Cybergames get filmy touch

New age film-makers like Farhan Akhtar are using massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) to leverage publicity for Bollywood films.

For instance, Hungama Mobile and Excel Entertainment, the producers of the film Don, recently launched Don games for the mobile platform as well as the first-ever MMOG on India's multiplayer gaming portal gaminghungama.com.

The site already has 16-odd MMOG titles and will add two game titles every month. Neeraj Roy, MD & CEO, Hungama Mobile and Hungama.com, says: "We will also look to aggregate titles through partnerships and alliances with game makers."

And recently, Big B (Amitabh Bachchan) launched BAABUL, an MMOG based on the forthcoming film that bears the same name. This game too has been developed by the same company.

Other players are following suit. Zapak Digital Entertainment Ltd, a part of the Reliance ADA Group, plans to introduce MMOG in its third phase of expansion. It would invest over $100 million over the next three years in this venture.

And service providers like Indiagames, Mauj Telecom, and OnMobile, are fighting to lure the casual gamer and Bollywood-based content is the by far the safest bet for them.

Why this excitement over MMOG? An MMOG enables many users to simultaneously play the same game online. It can also be played via a mobile device, generally a cellphone (Mobile MMOG or 3GMOG) or in the case of consoles (at least in the case of the Xbox console), by logging in to the Xbox Live service.

However, MMOGs in India are still a niche sub-sector, even for gamers. Besides, out of the 130 million mobile subscribers, only five million use GPRS (to connect to the Internet) which automatically restricts the penetration of mobile games. It is estimated that PC games command a market that's barely Rs 25-30 crore in India.

Jayant Sharma, Chairman & CEO of Milestone Interactive, says: "I don't see mobile MMOGs happening in India, not yet. Devices lack the hardware to support extensive game graphics."

Besides, the initial investment to develop an MMOG base is a hurdle, notes Roy. "The moment we talk of a monthly fee model, it acts as a deterrent."

But MMOGs may catch up with increasing broadband and 3G penetration. It's estimated that by 2010 there will be 20 million Broadband subscribers and 200 million Internet users. And worldwide gaming is an integral part of the entertainment industry.

World of Warcraft, for instance, raked in about $300 million in sales and subscriptions (2005 figures), according to DFC Intelligence. And even though MMOGs make up just seven per cent of the $28 billion global game market, players are estimated to spend 20 hours a week as compared to seven to eight hours for gamers at consoles. So Bollywood MMOGs may stand a chance.