Videogame titan Electronic Arts (EA) on Wednesday (October 29) unveiled titles tailored for play on freshly-launched "Google phones" running on Android open-source software. Globally popular "Tetris" is available for the first of what is expected to be an array of mobile telephones based on a free, open software platform created by a Google-led Open Handset Alliance.
US telecom carrier T-Mobile last week began selling G1 smart phones made by Taiwan-based HTC Corporation. Alliance-member Motorola is believed to be on the cusp of rolling out Android-based mobile phones of its own.
EA said that puzzle-game "Bejeweled" and a videogame version of the real estate empire-building game "Monopoly" will be available for G1 handsets in November and that more games are "in development."
The games will be sold in US stores and online at www.eamobile.com. "Android is another exciting new platform to offer customers great games with enhancements like touch and tilt capabilities," said EA Mobile vice president Adam Sussman.
EA Mobile has versions of "Tetris," "Bejeweled," and "Monopoly" and other games available for BlackBerry handheld devices and smart phones built with Microsoft's Windows software.
The California company has customised mobile versions of "Spore," "Tetris," "Sudoku," and "Scrabble" for Apple's hot-selling iPhones. Google phones have been heralded by some in the industry as possible "iPhone killers" because of the potential for them to be offered at low prices and feature service plans supplemented by online advertising woven into Internet services.