Ram Chavali is a self-confessed hard-core gamer. His ‘priced’ possession of console games, ranging from Microsoft Xbox to Sony Playstation Portable (PSP), speaks volumes of his gaming passion. Though he spends almost two hours every day on games, he isn’t really looking forward to games ‘Made in India’. He reasons: “As a hard-core gamer, I don’t think we can get the same quality of games that are being developed in the US or anywhere else.”
Chavali might not be a target customer for Sony, which has painstakingly realigned its strategy for the India market. Sony is hopeful of growing the fledgling Rs 410 crore console gaming industry in India with games that will be developed in India and will be essentially based on Indian storylines. The journey has begun with the launch of the first India developed game for the PS2 platform, Hanuman: Boy Warrior, which is based on the hit Indian animation film Hanuman.
Atindriya Bose, country manager (PlayStation) Sony Computer Entertainment feels that India has a huge catalogue for gamers, but there is a dearth of games that will appeal to Indian palates. “It is very important that first-timers enjoy the gaming experience. My first game was so complex that I did not understand. It is not funny if you are playing for an hour and you end up getting killed eight times,” Bose says, making his point.
Sony is confident that gamers like Chavali would change their mind. “Hard-core gamers will always prefer international games that make them compete with the best gamers. But if we want to look at our India growth strategy, it is important to have games that have a local flavour,” he states. As a result, the company is planning to come out with six more titles this year for PS2 and PSP consoles.
There’s no denying that console game makes a lot of money for the gaming companies all over the globe. A FICCI-KPMG report estimates the console penetration will build a Rs 940 crore market by 2013 on the back of favourable demographics, rising urban disposable incomes and new generation console penetrating the Indian market.
But gamers like Bangalore-based Lalit Kewalramani who are not a great fan of downloadable games can spoil the joyride for Microsoft, which is peddling online gaming subscriptions. Kewalramani prefers to buy games off the shelf. “The quality is much better. Importantly, downloading a game can take up a lot of time, anywhere between 4-5 hours, and if there is a power failure then I have to start again,” he rues.
Microsoft, the only other firm present directly in the Indian market, is betting on changing the attitude of gamers like him. Microsoft has put its faith behind the 2-year old Xbox Live, an online gaming and entertainment network where registered users can download demos of yet-to-be released title, along with other freebies. It has 250 arcade games (casual games) and 700-800 demo games for download.