But will hang on to D2C channels including smartphone app stores.
Yesterday, mobile games publisher Namco Bandai Networks Europe revealed that it was reviewing its activities, and mulling a distribution deal with another company.
Today, it announced just that: from the start of November, EA Mobile will be distributing Namco Bandai mobile games in Europe - but also Russia, India, Latin America, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.
EA Mobile already has a similar deal in place with Taito, which has seen it distribute Cooking Mama, Puzzle Bobble Evolution and Space Invaders Anniversary Edition in Europe. Pac-Man and Space Invaders under one roof? It just happened.
However, Namco Bandai will continue to operate its own D2C online store in those regions, and will also keep control of its distribution to smartphone app stores, including iPhone's App Store and Android Market. Its US operation is also unaffected.
In this sense, the news is less a case of Namco Bandai abandoning the European mobile games market, and more a case of pulling out of European Java-focused operator decks.
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The deal means further consolidation in the European Java games market, with Namco Bandai joining THQ Wireless and Vivendi Games Mobile in exiting direct distribution to operators in recent times.
"EA has consistently demonstrated that it is the leading distributor of mobile games globally," says NBNE boss Barry O'Neill.
"Namco Bandai is delighted to be working with EA Mobile, and we feel that this new distribution relationship will benefit a much broader base of customers, while allowing us to focus on the development of great new games for all mobile platforms."
For our analysis of why Namco Bandai's decision is a worrying sign for European operators, click here.
