The9 and OpenFeint Look to Boost Android Gaming

OpenFeint has been pushing to boost game development on the Android platform for quite a while, and has got a nice assortment of games that they’ve developed themselves. However, they’re looking to help taking Android gaming even farther, but partnering up with Chinese developer The9 to promote Android game development by funding developers transitioning to the Android platform.

Obviously, developing games for Android is a smart business move. Android has the largest portion of the smartphone marketshare, and it has been proven as a profitable platform to develop for. However, that doesn’t mean it’s easy for any company that already has games on iOS to just rebuild it to run on Android OS. It takes time, and it takes resources — resources that a lot of the smaller dev studios just don’t have.
Enter OpenFeint and The9. OpenFeint’s social gaming platform gives them a reason to want to help developers: To get more games in their network. Couple this with The9’s “Fund9″ program to invest $100 million in internet projects, and you have an awesome support system for independent devs who might be considering porting their existing projects.
OpenFeint and The9 will choose which projects to fund based on the strength of the developer, the quality of the app, and its success in other app markets. They are scouring the Apple App store to find the best candidates. Eros Resimi, marketing VP for Open Feint, stated that “There’s a treasure trove of great games on iOS waiting for the rest of the world to discover…This fund will help make that possible for indie game developers.”
While they are actively seeking projects out, developers can also submit a request for consideration by sending an email to androidfund@openfeint.com. (We’re looking at YOU, Tiny Wings developer Andreas Illiger!) With a project like this in the works, the Android gaming landscape is about to change, drastically.