Namco hires an iPhone veteran to run its Apple games business
In a sign that console game companies care about new platforms such as the iPhone, Namco Networks has hired a former Apple producer as the head of its Apple Games division.
San Jose, Calif.-basesd Namco, a division of console game publisher Namco Bandai Games of Japan, has hired Jonathan Kromrey as general manager of Apple Games. He will focus on developing games for Apple’s Mac computers as well as the iPhone and iPod Touch.
The idea is to capitalize on changing consumer preferences when it comes to playing games anywhere and in a social manner, Kromrey said. Kromrey plans to make games that take full advantage of the iPhone, rather than just port titles from one platform to another.
Before joining Namco, Kromrey was an iPod and iPhone games producer and designer at Apple. He was responsible for research and development related to the iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple TV platforms. The move is another indicator that big game companies are moving into the hottest territory for growth in games: the iPhone.
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About the Author, Dean Takahashi
Dean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.
