Mobile phone game makers such as Square Enix, Tao Group, Samsung and more have united with the Open Mobile Alliance to define and support open specifications for mobile phone games.
In much the same way that PC developers would need to support both OpenGL and DirectX in the 1990s, mobile game makers face difficulties when developing games for different phones and networks. The Open Mobile Alliance is a coalition of developers and phone makers working to reduce platform fragmentation. Nokia, Samsung, SK Telecom, Square-Enix, Symbian, Tao Group, and Texas Instrument are now all on board to develop and agree on specifications for mobile game making.
“Developing specifications under the OMA Game Services Working Group is a natural move that allows participating companies to rapidly develop the specifications needed to enable a richer, more consistent mobile gaming experience for consumers,” said Kevin Mowry, chairman of the OMA Game Services Working Group.
The ultimate goal is to “establish a common definition for minimum device capabilities and measurable performance characteristics that game publishers and developers can rely upon.” This should result in easier portability among different phones and providers. In turn, this would lower costs and raise quality among developers currently struggling to meet multiple specifications.
