Japan’s DeNA jumps 24% on Pokemon mobile card game launch

Shares in Japan’s DeNA jumped 24% in Tokyo trading on Wednesday after the gaming company said it will launch a mobile version of the long-running Pokemon trading card game this year, with investors betting on the title becoming a hit. “Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket” from DeNa, the Pokemon Company and game company Creatures will launch on iOS and Android and allow players to collect and trade cards with classic and new designs and play quick battles, according to announcement material. The Pokemon trading card game, itself based on the popular Nintendo video game franchise, launched in 1996 in Japan and later gained popularity in the United States, with more than 50 billion cards printed.