Reliance Big TV (RBTV), the direct-to-home (DTH) arm of Reliance Communications targets DTH value-added services (VAS) revenues of Rs 100-crore in the next 5 years period, a top company official said.
"Reliance Big TV plans to double the VAS contribution to overall revenues during the next fiscal. IGames is expected to contribute 10 per cent of the Reliance Big TV’s VAS usage with a cumulative business revenue of over Rs 100 crore over the next 5 years. VAS currently contributes less than 5 per cent of overall business revenues," Reliance Big TV's Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Behl told reporters on the sidelines of a press meet to launch DTH gaming services.
Reliance Big TV and Indiagames, subsidiary of UTV, today announced the signing of a strategic agreement to introduce DTH gaming services in India. As per the agreement, Indiagames will offer gaming services on Reliance Big TV's DTH platform in India.
"Our strategic tie-up with Indiagames is an extension of our business relationship with the UTV Group. IGames also signifies our focus to further enhance and monetise our VAS capabilities towards a profitable growth in the DTH business," Behl said.
Reliance Big TV will offer free gaming services till January 26 and afterwards paid service of Rs 30 per month to its subscribers, Behl said, adding that the revenue will be shared equally by both the partners.
Reliance Big TV will offer the DTH gaming service as part of its interactive services. Branded as iGames, Reliance BIG TV and Indiagames will offer eight different games that will be refreshed every month cutting across multiple genres.
The games include leading titles from I-play, Oberon’s publishing division: Galapago, Solitaire, MOODiES, Space MOODiES, Air Hockey, and Darts, as well as premium third party licenses.
Indiagames is also planning to introduce local content including its top selling T20 cricket games and Bollywood games like Chance Pe Dance, Kaminey and Jodhaa Akbar, Behl said.
The launch of DTH Gaming services is part of RBTV’s strategy to drive profitable growth through innovative DTH VAS services.
Currently, the company’s VAS offerings are limited to its Pay-per-view (PPV) bouquet and an array of six free-of-cost interactive features like iCooking, iAstro, iStock, iCricket, iNews, following the launch of iGames service, Reliance Big TV plans to monetise its VAS capabilities.
As part of its agreement with Reliance Big TV, Indiagames will leverage its partnership with US-based Oberon Media, to provide specialised games for Reliance Big TV’s DTH platform.
Oberon Media is a world-leading multi-platform casual games solution provider delivering global, integrated casual games solutions across online, mobile and interactive television.
The games offered on Reliance Big TV’s DTH platform will be amongst the most popular game series currently available for personal computers, web and other media platforms.
