INDEPENDENT games developer Cobra Mobile is hoping for a major boost in sales as it makes its first release in the Chinese market.
The Dundee company's iBomber title is being taken into the app store provided by giant telecoms firm China Mobile.
That will see it available for download among China Mobile's subscriber base of more than 700 million people.
Players in the game – which was originally released in 2009 –must pilot an aircraft over a number of combat zones destroying key targets such as enemy buildings and navy fleets.
Cobra said the integration with social gaming network Papaya and sister network AppFlood will allow players to share and compare their results with other people.
The initial game is free to download, although players can purchase additional levels and improvements to their aircraft if they want to progress further.
Mark Ettle, Cobra chief executive, said: "We have been looking at the Chinese market and the best and correct way to enter that market for many years.
"One of the reasons we started working with Papaya was it was a way for us to get into the Chinese market as they had relationships in place.
"We are not going in half-heartedly. It is all guns blazing.
"China Mobile has a new software development kit which allows direct billing. The user can press a button then access and buy the rest of the game, which is hugely important in the digital space."
China Mobile is a state-owned telecoms firm which is listed on the New York and Hong Kong stock exchanges.
Cobra has tweaked and translated some parts of the game for the Chinese audience.
However Mr Ettle said a large portion of the Chinese market prefers apps from Western developers to be as close to the original as possible.
He said: "They like Western content and like it to be written the same way as it is in the West."
Mr Ettle expects it is likely that Cobra will add to its workforce of 14 on the back of the move into China.
Since the link-up with China Mobile, another large Chinese telecoms company has been in touch with Cobra expressing interest in its content.
Mr Ettle said: "The mobile space [in China] has matured and now has a certain level of handset.
"We believe we can attack that market without spending millions and millions.
"We need to see six to eight to 12 weeks down the line to see how things translate into sales, but even if you take 1% of 1% of 700 million, that is still a huge opportunity."
Around 70% of Cobra's sales come from the American market at the moment.
In a separate move this week, it is launching iBomber into the Google Play app store for Android devices.
Mr Ettle said: "That puts it in front of another couple of hundred million handsets.
"Google Play is the single go-to store for all Android mobile phone and tablet users so launching onto [it] will further extend the game and brand to the rest of the world."
Cobra, founded in 2005, has developed a number of games for Apple and Android devices including Low Grav Racer, Storm in a Teacup, Mouse About and Fore.
It has also received three Scottish BAFTA nominations.
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