Online gaming comes of age

With over 2.8 million online gamers in India, the online gaming industry in the country is witnessing a change.

Traditionally, in India, the focus on online gaming has been on content development for the overseas market, notes a study titled 'Evolution of gaming in India' conducted by IMRB for Zapak.

However, as the online gaming industry is poised to touch the Rs 800-crore mark in 2010, the industry players are looking at the domestic market more seriously.

Industry players are now concentrating more on the means to lure the Indian gamer. Not only have they begun customising games and content to give it a local flavour, but are also looking at ways to promote this form of gaming.

Companies like Zapak have already set up gameplexes (dedicated cyber cafes that promote online gaming). Zapak currently has 10 gameplexes and the number is expected to more than double in 2008.

Meanwhile, others are tying-up with existing cyber cafes to help them upgrade to gaming zones by providing marketing support.

Almost 99 per cent of the gamers are from metros says the report, leading the industry players to try ways to expand the reach of gaming.

Given the low penetration of credit and debit cards, companies are now providing options for payment through other platforms. One of the main initiatives being pre-paid gaming cards which are aimed at attracting the core gaming segment of school and college students.

The gaming scene in India is still tilted towards the casual gamers who play for short periods of time. The core or serious gamers still account for only 2-3 per cent of the total gamers in India.

Several factors have led to this industry growing at a compounded annual rate of 72 per cent. The youth, which form the majority among the users, are not only more technology savvy, but are now looking at new means of entertainment.

Nasscom figures show that the Indian gaming segment "" comprising mobile, computer and console games and development "" touched Rs 192 crore in 2006, and is likely to cross Rs 1,700 crore by 2010.