Console-ing mission

It’s gaming in a new avatar, with an Indian theme and storyline, and mainly for an Indian market. The launch of the PS2 title Hanuman: Boy Warrior by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is significant on many counts. With the right marketing effort, Boy Warrior has the potential to become the game that actually sells the PS2 to mainstream India. It can become that rare game that paves the way for the industry’s growth in the world’s most underexploited video game market.

By going with Hanuman as the protagonist, Sony has moved smartly in more ways than one. Atindriya Bose, Country Manager, Sony, points out that Hanuman is easily the country’s most enduring and appealing hero. And parents throughout the country are much less likely to forbid their children from buying a game featuring the mythological god as opposed to, say, a Kratos or the Prince of Persia. Also, the game is likely to appeal to a wide audience who may even be first-time video game purchasers—the same millions who made a success out of the poorly animated film.

This market is not as qualityconscious as veteran video game buyers, and may be more willing to overlook the product’s technical and gameplay deficiencies than someone who regularly plays God of War. This is largely a fallout of budgetary constraints, but the game does run the risk of being panned by critics and seasoned gamers.

In India, while the video games market, in theory, has existed since the mid-’80s, with a number of 8-bit and 16-bit Nintendo/ SEGA clones appearing on store shelves, it has never really gathered momentum in the mainstream. A thriving grey market continues to exist, with Nintendo’s Gameboy and the PS2 itself being the top sellers. As far as the official market goes, with Nintendo’s recent entry into the fray through HCL, all three top console players are now present in India—but sales continue to pale in comparison to evolved markets.

Recently, at an industry event, Microsoft shared an unofficial figure of “less than 100,000” Xbox units. Sony claimed around 400,000 PS2s, 120,000 PS2s and 35,000 PS3 units sold. Compare those figures with international figures, which run into the millions, and the untapped potential becomes obvious. 

Hanuman has the potential to lower both price and cultural barriers of gaming Game has the ingredients—like the mythology factor—to work in India The product is expected to give a major fillip to the video game industry Poor production values, though, are a drawback

However, price points are still a major issue. To really hit the big time, the gaming industry needs middle-class India to buy video games. The ‘big three’ consoles cost upwards of Rs 20,000— a major investment for most Indian middle-class families. Games, too, are priced between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,500, an expensive proposition for what is -essentially a plaything.

Also, unlike in the West and Japan, where the average video game customer is aged about 33, the Indian consumer still perceives video games as a purchase for children, further increasing the price barrier. This is why the PS2, at a price point of Rs 6,990, and Boy Warrior, priced at Rs 499, gain much importance. The game can remove both price and cultural barriers in one swoop.