mocoNews - EA Aims For 99-Cent iPhone Game Market With 8lb Gorilla Studio

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Tameka Kee

mocoNews.net
Monday, July 13, 2009; 8:00 PM

With the exception of its free, ad-supported game Lemonade Tycoon, pricing for most of Electronic Arts' iPhone apps hovers in the $3-$4 range (and in some cases, like The Sims, its as high as $9.99). But with the launch of a new "micro-studio" called 8lb Gorilla, the company plans to hook iPhone and iTouch owners in the market for even cheaper (99-cent) thrills.

The company told TouchArcade it set up a team of young, indie developers that will focus solely on creating dead simple, dirt cheap iPhone games. The first app from 8lb Gorilla will be the action title Zombies & Me; new releases will follow on an almost monthly basis.

The studio lets EA experiment with new, lower-priced IP, without risking the unnecessary waste of resources-though, it will still likely have to promote the games to keep them from getting lost in the crowded App Store-or tarnishing the EA Mobile brand with a game that ultimately flops.