Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are focusing on expanding their SmartTV game contents. Second round of Smart TV competition has started with competition in game contents after competition in image had taken place.
According to an industry on the 15th, Samsung introduced specialized payment solution to developers and will be launching gaming application called ‘Just Dance’ at the end of this month. LG Electronics will officially supply GameFly contents to the U.S. and Europe starting from this month and strengthen its SmartTV game contents.
Samsung Electronics is aggressively increasing number of its game contents. It is currently providing 64 downloadable games and will increase this number to 100 by end of this year. Its major downloadable games are GameLoft’s Asphalt 8, GluMobile’s Front Line Commando, WeGo Interactive’s Revolt 3 and others.
It is also going to increase number of streaming gaming services that take place in foreign countries. It is planning to increase number of titles of PlayStation Now and GameFly by 300 and 100 respectively. It is going to release streaming games such as ‘Just Dance’ by end of this month so that families can enjoy contents together.
A reason why Samsung Electronics is so focused on securing game contents is because consumption of SmartTV game contents has increased rapidly. While number of visitors and number of accumulated downloads were 4.5 million and 8 million respectively in November of last year, these numbers increased to 5 million and 10 million recently.
Along with this, Samsung Electronics introduced SmartTV simple payment system called ‘Checkout on TV’ solution to developers and is expected to speed up a process of increasing number of contents in game field. Until now, Samsung Electronics had been providing payment solution to only certain partners. However through this new solution, developers will be able to choose variety of payment methods such as purchase of items in games, payments on use time and others.
“Opening of payment solution will give more freedom to developers that make games.” said a representative for Samsung Electronics. “Introduction of Checkout on TV solution will not only increase number of game contents, but it will also lead to increase in number of variety of contents since it can be applied to image services.”
LG Electronics is also going to strengthen its gaming areas that were seen as a weak point of LG Electronics. It made contents alliance with GameFly in March and has started its official service in this month. Currently in Europe and the U.S., one can enjoy GameFly’s Tomb Raider, FEAR 3, Batman Arkham Origin, Darksiders, Red Faction Armageddon and others.
“Game contents are seen as something new that people can enjoy from SmartTVs.” said a representative for LG Electronics. “We are going to continuously discuss with game developers so that more games can be played on LG Electronics’ SmartTVs.”
According to a market research company called IHS, it is estimated that supply rate of SmartTVs in world’s major advanced markets such as the U.S., Japan, Western Europe and others will surpass 50% based on overall households. Japan had the highest percentage at 63% and it was the U.S., United Kingdom and Germany, and France after Japan with 57%, 53%, and 50% respectively.
Staff Reporter Jung, Youngil | jung01@etnews.com