Seattle - RealNetworks (NASD: RNWK), which in May said it would spin-off its casual games unit into a separate business, on Wednesday announced a number of new partnerships that will expand its casual games into retail stores, and onto new platforms like the Nintendo Wii. The company aligned with Topics Entertainment to distribute RealArcade titles in retail stores, including "UNO Undercover," based on the classic card game from Mattel. Real also developed a game specifically for National Geographic Channel, and will provide titles for the network's new games site. The company recently announced plans to publish games for the Nintendo Wii and DS; created "South Park Imaginationland" for the iPhone; and is looking to distribute games on Xbox Live Arcade and WiiWare.

Seattle - RealNetworks (NASD: RNWK) announced on Thursday that it will spin off its casual games business, and distribute shares in the newly created company to its shareholders.

Seattle - RealNetworks (NASD: RNWK) announced on Friday that it has acquired Trymedia Systems, a provider of digital distribution services for casual games, from Macrovision (NASD: MVSN) for $4 million.

Seattle - RealNetworks said on Thursday that it has signed a multi-year deal with skill games site King.com, that will see game content integrated across the companies' gaming portals. King.com will be the exclusive provider of skill games for Real's RealArcade.com, GameHouse.com and Zylom.com, while Real will provide online and downloadable casual games on King.com.

Seattle - RealNetworks announced on Tuesday that it has signed a multi-year deal with toymaker Mattel, to develop, publish and distribute PC and online game versions of its "Scrabble," "UNO" and other titles. Seattle-based RealNetworks said the first titles under the deal are set for release in mid-2008. Separately, RealNetworks said it signed a deal with Lifetime Television, to create a series of downloadable casual games targeting the female-dominated audiences of both the network and the company's RealArcade game service. The network will promote the Lifetime Presents game series on-air, while RealNetworks will run video ads for Lifetime programming within the games. The first title in the series will be "Sally's Salon," set to launch next week.

Helsinki - Small Planet, a developer of mobile commerce and social networking services, said on Tuesday that it has been selected by RealNetworks' Mr. Goodliving unit to build and maintain the RealArcade mobile games store in Finland.