Part of a range of new mobile games initiatives from the operator.
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Mobile operators have lost many of their keenest mobile games purchasers to iPhone and its App Store in the last year and a half, but now Orange UK is fighting back.
The operator is launching a range of iPhone games next month, under the sensible banner of Orange iPhone Games.
They'll be sold on the App Store, and are either designed or published by Orange UK. The announcement mentions an off-road racing game, card games including blackjack and poker, and social gaming service Playtomo.
The games will be available on the App Store from late April. They're one of three new mobile gaming initiatives announced today by Orange, though.
The operator is also launching a subscription gaming service called Games Zone, which goes live on 31st March.
It will cost £5 a month, with subscribers getting two free games, and 20% off the price of any other games they buy. Exclusive competitions will also be bundled into the service.
Meanwhile, Playtomo is the other announcement from Orange today: it will be offered on mobile and Facebook, and in the former case will be available to non-Orange customers too.
It's a social games service offering a mixture of games, including card, action and platform titles. Users will be able to challenge their friends. Judging by the screenshot, it will be ad-supported.
It's not mentioned in the press release, but Playtomo is the same Playtomo that was launched by French developer C4M as a standalone service in late 2008.
"This is an exciting time for Orange, with the launch of these new mobile gaming offerings forming a key part of our strategy to evolve our business through entertainment," says Orange's head of gaming products and services Neil Holroyd.
"Innovative gaming services such as Playtomo and Games Zone give customers the best possible gaming experience and value for money on their mobile phone, while enabling us to develop our offering and maintain our lead as the number one gaming operator in the UK."
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