GREE, DeNA gain new rival at home as LINE messaging tool turns games platform

Just as social gaming powerhouses GREE and DeNA begin their break out in the west, so it appears they may have to contend with a new major player back at home.

NHN Japan has revealed plans to transform its LINE messaging platform into a social gaming hub, with the tool set to carry third-party games and apps in the near future.

NHN Japan CEO Morikawa made the plans public during an industry event in Sapporo, with further details set to be laid out on 3 July.

LINE, which launched little over a year ago, already boasts 40 million users worldwide, with almost half – 18.5 million – based in Japan.

The platform already plays host to first-party LINE releases, making the move to take on additional titles a logical one.

The company, which operates as a Tokyo-based subsidiary of a larger Korean web company, also already has experience in the field, having launched online gaming portal Hangame for PC, smartphones and feature phones.

[source: SerkanToto.com]