Even as the summer holidays come to an end, gaming enthusiasts can rest assured have an action packed season ahead as Skoar 2006, a three-day gaming exhibition that allows visitors to play games from various publishers, that will unfold this July in Bangalore.
Even though the gaming industry globally is compared with the entertainment industry in terms of mass appeal and size, in India it is only a Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) software industry.
Nevertheless, it is this small base and size that is presenting the market players a great potential to tap. The gaming industry is seeing a hockey stick growth curve, as the growth had been flat in the past and is now exploding, L Subramanian, CEO, Jasubhai Digital Media group told Business Standard.
According to him, "The industry is adding 50 per cent volume per quarter, which means a growth rate off 200 per cent per annum."
Publisher of the magazine Skoar, for gaming enthusiasts, Subramaniam says, "The magazine has over the past one and a half years noticed a steady pickup in subscription as it now has dedicated readership of 18,000 people per month." It has been in print for the last five years.
Another reason for the positive outlook for the industry can be attributed to the success of its pilot gaming event, Skoar 2005.
"The event saw a record 33,000 visitors checking out the two-day gaming exhibition in Mumbai in December," says Subramaniam, adding that the group is now planning an even bigger event in Bangalore.
Expected to be one of the biggest gaming events in the country, Skoar 2006 will be held from July 7 to 9 at the Kanteerava stadium. "We are expecting over 50,000 visitors, 70 stalls and six sponsor gaming area at Skoar 2006," said Subramanian.
But with the number of hardcore gamers running into only a few thousand players, "It is such exhibitions that are creating awareness and building the numbers by attracting people who want to experience gaming," he explained, while adding that with the bandwidth growth and internet penetration the consumer interest in technologyespecially consumer electronics is at an all time high.