Electronic Arts is launching a rival games portal to Apple’s Game Center on the iPhone and iPad touch on Thursday.
Apple has approved the video game publisher’s Pogo app, which brings its PC browser-based casual games service to the App Store.
EA is introducing five games at launch with its app, which contains ads that can be removed for a $2.99 one-time in-app payment.
Members of Club Pogo, a $40 a year service that offers exclusive and ad-free games within Pogo.com, also get ad-free game play on the new app.
EA has released many stand-alone game apps for Apple’s mobile devices, but the introduction of a portal is the first of its kind from a major video games publisher.
Apple introduced its Game Center hub in September with the 4.1 update of its iOS operating system.
It allows developers to add Game Center functionality to their apps and players to choose them from within the hub and share their experiences with friends. Social features include leaderboards and achievements, while an auto-matching feature can set up multiplayer games with friends.
EA is extending Pogo’s leaderboards, rewards and challenges to the iPhone and adapting its own existing games. The five launch titles are a balloon-popping game called Poppit!, the Word Whomp spelling game, Turbo 21 Blackjack, Mahjong Safari and the puzzle game Sweet Tooth 2.
“It’s our intention to add new games on a regular basis as well as other functionality,” Michael Marchetti, senior vice president for Pogo, told me.
It’s part of a new multi-platform strategy from EA to increase digital revenues – Pogo is also being beta-tested on Facebook currently.
Apple clearly has no problem with EA setting up shop on its own platform. It will get its usual cut from sales by Pogo and the app is likely to draw more people to Apple devices.
