The name of the game is... fun!

The pocket-sized device with its high-quality color screen will offer an exciting games experience with the added benefit that you can play on-line games where you like.

You can also use its built-in Bluetooth technology to play with small groups of friends nearby or GPRS to take on rivals continents apart! It's a phone too, operating over three bands, so you can use it anywhere in the world for ordinary calls. And its GPRS (2.5G) data capability gives 'always on' access to e-mails, the Internet, information and entertainment services and video images.

But its primary function is fun. That's why Nokia has given N-Gage a name rather than a product number to indicate its unique place in the market. Nokia is working with world-renowned games publishers and developers to create an appealing catalogue of high quality games. The company will also act as a games publisher itself to bring branded N-Gage titles to a rapidly expanding portfolio to suit all tastes.

Collaboration with mobile network operators and service providers is expected to produce new games-related mobile services such as downloadable game levels, additional features and game characters.
T-Mobile was the first mobile network operator to agree to co-develop such services aimed at creating online gaming communities. As a result, mobile gamers will have an easy-to-use experience that allows games-related content to be downloaded over T-Mobile networks in Europe and the US. Games are to be sold on game cards, using the MultiMediaCard standard, in major retail outlets, games-specific and video game retail outlets, as well as in regular mobile phone delivery channels.

Frost & Sullivan has stated that the global mobile game industry, which generated US$436.4 million in revenues last year, will balloon to US$9.34 billion by 2008. Ovum has mentioned that the global mobile game industry will be worth US$4.4 billion by 2006.

Although more modest, In-Stat/MDR has also said that revenues generated from the wireless gaming industry will be in the billions, reaching US$2.8 billion by 2006.

Datamonitor has estimated that by 2005, about 200 million people in the US and Europe will be playing mobile games. Asia will surpass that. Kupetz explains that not only Asia has two-thirds of the world's population. But the continent has already surpassed the West in mobile Internet usage.

Games giants Sega, Eidos, Activision, Taito and THQ are already working with Nokia to bring high-quality games to market, ranging from arcade legends - aimed at 'retro-minded' players - to the very latest releases.

The Nokia N-Gage concept was unveiled in February at 'Get Ready to N-Gage' events in London, England, and Sydney, Australia, and stimulated widespread press comment and customer interest.