04.16.15
SMARTRAC and Cartamundi, worldwide leader in the production and sales of playing cards and cards for board games, have announced their exclusive cooperation. SMARTRAC will develop customized tags inlays for gaming and collectible cards, which will be used by Cartamundi.
The two companies are cooperating to leverage and drive the growth of the global mobile gaming market, which is forecast to reach a market value of US$30 billion this year. NFC-enabled cards are a perfect complement to smartphones and tablets as gaming platforms: the majority of these devices are NFC-enabled, mobile games and collectible cards share family-friendly price levels, and they fit perfectly into a player’s pocket.
NFC-enabled cards can be used as active elements within a game, enhancing the playing experience. For example, a character depicted on an NFC-enabled collectible card can be introduced into a mobile game by simply tapping the phone on it.
Such NFC inlays need to be particularly thin and inexpensive, without sacrificing functionality and reliability. For mobile gaming brands and developers, NFC-equipped cards will open up new revenue streams from additional licensing opportunities. As an additional benefit, SMARTRAC NFC tags can also facilitate brand protection and further enhance product authentication.
For SMARTRAC, this cooperation with Cartamundi is an important step ahead in its NFC-related business Toys and Gaming. The roughly 15 billion playing, promotional, casino and collector cards produced every year represent an extremely interesting market that could, in turn, benefit from mobile gaming growth, if both areas are connected via NFC technology.
“Playing with cards connects people, just like online social media would do,” said Steven Nietvelt, chief innovation and marketing officer at Cartamundi. “But the true magic of playing cards and card games lies in the physicality and in the playing rituals. You shuffle the cards, you bend the cards, you deal the cards…nothing beats that tactile aspect of the product.
“So that’s why we need intuitive, tactile technology. Swiping cards on a mobile device should feel as natural as the real thing. It’s not easy to do it, and for that reason we need to work with the best technology and the best partners.”
The two companies are cooperating to leverage and drive the growth of the global mobile gaming market, which is forecast to reach a market value of US$30 billion this year. NFC-enabled cards are a perfect complement to smartphones and tablets as gaming platforms: the majority of these devices are NFC-enabled, mobile games and collectible cards share family-friendly price levels, and they fit perfectly into a player’s pocket.
NFC-enabled cards can be used as active elements within a game, enhancing the playing experience. For example, a character depicted on an NFC-enabled collectible card can be introduced into a mobile game by simply tapping the phone on it.
Such NFC inlays need to be particularly thin and inexpensive, without sacrificing functionality and reliability. For mobile gaming brands and developers, NFC-equipped cards will open up new revenue streams from additional licensing opportunities. As an additional benefit, SMARTRAC NFC tags can also facilitate brand protection and further enhance product authentication.
For SMARTRAC, this cooperation with Cartamundi is an important step ahead in its NFC-related business Toys and Gaming. The roughly 15 billion playing, promotional, casino and collector cards produced every year represent an extremely interesting market that could, in turn, benefit from mobile gaming growth, if both areas are connected via NFC technology.
“Playing with cards connects people, just like online social media would do,” said Steven Nietvelt, chief innovation and marketing officer at Cartamundi. “But the true magic of playing cards and card games lies in the physicality and in the playing rituals. You shuffle the cards, you bend the cards, you deal the cards…nothing beats that tactile aspect of the product.
“So that’s why we need intuitive, tactile technology. Swiping cards on a mobile device should feel as natural as the real thing. It’s not easy to do it, and for that reason we need to work with the best technology and the best partners.”