MARINA DEL REY, Calif., May 28, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- MEFCON 2008 -- Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) and NPD Group today announced the first ever sales chart for mobile games. Serving as the mobile entertainment industry's authority on the most popular wireless games, the MEF Mobile Games chart will provide reliable source data for tracking growth and progress in the U.S.
"Until now, mobile gaming was a sector of the industry that had been wholly under-tracked for the U.S. market," said Jill Braff, SVP of Global Publishing at Glu Mobile and a leader of the MEF Mobile Games Chart initiative. The chart will begin as a monthly update, covering popular games and total sales.
Working in collaboration with MEF and its members, NPD will compile and chart the data, creating sales information that both MEF and NPD will use to promote and create awareness within the mobile games space.
"NPD is very excited to be working with MEF on its mobile games sales chart initiative. Our experience in providing tracking and insight to the video game industry, along with MEF's mobile content expertise, will help us provide the most complete picture of mobile games possible," stated Martin Zagorsek, vice president of games and software for The NPD Group.
MEF launched the first ever ringtones chart in the UK in 2004 which continues to be compiled by the Official Charts Company and used to track sales of realtones (ringtones derived from the original sound recording.)
"MEF continues to spearhead initiatives that are essential to the mobile entertainment industry, and our U.S. mobile games chart with NPD is meeting an essential market need. To date, there hasn't been a reliable market source for obtaining the latest aggregated figures in mobile gaming for the U.S. By joining forces with NPD Group, we are bringing the industry's credible resource on games to market," added Rimma Perelmuter, MEF Executive Director.
About Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF)
MEF exists to represent the interests of its global membership across the mobile entertainment value chain. Our goals are to build awareness, create business development opportunities and facilitate the development of commercial guidelines and best practices to promote a healthy and profitable industry.
With global headquarters in London, a Hollywood-based Americas secretariat, an Asian chapter in Hong Kong and the newly expanded EMEA branch, MEF's network of members represents a veritable "Who's Who" of mobile entertainment businesses and entrepreneurs. For more information and a full list of members go to www.m-e-f.org.
About The NPD Group
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,600 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit http://www.npd.com.