ICC Cup pushes up mobile game downloads

Just a week into the Cricket World Cup, users have already downloaded games worth Rs 13 lakh. Though the number is very small, it is expected that downloads will increase by 15-20 per cent as the tournament advances.

Cricket has always been a big revenue puller for the mobile value added services (VAS) industry. Of the non-peer-to-peer (P2P, other than SMS) VAS market, cricket-based services constitute 8-10 per cent of the downloads.

This time around, the games being released are both feature-rich and interactive. For instance, Hungama.com's games are available in four regional languages, which are Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati and Tamil, besides English. It plans to introduce 12 other languages shortly. Mobile2win's 'Classic table-top', `Bookie cricket game' and `Cricket Fever' allow players to experience real-life cricket.

Cricket 2007 from Mauj comes with an option of playing a quick-match, one-day international and knockout championship.

This is not all; users can choose from eleven animated batting styles with replays, choice of stadiums, bowling styles, weather forecast and there is a multiplayer option as well.

Intvo, an interactive media company has made it possible to watch and play live on the mobile phone though 'CricCast', 'Cric Playalong' and 'Sports Guru'.

Cellebrum is another VAS provider that is banking on the world cup fever. Its offerings, 'cricket ka chausar', 'cricket ka Mahasangram', 'Predicta' and subscription packs of match alerts, schedules and cricket scores are both pull and push services.

According to Savinder Sarna, head-marketing and business alliance, their suite has already registered half a million hits and is being offered by all the major service providers.