The Anil Ambani-owned media and entertainment business Reliance Big Entertainment has entered the US mobile content market by launching its company Jump Games USA, a publisher and developer of games across mobile platforms.

Jump Games is an independent venture of Reliance Big Entertainment and holds  exclusive global licenses to create and distribute games for some of the world's leading brands like Manchester United Football Club, Virgin Comics, and Honest Entertainment (Fido Dido).  Distributed across the US, Europe, South Africa, Australia, the Middle East and Asia, Jump's games can be accessed and played on leading networks in over 40 countries worldwide.

Big Entertainment had recently entered in to a financing deal with with Steven Spielberg and his DreamWorks SKG for Hollyweood producyion joint venture (See: Reliance ADA, Spielberg's DreamWorks complete funding deal: report) and partnerships with production houses run by George Clooney and Brad Pitt. The entertainment group also owns about 200 movie theaters in the US that play Indian films.

The expansion of Jump Games into the US represents a significant shift in the company's ability to bring mobile content to and from the US.

Moreover, the content developer is also aggressively eyeing top mobile content licenses and brands for distribution on its mobile worldwide network.

"We are keen on building a global enterprise that leverages the top entertainment content across the globe," said Rajesh Sawhney, president, Reliance Big Entertainment. "Our recent deals in the entertainment space convey our focus and commitment towards building global entertainment equity.

Sawhney added, "With Jump Games setting up operations in the US, we will be concentrating on the mobile space aggressively. To ensure the future of our success, our partnerships and alliances with America's biggest firms will be critical. The idea is to expand the mobile entertainment umbrella for Jump in the mobile space, via strong and sustained growth - both organic as well as inorganic."

Big Entertainment has appointed Amit Khanduja as EVP Americas, to spearhead growth of Jump Games in the US market. Khanduja has over 15 years in high-technology consumer and enterprise experience, holding key positions at several leading companies like Sun Microsystems, HP, and Tira Wireless.

"The launch of Jump Games USA and the opening of our new office is an important step in strengthening our ability to acquire and deliver exciting mainstream mobile content to U.S. consumers," said Salil Bhargava, CEO, Jump Games. "Jump Games is already a leading publisher and developer of premium mobile content and our North American team will be a driving force in building key relationships with North America's leading media and entertainment companies."

Reliance Big Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (RBEL) is the flagship media and entertainment company of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, with a focus on filmed entertainment, broadcasting and internet and new media.

The company says its filmed entertainment has the largest slate of films under various stages of production and has tied up frontline talents from Indian film industry, and has entered into development deals with Hollywood-based production houses. RBEL also owns an exhibition chain in India and says it has acquired 250 screens in the US and 51 screens in Malaysia.

Reliance Big Entertainment  has also invested in studio infrastructure with the acquisition of Big ND Studio.

In the broadcasting space, RBEL has set up a 44-station FM radio network in India and also a station in Singapore. It plans to launch a bouquet of television channels in popular, news and niche entertainment segments.

In the new media space, RBEL has launched a gaming portal, a social networking platform, online and offline movie rental and download business, and mobile entertainment venture Jump Games.