Sony PlayStation may sell 45% more this year

Sony Computer Entertainment is likely to sell 350,000 units of PlayStation in India by the end of 2010, 45 per cent more than last year. In the previous year, it had sold 240,000 units.

"Since its launch in 2007, the gaming market in India has grown by leaps, and is still one of the largest untapped markets across the world. We anticipate this trend to consolidate, with increased entrenchment of the gaming culture in the Indian middle class," said Atindriya Bose, country manager, Sony PlayStation.

Keeping this growth target in mind, Sony PlayStation today launched a gaming technique new to India - the motion controller. The 'Move' motion controller works on the principle of motion detection, allowing a higher degree of player involvement.

"Beside the motion sensing technology introduction, we would also launch a PlayStation Store in India, where customers will be able to buy games, especially those which are not as elaborate as the usual console games," said Bose.

The console-based gaming market in India is pegged at Rs 450 crore, of which Sony, under its PlayStation segment, commands over 80 per cent.

In keeping with its tradition of having locally-influenced games in the Indian PlayStation3 portfolio, the company would introduce street cricket and cart racing. Historical figures like Chandragupta Maurya will also figure in the games line-up in a strategy-focused game, called Battle Royal.

<B>GST could choke industry</B><BR>

Bose also spoke about the need to revamp tax structure, as the cumulative effect of import duties stood at 25 per cent, in addition to the value added tax of 12.5 per cent.

"The present system of taxation allows little flexibility. One lives in fear of the promulgation of the goods and services tax (GST), because if the gaming industry is placed in the top bracket, it will be choked completely," he said.

If the gaming companies were placed at the higher end of the taxation bracket in GST, then in addition to the cumulative import duty burden, the effect would leave the gaming industry with no scope for price flexibility.

GST intends to create a pan-India market through the creation of a single taxation system, by replacing levies at the national and state levels. The single levy would have two components, one to be levied by the Centre and the other by states.