There are 1.6 million active gamers in India. Leading the pack is Hyderabad, which incidentally has the highest number of gamers in India.
LAN gaming has city youngsters going crazy and it is more than just a pastime for most
Keeping in view of this demand for gaming and cyber cafes offering various gaming options, a Hyderabad-based entrepreneur has started F.R.A.G - an exclusive LAN (local area network) based gaming centre Banjara hillS rd no.1 in Hyderabad. The spacious centre with 21 high-end systems, the first of its kind in the city, could well become a hub for lovers of computer games and allows 21 members to play a game simultaneously.Whoever told you that computer games are meant for pass time, for most gamers it means serious business. World wide there are two most important cyber games competition that take place every year. One is the World Cyber Games (WCG) and another the Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC), which has come to India for the first time. The national finals were held in 2006 between June 8 and 10 in Delhi.
But pursuing this passion can prove heavy on your pocket. Some young gamers confesses to spending between Rs 4,000 - 5,000 every month. But he says he does make up for it most of the times by playing bet matches. Most of the cyber cafes that offer gaming facilities charge higher than the ordinary ones.
The pre-Diwali launch of Microsoft Xbox 360, an online gaming service where a player is pitted against another user through the online medium, is aimed at transporting video gamers in India to the next generation gaming experience.
While it's priced rather steeply for the average Indian gamer (Rs 23,990), the good news is there are financing options available at the 1,200-1,400 Xbox stores across the country. Indeed, the devise, according to initial market reports, has proved a smash hit with males in the 14-35 age bracket.
Source:Financial times / The Hindu
