Exent launches Android game subscription service for TVs (exclusive)

Exent is launching its GameTanium mobile-gaming subscription service for the television.

The company is adapting its GameTanium Mobile service to smart TVs, enabling Android-based smartphone games to be displayed on a TV while the mobile device serves as a game controller. Exent made the announcement of the services, which will be commercially available later this year, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. In addition, it announced that Deutsche Telekom will debut GameTanium in Poland.

Players will still be able to use smartphone controls — like touch, tap, drag, and motion-sensing — to control a game on the TV. They can start a game on a phone and continue to play it on the TV when they are home. Then they can resume playing on the phone after that.

Israel-based Exent was founded in 1992 and went through several gyrations to find a market for its digital distribution technology. Now the company is focused on enabling “anytime, anywhere” games. Users who subscribe to GameTanium on Android will have access to new games each week. The service will help small developers get their games discovered since it has featured content, recommendations, ratings, and a big collection of video trailers.

Last year, Exent launched its tablet-based version of GameTanium at Mobile World Congress. That service is being demonstrated at the show again this year.

The company said GameTanium is a way for mobile operators and device makers to engage customers on smartphones, tablets, and TVs. It offers a turnkey service that can help those companies increase their average revenue per user and strengthen brand loyalty. The operators and device makers can put their own brand names on the GameTanium service. Titles include hits like Fruit Ninja, Collapse!, and Plants vs. Zombies.

“We remain focused on delivering a revolutionary, all-you-can-play subscription games service that supports anytime, anywhere gameplay,” says Zvi Levgoren, the chief executive at Exent. “Our GameTanium for TV service represents the next evolution of that vision and a tremendous opportunity for mobile operators as it enables them to keeps their customers actively engaged whether they are on the go or relaxing on the couch at home.”

Customers using Exent’s service include Verizon, AIS, Telmex, CenturyLink, Lenovo, and Asus. Deutsche Telekom will offer GameTanium in Poland with more than 150 games from top publishers and developers.

“We’re pleased to partner with Exent and be the first operator in Europe to offer such a mobile-games subscription service to our Android users.” said Heikki Makijarvi, the senior vice president at Deutsche Telekom. “Subscription is the preferred consumption model for entertainment services, and we are working diligently to partner with leading players to bring the best of these types of offerings to our customers. Following successful partnerships in the subscription music space, for example with Spotify, this addition of the GameTanium service is a natural progression as games are routinely a top content request of our customers, and Exent is the perfect candidate to provide such services.”