Nokia has started trials of its latest N-Gage platform with Finnish operator Elisa.

Having failed so spectacularly as a hardware console, this time round N-Gage is a platform which can be used on a variety of Series 60 handsets, although Nokia has hinted at more games-oriented handsets in future.

While the details of Nokia's new N-Gage strategy will likely be revealed next week at the Games Developers Conference, Mobile Entertainment reports that Elisa has confirmed it will be selling games and services through its own portals during the trial.

The original N-Gage games were sold on MMC cards at retail, bypassing the operator and greatly annoying them. Given that operators were being asked to subsidise the cost of the N-Gage it was optimistic of Nokia to then cut them out of revenues from game sales.

The model being tested with Elisa will no-doubt include sale of in-game features and game-enhancements as well as offering games for download. It's widely believed that there is enormous potential in selling such enhancements.

Arcade games players will be familiar with the "insert coin to continue" message, and that experience is one games companies would very much like to reproduce for the mobile gamer. ®

Related stories

• N-Gage makes it into software (5 February 2008)
• N-Gage fails to appear on Ovi (5 November 2007)
• N-Gage games to equal PC games (2 July 2007)
• Nokia N-Gage resurfaces at secret meetings (31 January 2007)
• Shadow of N-Gage looms as Nokia prepares onslaught on gaming (2 November 2006)
• Tech Digest Online to be next gen console battlefield (27 March 2006)
• No new N-Gages until 2007 (29 November 2005)
• Nokia misses N-Gage sales target by miles (3 November 2005)