Are You Smarter show makes mobile grade

December 14, 2007

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader debuted as a top 10 mobile seller

Video game giant Capcom Interactive Inc. and Fox Mobile Entertainment’s mobile game version of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader” may have set a precedent for translating a popular television series into a highly sought mobile game.

The mobile trivia game version of Are You Smarter made a splash in October when it debuted as a top 10 seller on several major U.S. carriers including Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint.

“In mobile gaming, there are big five or six titles that have dominated the top of all the best-seller charts,” said Michael Larson, senior public relations manager for Capcom, San Mateo, CA. “It’s been said time and time again to have a successful game in mobile you have to have a strong license.”

Capcom defied that notion by creating a mobile game that incorporates the humor and deceptive questions of the Are You Smarter TV show on Fox into a portable format optimized for the mobile experience.

The game climbed to the No. 2 slot on the Verizon Wireless on-deck portal, displacing several perennial best-sellers that have dominated the mobile games sales charts for years.

As in the show, which is hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, the mobile game asks a series of questions ranging from subjects including U.S. history, math and social studies. If a player performs well, she can work her way to the “$1 million question.” However, if the player falters, she is forced to utter the dreaded phrase, “I am not smarter than a 5th grader.”

To aid players in their pursuit, simulated students provide “peek,” “copy” and “save” assistance just as they do on the show. Sound effects from the series complete the experience.

To promote the game, Capcom ran a two-week ad campaign on gaming and entertainment Web site IGN Nov. 18 through Dec. 2.

“The reason we went with IGN is it gets a lot of traffic in terms of gamers, a lot of industry insiders go there,” Mr. Larson said.

The company also ran a Google AdWords campaign.

Following this effort, the company has plans to roll out a mobile game version of ABC’s "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" TV show called Millionaire Pop Culture.

“[It] ultimately comes down to fans that watch the television series that know the brand,” Mr. Larson said.