casual gaming site Shockwave announced an agreement with Nokia to deliver Shockwave's portfolio of Flash Lite mini games via the Nokia Content Discoverer client. According to Nokia, the deal represents the first branded Flash-based games catalog on its handsets--Shockwave will initially make available more than 20 games including "Downhill Train" and newly created titles including "Happy Hours," with games based on MTV Networks properties scheduled for launch in the near future. Shockwave Minis will be available on Nokia devices in two dozen markets, among them the U.K., Italy, Germany, Singapore and Thailand.

For more on MTV Networks' gaming investment:
- read this release

For more on the Shockwave/Nokia deal:
- read this release

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