Sulake, the Finnish company behind the popular online virtual world Habbo Hotel, said it will take €6 million euros ($7.7 million) from Japanese Movida Group to both set up a Japanese operation and to push its content onto cell phones.
Movida Group is a joint venture between Softbank BB and Asian Groove, an interactive entertainment company, and Sulake is backed by investors like Benchmark Capital, 3i, and Elisa Group. The investment is a step in the company’s plans to replicate the wild success of its online site, which has brought in an astounding 53 million registered users worldwide, to the mobile world.
Wireless domination might not be too hard, given the company already sells Habbo-themed mobile content like wallpaper, ringtones, and games. Sulake did a survey of its Habbo users and the company says 85% of respondents were interested in buying Habbo mobile content–mobile games are by far the most popular.
We have also learnt that the company is working on a mobile Internet site called “Pocket Habbo” that will launch later this summer, which will give cell phone users access to aspects of the Habbo community, including messaging, blogging, and buying and selling Habbo currency. Then in the first quarter of next year the company plans to release a mobile client that will more fully recreate the Habbo web-based experience.
Sulake can stand to make significant money off porting Habbo to cell phones. The company plans to work with handset manufacturers, to preinstall the mobile community, carriers, to boost mobile portal traffic, and other entertainment brands to distribute content wirelessly. A Habbo-themed handset could even be in order–Habbo MVNO? It’s such a good idea that combined with the success of the Internet site, a company exec said Sulake is planning an IPO at the end of next year.
One reason Habbo Hotel will likely be so successful on the mobile, is because its virtual-only animations and avatars, exclude some of the real-world problems associated with a MySpace-style social network. It’s the same thing with Cyworld, Korea’s mostly virtual world, which has also been successful on mobile.
On the other hand Verizon was rumored to have bypassed on the original MySpace mobile deal, because of privacy concerns. Conservative carriers don’t welcome a lot of those hassles, and while MySpace will likely land on the traditional carriers next year, after its exclusive contract with Helio, mobile Habbo will likely already be there.
40 comments so far
6:44 PM PT
Would William Gibson be proud or horrified?
12:41 AM PT
Uh huh
3:45 AM PT
Sounds good!
5:08 AM PT
Cool, cant wait for it for my psp
6:26 AM PT
PUDRETE
9:52 AM PT
Cool I Hope It Does Come To Psp!
11:55 PM PT
cool hope they still decide to bring on n-gage
2:59 AM PT
hope they get it on psp that will be so good, thanks for the great news!!
6:45 AM PT
Well off my mobile phone i can get on too “Habbohotel.co.uk”
then Get On too enter Hotel
But then i cant type my Name in But this is a good staart.
12:33 PM PT
I think it should also be on the nintendo DS too,
using wifi as the connector.
Its unfair to just put it on the mobile and psp.
4:51 AM PT
I have a psp and DS but I think putting it on a DS is a waste of time, there’s no space on it. It’s still going to be small even on a psp.
10:02 AM PT
hey ppo.
dus anyone no how to get habbo workin coz i click on check in nd the shockwave sign cums up and ive downloaded it hunner ae times nd uninstalled it but it still isn wurkin
any help..
ryt bk
10:02 AM PT
dis site is shite
10:27 PM PT
dis website isent habbo its a stupid fack
one is is not habbo game
6:53 PM PT
I really love habbo, But unfortunatley my macintosh is not working with it . It wont let me sign in. So everytime i go on habbo is at my anuts house and i go there like evry 5 weeks.
2:33 PM PT
I’ve been on Habbo for a while.
E-Mail me at liammac94@hotmail.com for help.
My habbo name is HyperLiam
It’s really good !!
11:27 AM PT
Hi! I was on google searching habbo and I found this site so Ive read all of it and now I want to say ADD ME!
My habbo is lemon.64 and my msn is kate-v4ever@hotmail.co.uk
get in touch!
6:26 AM PT
I think habbo shud be on mobile phones cuz i dnt have a computer n can only get on sumtimes to talk to my m8s so hurry n get it on mobile plz :) ty x
5:46 PM PT
i want play habbo hotel in my PSP help me please because i have one maffia in habbo hotel and i want connect me in habbo hotel in my PSP please help me
addme if u now something about it: lfss@live.com
im know all.
11:56 PM PT
hihi habbo hotel is so super geil aber ich komm nich rein!mano
4:37 PM PT
like i play habbo all the time it is my fav
5:46 PM PT
i hope they bring it out on psp
cos ive tried and it dont work
11:59 PM PT
ppppL the sites are scams my namd onhabbo is heatshots some kid named dollaz123 really gave me coins for any questions contact me on my msn number1_kid5@msn.com o and add dollaz123 he will give u coins
3:22 AM PT
:] sounds cool..but expensive?
3:33 PM PT
yo yo yo yo yo people plz add me on habbo and don8 plz my habbo name is ogangster plz add me and don8 plz again my name is ogangster add me and plz don8
P.S. if you don8 i’ll be shure to pay you back X5 more.
3:35 PM PT
SO ADD ME MY HABBO NAME IS ogangster ADD ME AND DONATE
P.S. ADD ME!!!!
7:18 AM PT
Post: Habbo on psp
Install newest Flash on youré PSP
Go to internet explorer
Go to settings > Cache > None
Cookies > None
Go to habbohotel.co.uk .
Check in
It not will load
Download habbo.HOB from google ( Search for habbo.HOB )
Install on your PSP
Open it
Start internet explorer habbo.co.uk or .com
Check in!
AND PLAY!
IT’s works really .
11:17 PM PT
I’ve been on habbo since November of 05. but I don’t have a psp… :S
and I certainly am not paying for those. especially since that “Wii” thing has come out. it’s pointless. If anyone knows more about Habbo going mobile , add me on habbo usa. I’m …
Arriana1234
talk to me! lol
6:57 AM PT
i really hope they get habbo for psp that would be so cool and easier for me becuz i use my psp alot
6:52 PM PT
If it works on a cellphone it’ll work on psp, psp has more ram then a cell phone anyway.
9:37 AM PT
anyone know how to get habbo on there psp bcoz mine comes up but with a blank screen “/
6:48 AM PT
[...] and its 20 million uniques, World of Warcraft with its 8 million subscribers, and Europe’s Habbo Hotel with its own 7 million regular users, that guess is actually on the conservative side. (While [...]
6:17 PM PT
Hey if any1 knos how 2 get on habbo on my fone email me @ hohnj723@aol.com if it works i wil giv u 3 furni of ur choice promise!!!!
4:50 AM PT
[...] Hotel (population 53 million) is expanding to mobile phones with a U.S.$7.7 million investment from a Japanese [...]
11:50 AM PT
they should get habbo to work on mac computers …
10:34 AM PT
i hope psp will work with habbo as it onli makes a blank screen is that my psp or just no compatable?
10:36 AM PT
contact me if u know how to get habbo on your phone @ chris.trembath@yahoo.co.uk
12:51 PM PT
I Really Hope They Get Habbo To Psp , They Should Make It For Ps2 And Ps3 Too Because People With Keyboards And Headsets Would Love That.
I Know I Would
12:54 PM PT
And Btw…
That Comment
November 5th, 2007
11:50 AM PT
Flavio said:
they should get habbo to work on mac computers …
Learn To Use A Mac First Then We’ll See…
Habbo Does Work On Mac Computers..
No Affense ..
6:10 AM PT
lol on my pc habbo dont work but it work on my sidekick so i play on my sidekick
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