ASIA : SK Telecom has launched a variety of great 3D games that let users enjoy a sense of incredible speed and powerful graphics by upgrading the existing mobile games offered via mobile phone. The company also opened a mobile game portal site called 'GXG' (www.GXG.com), on April 11.

3D games are three-dimensional games that users can enjoy through a game phone with a built-in graphic chip, and an engine that accelerates speeds. These new games have contributed a great deal to improving existing mobile phone games in terms of the quality of the video image, as well as the speeds.

SK Telecom plans to release 16 different types of 3D mobile games on April 11, and launch a total of 73 games by the first half of this year. By the end of April the company will also launch 3D games based on such well-known online games as "Mavinogi (Nexon)", "Mu (Webzen)", and "Lagnarok (Graviti)". Furthermore, interactive network games and online games, are scheduled to be introduced at the end of May, 2005.

To support these games, the company will release five different types of game phones that let users enjoy 3D games through large-sized screens and high-capacity, by the first half of 2005. Samsung Electronic's SCH-G100 and SK Teletech's IM-8300 will be launched during April, and LG Electronics' SV-360 will be available by May. Pantech, Curitel and Motorola, also plan to release game phones. A PC Sync system combined with a mobile phone and SK Telecom's game portal GXG site, support a rapid wireless download of 3D games that has several times the capacity of traditional games.

The prices of the 16 games launched on April 11th range from KRW 4,500 to KRW 5,500 when downloaded through the PC Sync. When the games are downloaded directly via mobile phones, it will cost from KRW 3,000 to KRW 3,700 (information fee), and a data traffic fee will be also be charged. The NATE Free Flat Rate Plan (KRW 14,000 per month) allows subscribers to download GXG games without having to pay any additional call charges.

SK Telecom has conducted the public subscription of 3D games since last January with the object of exploiting excellent content, and motivating game developers. In doing this, the company is supporting the development of content that has passed a preliminary screening process. SK Telecom plans to invest more than KRW 10 billion in game planning, development and publishing, this year. This will aid in the development of the domestic game industry, and increase the size of the games market

Seung Yoon Ahn, vice-president and head of SK Telecom's Business Content Division, revealed that SK Telecom, as a market leader, is viewing the game business on a long-term basis, rather than just considering short-term profitability. This will contribute to the long range development of the domestic mobile game industry, as well as strengthening its international competitiveness.

Won Il Seo, president of Nexon, Korea's game developer known by famous "Cartrider" and "Mavinogi", commented "The size of the domeatic mobile 3D game market is expected to continue to grow due to the rapid increase in mobile game users. We are pleased by SK Telecom's plan for promoting the game industry, and expect that the market will be enlivened with the development of a vast array of mobile game content through the GXG portal.

After the launching of the GXG portal, SK Telecom plans to operate 'GXG Guru' as a Mobile 3D Game Experienced Group. This will be accomplished by selecting 200 male and female adults over 20 years old, who are interested in, and experienced with, mobile games. The company will allow the group members to use various 3D game content as well as game phones free of charge, and offer additional rewards to them. The group members can obtain detailed information through the GXG homepage www.GXG.com)