Glu Mobile plans 5 freemium iOS, Android, webOS and Windows Phone 7 games this winter

US publisher Glu Mobile has been fairly quiet of late. Recent releases include Build-a-lot 2, Deer Hunter 3D and Jump O'Clock, but there's not been any huge announcements.

But behind the scenes, it's been heavily restructuring, sacking staff in expensive places such as the UK and hiring in its Russian and Chinese studios.

More than just fiddling with its cost base though, new CEO Niccolo de Masi has a big plan - a switch to persistence, free-to-play cross-platform social games.

Indeed, in a recent call with analysts, he's revealed the company will release five such titles between October and December.

Few details have been provided, but we know three of them are what de Masi calls simulation or virtual world games, there will be one action/adventure game and one alternative sports title.

Most will be original rather than branded games.

Even more significant is the promise these games will be cross-platform across iOS, Android, Palm's webOS and Microsoft's still-to-be-launched Windows Phone 7.

"You need to be able to address the entire audience. For games to go viral they need to work across all platforms," de Masi pointed out.

"You don't have a viral game if you have to have a friend with exactly the same handset and operating system as you."

Glu also has plans for anothere five such games in the first three months of 2011, with between 25 - 35 releases pencilled in for the entire year.