Mobile media company Player X has partnered with Hollywood Gaming and EMI Music Publishing for a new mobile game concept that incorporates the song lyrics from EMI’s catalog of artists. The mobile music game is built on the popular hangman format and challengers players to guess lyrics. Player X will release the game under the LYRIC EMI brand globally through direct deals with more than 90 mobile operators. Plans are to extend the offer with additional products including a Skills With Prizes version in Q4 of this year. (The company isn’t clear about this – my guess is it’s a tournament game.) Press release

In related news, the WSJ reports games publisher Electronic Arts (EA) has launched a scheme to make it easier for gamers to purchase music featured in EA games via iTunes. The move is seen as one that could boost promotion of new music to iPod users. Steve Schnur, in charge of music and marketing at EA, is quoted as saying EA’s own research shows that 55% of people who played EA’s Need for Speed game said they discovered songs though the game and half of them subsequently purchased or downloaded the song.