Game Developer Hopes to Ring Up Sales on iPhone

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The founder of an online game that teaches teens the ropes of the business world has decided to make the program available to a wider audience via Apple’s iPhone.

The business simulation game, Informatist, can be found at Minieconomy.com, which was developed by Alhambra-based entrepreneur Fred Xue. The game is geared toward junior-high and high schoolers, as well as adults looking to learn new or hone existing skills.

Xue said the mobile market represents a growth opportunity for the game.

“The iPhone game market is a relatively new market,” he said. “So it is less competitive compared with the traditional Web game market.”

The game has been available for free online; Xue is charging $1.99 per player for iPhone downloads.

Informatist offers simulations of business situations. Players can trade virtual stock, run a virtual business, or buy and sell virtual real estate using virtual money. Once you choose a sector, you’re faced with the same kind of decisions that a real-world executive must make.

Xue, 30, started the project as a hobby in 2005 out of his home. Before that, he had worked as a business analyst for a Santa Fe Springs-based consulting company. He spent two years developing the game, then founded Minieconomy Technology LLC to market it earlier this year.

Xue plans to use the game to build a community; he will then market other products and services to the members.

“Minieconomy provides a free environment for players to play, and in return, Minieconomy gets the most precious data,” he said.

About 50,000 people have registered on Minieconomy.com. Xue makes his money via online advertising and customized versions sold to schools. So far, he has broken even on his investment and hopes to turn a profit through sales of the iPhone versions.

Mike Hickey, an entertainment software research analyst with Janco Partners, is skeptical about the game’s prospects on the iPhone, which he sees as trending toward entertainment.

“The iPhone is great for gaming, but it’s a highly competitive market,” he said. “There are close to 200 games for the iPhone. You have to ask, is it a great game? And do I really want a business simulation on an iPhone when I’m watching videos and downloading music?”

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