The mobile social gaming network Mobage, the offspring of DeNA and ngmoco, has finally launched in Japan on April 26 on iOS and Android. Mobage has 20 million users from ngmoco and 25 million users from DeNA, bringing its total starting userbase to over 45 million players. Currently Mobage is in talks with major cell phone manufacturers to OEM its app on their devices.
Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews. 
A series of mobile gaming companies have been branding their upcoming games as ‘mobile social games’, and it prompted me to take a look at some top mobile companies and see just how social these new products are. Specifically, companies like Aurora Feint and ngmoco have recently released platforms and games that are considered mobile social. I take a look at how these mobile platforms and games compare to today’s popular social network games, and analyze whether they’re truly social.
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Yesterday, ngmoco announced two “social strategy” games for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad: We Rule and Godfinger. The games utilize mechanics found in games like Farmville and other social networking games, and are likely aiming to bring that type of gameplay and monetization potential to the iPad and iPhone.
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What happens when two longtime Electronic Arts employees leave the video game giant, one to launch a start-up and the other to become a venture capitalist? According to VentureBeat, in the case of new iPhone games developer Ngmoco, the VC funds the start-up and takes a seat on the board.
Ngmoco, or next-generation mobile company, founded by former EA dude Neil Young, just closed its first round of funding, led by Kleiner Perkins partner Bing Gordon, who joined the VC firm in April after resigning as EA’s chief creating officer. Gordon has joined Ngmoco’s board.
The financing makes Ngmoco the latest recipient of a portion of Kleiner Perkins’ $100 million iFund. Maples Investments also ponied up some cash, which Ngmoco will use to develop, license and publish games for the iPhone.
