The game isn't quite on in Hyderabad

Mumbai races ahead in gaming industry

The Indian gaming industry can be compared to a toddler that is taking its first steps in the global arena. And like any other new-born, it has not yet been able to stand firm among the international gaming giants.

Nonetheless, at this nascent stage itself, a trend seems to have emerged on the location choices of the gaming companies in India.

If one were to take the 20-odd companies in this sector (excluding the small ones that have set up shop recently), the maximum are based in Mumbai, followed by a few in cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) also states that though Hyderabad and Bangalore have been hubs for the ITeS industry, Mumbai is the most preferred destination for animation and gaming development. So, at a time when Hyderabad is trying to hard sell its image of being a front-runner in technology-related industries, is it lagging behind in the gaming arena?

According to Rajesh Rao, chief executive officer of Bangalore-based Dhruva Interactive, "Hyderabad has few companies like FX Labs, Gameloft and JAMDAT Mobile (recently acquired by Electronic Arts) in the gaming sector. However, some of the companies that are based in Hyderabad are merely doing porting and publishing work rather than actual game development," he adds. Porting involves making a mobile game compatible with a mobile handset.

According to the reports available, while the cost involved in making a game compatible with a specific handset is $1,200-$1,500 in the US, in India the same can be done at $500-$1,200.

Surya Pulagam, managing director, JAMDAT Mobile (India), a publisher of wireless entertainment applications, also agrees that Hyderabad is still way behind cities like Mumbai when it comes to the gaming industry.

Nasscom reasons that Mumbai ranks higher than Hyderabad in terms of infrastructure, market access and manpower that is required for the animation and gaming industry. Another logic that it gives is that gaming and animation are closely associated with the entertainment industry and Mumbai is the hub for the same.

However, companies like Aurona Technologies, that provides software applications to wireless service providers, games publishers, broadband operators and media houses, is betting big on Hyderabad. Aurona works on the offshoring model and has a development centre in the city.

According to Amol Gurwara, director, operations, Aurona Technologies Ltd, Hyderabad, provides a low-cost base for a company to run its operations and therefore provides opportunities to scale up easily as well.

With regard to talent, the company has been recruiting from multiple locations and so has not faced problems in manpower availability as well. Aurona is now planning to set up an academy for training people in 3D programming and 3D game art in Hyderabad to enhance the talent availability.