DeNA and CyberAgent today announced they will jointly launch an ad network specifically for the smartphone versions of Mobage (DeNA’s mobile social game platform) and Ameba (CyberAgent’s blogging and social networking platform).
It’s one of the biggest alliances in Japan’s web industry in recent months: Mobage currently counts 24.48 million gamers on cell phones and Yahoo Mobage (the PC gaming platform it operates with Yahoo Japan). Ameba has over 13 million users.
The two companies plan to establish a joint venture by the end of this month, kick off sales and marketing in May and start serving ads to their smartphone users in June (according to Venture Now).
CyberAgent will own 51% of the joint venture, while DeNA will own 49%. CyberAgent’s Masahide Koike will serve as the CEO.
DeNA and CyberAgent are following another social gaming juggernaut, GREE, which made its move in the smartphone ad field by acquiring Tokyo-based ad startup Atlantis back in January.
Now the only question is when Mixi, Japan’s biggest social network, will follow.
