Venan Entertainment, a premier developer of Nintendo DS, iPhone, iPod, and mobile games, today announced the creation of a new game development initiative: Venan Arcade.

“Although Venan has been a prominent developer in mobile for many years, our primary business model has been behind-the-scenes contract development for publishers like EA, THQ and Sega.” said Brandon Curiel, CEO and Lead Designer at Venan Entertainment. “Venan Arcade represents our initiative to step from behind the curtain and deliver great gameplay experiences directly to our consumers.”

Venan Arcade will initially focus on creating high-quality portable gaming experiences that can be purchased on the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPod Touch. Venan Arcade titles will be priced competitively, but never overpriced.

“With the App Store, all the traditional notions of price points have changed,” said Curiel. “What people are learning is that consumers are much more willing to try new experiences when you reduce the barrier of entry. And when you deliver a great product that is fun, accessible, and has great value, the sales will take care of themselves.”

Venan Entertainment, perhaps best known for the critically acclaimed, BAFTA-nominated Nintendo DS title Ninjatown, as well as the top-selling iPhone/iPod Touch smash hit Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition, will continue its traditional work of developing high-profile AAA franchises for major publishers. Since it was founded in 2002, Venan has developed mobile titles based on many well-known game, film, and television IP’s such as Monopoly, NBA LIVE, NBA Street, Jaws, South Park, and Spongebob Squarepants. Curiel notes, “In addition to Venan Arcade, we have several iPhone projects underway for some top-notch brands. It’s going to be an exciting year for us on the iPhone.”

The first game in the Venan Arcade initiative will be a “nonlinear top-down shooter,” according to Curiel. “The core gameplay is based on a familiar model that most gamers will recognize right away, but we’ve built on top of that to create an all-new gameplay experience. Our philosophy is that Venan Arcade titles should cater to everybody’s play style, whether it’s casual or hardcore.”

Venan Arcade’s first title will be developed for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and will be available in early September. A formal announcement of this first title is expected later this week, and you can be sure Electronic Theatre will keep you updated.

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