With reports of rapid growth in the mobile gaming sector--the market's revenues will reportedly climb from $540 million this year to $1.93 billion in 2006, according to the Wireless World Forum--no one wants to be left out.

　　As reported earlier, THQ recently spun its wireless gaming group off into a freestanding subsidiary, and, this week, Eidos plc announced it was reallocating personnel to be sure it was properly covering the mobile space, as well as other developing, new media platforms.

　　On Tuesday, the UK-based company assigned long-time Eidos technology specialist Simon Protheroe to the post of director, new media. Protheroe's stateside counterpart is Kathy Schoback, director of product operations, Eidos Interactive.

　　GameSpot caught up with both individuals and asked them to elaborate on their strategy to integrate Eidos games and game properties into this fast-developing area.

　　GameSpot: In what tangible ways does this week's announcement signal a bigger commitment to the mobile space?

　　Simon Protheroe: The early success of our mobile activities, to date, has really been the catalyst for a stronger emphasis on new media and the creation of the new division. The new division signifies a focus of attention on an area of significant opportunity. This week's announcement really represents a consolidation of existing resources and activities, but there will be more tangible expressions of this focus over the coming months.

　　GS: The traditional game industry seems to be approaching the mobile space with some degree of wariness. Even Eidos has done little more than to license one of its premier properties--Tomb Raider for the N-Gage--into the sector.

　　SP: I wouldn't agree that we've done little more than license (that's really been EA's approach, to date, for example). It's worth pointing out that we have invested significantly in development, localization, QA, etc., for both our N-Gage and Java titles.

　　GS: Will Eidos begin to leverage its own brands and take them to mobile consumers on its own, or will it continue to seek out partners?

　　SP: Actually the approach already is to take mobile games to consumers on our own. We're using operators as a distribution channel. Eighty percent of mobile games revenue is achieved via carriers; they really own the customer in a way that is difficult to compete with. We're looking at alternative approaches to distribution (retail scratch cards, etc.), but these will be an adjunct to the carriers' own services rather than a replacement. In general, though, in all areas of new media, we will concentrate on our core competencies and use partners with complementary strengths. We won't be running our own network operations center or billing systems anytime soon, for example.

　　GS: Will the success of Eidos in the mobile space always flow from its proven successes in the traditional game space?

　　SP: Initially, we will be using existing franchises and brands, with proven success in the traditional space, to enter the market. In the longer term, the most successful products will probably come from properties designed for the medium (whatever that may be--not necessarily just mobile). The use of preexisting properties is designed to give us a boost in opening the market to Eidos.

　　GS: Do you see the day when Eidos will create new properties for the mobile space alone?

　　SP: Yes.

　　GS: Kathy, what role will you play in Eidos' commitment to new media?

　　Kathy Schoback: I'm responsible for executing the global direction in new media as it applies to North America, as well as identifying opportunities specific to our region here. Our Tomb Raider release on the N-Gage has been a great entry point into a rapidly growing and potentially lucrative game space.

　　GS: What can you tell about specific strategies you'll be implementing?

　　KS: Nothing we're prepared to discuss just yet, but there will certainly be more to follow Tomb Raider.

　　GS: How important do you see new media and mobile being for Eidos? Will it drive serious revenue or merely help maintain brand awareness for the company?

　　SP: Definitely the former. We're obviously at a very early stage, but the intention is certainly to build serious revenue. Obviously, that revenue is small today, particularly relative to that of the core business, but these markets are growing extremely rapidly. This isn't a support function for marketing, although that's obviously a useful side effect of some of the activities we're undertaking.

　　GS: What exactly does "new media" mean to you? Not just mobile handsets, I gather.

　　SP: In addition to wireless, the New Media division will also cover online gaming, PDA games, interactive TV, electronic software distribution, and services, such as Games on Demand. We're concentrating the resources where we can reap maximum short- to midterm commercial benefit (for instance. mobile) and where we have a long-term strategic need (for instance, online), but we're active in the other areas. As with most new business development, it's too early to tell where we'll end up, in terms of balance, among the various activities.

　　KS: To me, the New Media division is a formalized way for Eidos to explore extending our core competency--great character-based action content--into emerging technology areas. The fact that we're dealing with it across regions gives rise to some very exciting business opportunities.

　　GS: Thanks to you both.