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Mobile devices are more than just productivity gadgets that we can take with us anywhere. Thanks to how functional smartphones have become, we rely on these devices for a little bit of entertainment too. Octro, who makes popular mobile games, just recently received $15M in Series A Funding from Sequoia Capital (News - Alert), a nice chunk of change to do what they do best; make already-known games go mobile.

Octro doesn’t make new IPs; instead the Indian mobile multiplayer company takes already-popular games like Tambola and Rummy and puts them right into mobile devices for the public.

“Octro has made these culturally relevant games come to life on the mobile. We look forward to working closely with the team and leveraging our network to help the company scale greater heights,” said Mohit Bhatnagar, MD at Sequoia Capita.

Octro initially started as a mobile VoIP company with its flagship app, OctroTalk before moving towards gaming. This was back in 2006 when mobile VoIP was just starting to become popular.

Now we’re seeing a shift towards a more mobile-centric universe in which everything we do, from gaming to messaging to speaking, is all done on a mobile device.

Part of the reason we’re seeing this shift is the increase in mobile device use. With other options besides proprietary native messaging apps that can talk across multiple platforms, users are looking for more integrated, more robust messaging systems. Gaming is just honey to sweeten the pot.

Mobile VoIP ties into the social messaging landscape because it’s a cheap way to reach someone while still using a handheld device. Whether it’s social messaging or a phone call, consumers and business folk are relying on their devices instead of a desk phone, so the more options available, the better.

We’ve already seen the integration of VoIP and gaming through providers like Ventrilo and Mumble, but how long before we see gaming providers using their mobile VoIP technology for handhelds? Only time will tell.