Konami Gains as Zynga Brings Gamemaker to Platform: Tokyo Mover

Konami Corp. (9766), a Japanese video game maker, rose to the highest in two months in Tokyo trading after saying it would publish its games on social network game maker Zynga Inc.’s new platform.

Konami jumped 4 percent to 2,315 yen, the highest since Jan. 4, at the close on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The Tokyo-based maker of “Metal Gear Solid” games will have access to 240 million monthly active users by publishing and promoting their games on the new network starting April 1, Zynga said today in a statement published on Business Wire. Zynga, the biggest developer of games played on Facebook Inc.’s social networking site, is seeking new sources of revenue after raising $1 billion in its initial public offering in December.

The San Francisco-based maker of “FarmVille” plans to operate the Zynga Platform, its own service to promote other developers and reduce its dependence on Facebook.

Game makers Playdemic and Rebellion will also publish on the Zynga platform, according to Zynga’s statement.

Facebook accounts for more than 90 percent of sales and takes a 30 percent cut of virtual goods sold in Zynga games.

To contact the reporter on this story: Naoko Fujimura in Tokyo at nfujimura@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Tighe at mtighe4@bloomberg.net