Gaming in India is set to go ballistic this holiday season. First off the mark is Microsoft Corporation’s Xbox 360 which debuted on 24 September. With this Microsoft expects to make a serious dent in Sony Playstation’s near-total domination of the Indian market.
The Xbox is priced at Rs 19,990-23,990 (pre-tax).
The Indian software gaming market, including PC/online, mobile and console is pegged to grow to $700 million by 2010 from $30 million now. The entry of the PS3 and Wii is likely to set off fierce pricing wars that would fuel growth and peak interest in India’s
1.6 million Indian gamers.(
that's all??)
The timing of the Xbox launch is significant. In November, Sony would launch the next version of
Playstation, PS3, globally. It will come to India soon afterwards. At an expected price of $499-599, it would be slightly more expensive than the Xbox 360, which sells for $400-500. Meanwhile,
Nintendo, the smallest of the three players in the global software gaming market, is also bracing for a November launch of its Wii in North America at $250 a piece.
The Xbox 360 is being positioned as a home entertainment device. It would allow gamers to play online with people across the world via Xbox Live.
But the games are costly, starting at Rs 2,510. Sony’s PS2 is priced at Rs 9,900 and games start at Rs 1,990.
Globally, Microsoft loses money on consoles and leverages game titles and peripherals to earn profits. So, it has to sell consoles to be able to peddle its games. But “initial signs for the Xbox 360 have been very encouraging”, says Mohit Anand, country manager, home and entertainment division, Microsoft India. He adds that retailers have sold out their current inventory and placed orders for more.
Xbox 360 India launch Coverage.
Re: Xbox 360 India launch Coverage ........
Linear Mode
