Com2uS bringing the noise, the funk to Europe and the Americas

Ji Young Park carries as many smiles as she does mobile phones. The president of Korea's most prominent mobile games publisher has plenty of reason to smile – her company is not just the largest, but one of the most lauded.

It's easy to understand why after getting hands-on time with a few upcoming titles. Moreover, speaking with Park also makes it abundantly clear Com2uS is dedicated to quality and originality. We sat down with Ji Young Park and general manager for Com2uS America, Don Lim, about how their plans to bring innovation to western markets.

Com2uS, despite not having the same brand recognition as EA Mobile or Gameloft in North America or Europe, has been established in the territories since 2001 and 2002, respectively. More than likely, the company's low profile has much to do with its steering away from licensed titles in order to focus on original games. "We want to make some noise in the market," explains Park, and her strategy involves bringing unique games to the table, ones that are wholly designed by Com2uS and not reliant on expensive film tie-ins or unnecessary sequels.

"We develop original titles to entertain. These are worthwhile games that I want to play," Park claims. Seemingly, a lot of people want to play them as well. Mini Game Pack, which is a popular collection of short-form games released last year, has sold nearly three million units alone. Its follow up, Mini Game Pack 2, has seen over two million downloads in Korea alone. A release for North America and Europe is slated for early next year.

Of course, translating success in the Korean market to acceptance in western territories can be daunting. Whether localization mars quality, a game doesn't fit a territory's demographic, or the market simply isn't open to new ideas, taking on Europe and North America is a tough challenge. "Localization is challenging mainly because of handset limitations," Lim asserts. "Korea is the world's most advanced mobile nation – we all have smart-phones." Having to work with the lowest common denominator in terms of mobile hardware configurations – particularly in North America – often makes reworking titles for release outside of Korea difficult.

And what about cultural distinctions amongst gamers in Korea versus Europe and North America? "I don't think we should change gameplay. It's good, we just need to make the appearance appealing to Americans, British, French – whoever wants to play our games," says Park. Certainly, there is a universal appeal to Com2uS titles such as HomeRun Derby 3D, which has you swinging for home runs with timed presses of the center key on your handset.

Bringing these experiences to new audiences isn't enough for Park, though. "Focusing on mobile community is a huge priority for us," she states. The ability to play competitively through the network, share content with friends, and other community-oriented features are seen in most of the company's titles. As mobile gaming continues to grow and the technology behind it catches up with Korea, Com2uS's president is adamant community will be easier to build in Europe and the US.

During the wait, Park plans on providing plenty of entertainment. Com2uS expects to release a handful of titles before year's end, with several more coming in 2008. They'll no doubt be worth keeping an eye on.