If Kim Kardashian can do it, why can't Britney Spears? Following the successful launch of Kardashian's Hollywood last year, Spears has announced that she'll be releasing a mobile game of her own.
Spears will partner with the same team behind Kardashian's game, Glu Mobile, to release a game in which players interact with Britney and experience some of the glitz and glamour of the business.
"I am thrilled to add Grammy Award-winning legend Britney Spears to Glu's growing list of partners as we continue to expand our celebrity gaming platform," said Glu CEO Niccolo de Masi in a statement.
"We anticipate the title resonating tremendously with Ms. Spears' nearly 90 million multigenerational social followers around the world."
Spears' five-year licensing deal is just the latest in a line of celebrity smartphone apps trying to gain a foothold in the mobile-gaming industry worth an estimated $30.3 billion this year. Glu expects to launch the game in the first half of 2016.
Kim Kardashian: Hollywood has already been a huge hit for both Glu Mobile and the celebrity herself. Kardashian is rumored to be pocketing up to 45 percent of both the $74.3 million that the Android and iOS app made in 2014 and the $21.3 million earned during the first quarter of 2015.
It's hardly surprising that Britney wants to climb on this profitable bandwagon just as her career seems to be recovering, following a successful run of performances in Las Vegas. Spears injured her ankle during an April 29 Piece of Me show performance and canceled two weekend shows at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas while she recuperates.
Glu Mobile is well placed to create a successful game, given its track record with other celebrities. The company hasn't released any details of the game — just that it will give fans a chance to interact with Britney. In reality, the details probably won't matter that much, as much of the star's massive following will want the app no matter what it does — purely because it comes with the endorsement of Britney Spears.
Founded in 2001, Glu is headquartered in San Francisco, with major U.S. offices outside Seattle and in Long Beach, and international locations in Canada, China, India, Japan, Korea and Russia. Chinese Internet company Tencent just bought a 14.6 percent stake in Glu for $126 million, valuing the company at around $863 million.
