Japanese mobile gaming giant GREE has announced that it is closing its UK office and restructuring its European operations, suggesting that the corporation has been experiencing some turbulence expanding its business worldwide.
The company made a promising start in the UK, with formal support from chancellor George Osborne and a deal with popular childrens' franchise Moshi Monsters set to propel domestic interest in the mobile games studio. But now it is closing it all down, due to "the challenging economic climate and on-going changes within the interactive industry."
A statement from the firm adds that "GREE has seen significant growth since it was founded in December 2004, but during 2013 the GREE board have found it necessary to re-assess and streamline the global business with a view to consolidating certain functions.
"This decision is being considered in order to focus on developing content from the United States of America for the Western market... This realignment of the business is a necessity to ensure that GREE can continue to invest and enhance its business offering moving forward.
"The management team are confident that the proposed restructure of the business will benefit the company due to the changing nature of the digital industry over the coming years."
Japanese companies have struggled to offer compelling gaming propositions to Western consumers in the last five or six years, and it was thought that GREE's experience in the exploding mobile industry would make its offering more relevant. This latest news would seem to suggest otherwise. GREE continues to do big business in Japan.
Via MCV
The company made a promising start in the UK, with formal support from chancellor George Osborne and a deal with popular childrens' franchise Moshi Monsters set to propel domestic interest in the mobile games studio. But now it is closing it all down, due to "the challenging economic climate and on-going changes within the interactive industry."
A statement from the firm adds that "GREE has seen significant growth since it was founded in December 2004, but during 2013 the GREE board have found it necessary to re-assess and streamline the global business with a view to consolidating certain functions.
"This decision is being considered in order to focus on developing content from the United States of America for the Western market... This realignment of the business is a necessity to ensure that GREE can continue to invest and enhance its business offering moving forward.
"The management team are confident that the proposed restructure of the business will benefit the company due to the changing nature of the digital industry over the coming years."
Japanese companies have struggled to offer compelling gaming propositions to Western consumers in the last five or six years, and it was thought that GREE's experience in the exploding mobile industry would make its offering more relevant. This latest news would seem to suggest otherwise. GREE continues to do big business in Japan.
Via MCV
Companies:
GREE
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