Gameloft builds on record 2011 profits with more freemium, licensed games

Mobile game company Gameloft has reported a significant increase in sales along with record profits in 2011, and expects to drive further growth with new licensed titles and freemium/paymium releases. Gameloft says it will continue its momentum into 2012 with a lineup of smartphone, tablet, and feature phone games based on major franchises it's secured worldwide licensing rights to, including The Dark Knight Rises, Ice Age, Men in Black 3, The Avengers, and The Amazing Spider-Man. The Parisian company also says it will rely on microtransaction-based games this year, with all of its smartphone and tablet titles in 2012 featuring either freemium or paymium business models. Gameloft notes that users have downloaded nearly 125 million of its freemium/paymium titles, and about 35 million play those games every month. During the developer and publisher's last fiscal year ending December, it generated €164.4 million ($217 million) in revenues, a 17 percent jump over 2010. It also made €18.2 million ($24 million) in profits, a record for Gameloft and a 34 percent year-over-year increase. Gameloft attributed its success last year to sales growth in emerging countries, its adoption of new business models like freemium and paymium, and the popularity of recent releases like Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation and Gangstar Rio: City of Saints. The publisher anticipates another year of solid growth in 2012, and intends to release even more mobile and tablet games this year than in 2011. It also expects to benefit from the rapid growth of platforms like mobile, tablets, and next-generation set-top boxes and smart TVs.