Virgin product development boss sets up new games portal

Bidding to take on established portals and ringtone providers, the company plans to launch its website nudgemobile.co.uk tomorrow, with news, reviews and around 80 Java games initially available for mobile users to download.

It WAP site, according to Cantle, is set to go live on Monday with an additional move into interactive TV planned over the next few months.

The company has been set up with funding from various private investors and is supported by a billing and gaming platform supplied by Amplefuture and Macrospace.

Cantle, who will serve as MD, said the firm would commission additional content from games developers including providers to consoles such as the Playstation 2.

Before leaving to found the firm, he was responsible for investigating the use of mobile technology in the home for Virgin Telecoms. He previously set up the video gaming division of defunct online retailer Kids Toys and handled youth marketing at Heinz. Tredget was a formerly a financial analyst covering the games publishing market, and will handle business development at the firm.

Cantle said: "We believe that mobile gaming will be very big, very soon. We feel that we can compete with the big boys and established ringtone providers by appealing to avid gamers, the wider market and, most importantly, my mother, the world's greatest Tetris fan."

Nudgemobile will employ 5 people in the UK and another 5 in other countries yet to be named. It plans to offer downloads for under £5.

"www.nudgemobile.co.uk ":http://www.nudgemobile.co.uk

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