iGame Radio

Leading iPhone game publisher ngmoco announced today the acquisition of long-time Mac and iPhone game developer Freeverse. Freeverse will retain all its name, branding and management after the acquisition.

ngmoco was formed in 2008, and has produced a large number of hits, including Rolando 2, Eliminate Pro, and Touch Pets Dogs. They also run the Plus+ social gaming network, which include global leaderboards and game challenges.

Freeverse has a long 15 year history in the world of Mac gaming, but in 2008 also began focusing on iPhone games; releases include the Flick sports series, Skee-ball, and Parachute Ninja.

ngmoco also specializes in free-to-play games, releasing iPhone games for free, then charging for in-app purchases. Freeverse founder and VP Colin Lynch Smith has found this very attractive. “We see the value and immense potential in free to play services on mobile web,” he noted. “ngmoco is the leader in this realm both in terms of vision and execution and therefore the right partner for us to take our business to the next level.

iGame Radio spoke with Freeverse marketing director Lydia Heitman, who stated that current and future titles that have already been announced (such as the anticipated Warpgate) will not be moved into the free-to-play (F2P) model. “They were not designed for that model and they’re doing great right as they are,” she said. “…our new titles going forward will most likely be Free-to-Play as that is where we believe the future lies in this industry.”