Future Of The Indian Rope Trick

Alok Kejriwal, Founder and CEO, Games2win
Just take a minute to think of the number of ‘small screens’ that have sprung up amidst us – 180 million mobile screens and at least 30 million computer screens – that's a total of 210 million unique screens! These screens take orders; serve what is demanded from them and they are subservient.

In the old days, ‘gaming’ was good old fashioned cricket, hide and seek or board games until the time technology changed it all – from handheld Nintendo Game Boys to Atari game machines to Consoles to Mobile Gaming – these now rule the roost. Added to this formula is 70% of India’s under-30 population who have access to interactive devices that are enabled for entertainment, then the future of ‘gaming’ becomes a no-brainer. Gaming in India has just about begun its journey towards stardom and has a long way to go. The way is paved with deep potholes with gold at its base but will not be easy on anyone. However the opportunity that India provides as regards gaming is matched by none.

Let’s start with content and context – just reflect on the mythological stories we have grown up on. All the gods and goddesses and prices and processes we can remember battled, kidnapped and undertook epic wars. They were blessed with magical superpowers and acquired amazing weapons. If this is not raw material for an engaging game, then what is? Also, let’s contemplate Bollywood and the content we consume, this again has all the makings of great games. Super men and women, unbelievable feats and quests – a surfeit of emotion packaged with slick production values – all this being the content of most great games.

From a production perspective, while India has been making game art for the big game companies, there is a huge evolution taking place to create content IP. This will create a massive content engine that will drive thematic games for the Indian market exactly the way the markets in Japan, Korea and China have been fuelled by their own local game companies leading to a massive gaming ecology. We have all the illustrators, the animators, the graphic designers, etc. to make the perfect game. Instead of racing in downtown Tokyo, the thrill of racing on a graphical Marine Drive will be new and unique to the Indian audience.

On the consumption side, the market is just getting ready to take off. After a dot-com bust fuelled collapse, Indian cyber-cafés are revving up again and beginning to see committed footfalls. The organised café chains are using the franchise model for rapid expansion. Broadband is now the de-facto Internet connection and more Indian homes are rapidly getting connected. Look at the modern office today – the desk invariably hosts a PC connected to the Internet. Large armies of ‘e-workers’ such as those in BPOs and Call Centres snatch moments of entertainment by playing the casual flash type games. Internet penetration in India – being at 30 million+ consumers – may appear small compared to the Indian populace, but from a pure Internet numbers base, the size is large and big enough to create a critical mass for content offerings. With a 300-350 million installed mobile user base in the future, even if 10% of the phone users become regular gamers, we are talking about a large population. India has the numbers to make ‘gaming’ happen.

Where are brands in this melee? They are figuring out that consumers love games and since brands love consumers, gaming becomes a natural fit. From advertising opportunities available on flash game websites to customised advergames, to in-game ad placements, brand owners can now pick and choose their pie. If you for a minute thought that in-game advertising is interruptive, think again. Surveys after survey reveal that consumers see brands all around them and expect the same in the virtual world!

Gaming can become obsessive and alienate young people from the rest of the world, while on the flip side; it makes youngsters more competitive and quick with their reflexes.

We have survived on cricket and Bollywood for so long, make way for gaming – it’s the next massive Indian passion.