10.15am: The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) has bought top Munich-based mobile game developer and publisher, Living Mobile, in preparation for the European rollout of Disney Mobile.
The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) has bought top Munich-based mobile game developer and publisher, Living Mobile, in preparation for the European rollout of Disney Mobile.

Having first entered the mobile market in Japan in August 2000 with NTT DoCoMo, Disney's library of content has grown to include more than 6,000 products and services including ringtones, voicetones, games, video, graphics and applications which are distributed in 32 countries through agreements with more than 65 carriers and distributors.

WDIG say that by acquiring Living Mobile, with its portfolio of more than 70 games including CAPCOM's Resident Evil as well as a line up of original titles and classic puzzle and card games such as Solitaire Deluxe, the deal also gives the group its first in-house mobile game development studio, which will increase efficiency and reduce cost and time to market.

Under the terms of the agreement, Living Mobile will operate as a subsidiary of WDIG Europe. It has approximately 40 staff and offices in Munich and Prague.

John Hardie, executive vice president and managing director, Walt Disney Branded Television, EMEA said, "we are busy working on what will be the Disney Mobile service. We haven't announced plans of when we will enter the market place but I don't think it'll be more than six months from today before we will have launched the Disney channel on mobile somewhere in Europe. Within the year definitely it will be in the UK."

The news follows reports that Disney is considering launching a mobile virtual network operation, similar to that of Virgin Mobile.

Disney has already made clips of the shows Desperate Housewives and Lost available on mobile networks in the UK and Italy.

The cost and terms of the Living Mobile deal are undisclosed but a Disney spokesperson said the purchase was not material to the Walt Disney Company as a whole.