KnackChap Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 MUMBAI, India (AP) - Sony Online Entertainment LLC plans to set up a development studio in India for online games that would have local content and a local partner, a company official said Wednesday. The company is talking to a couple of game developers in India and aims to set up the studio early next year, said David Christensen, vice president, business development and international operations. «We need to have Indian content for our games and we are looking for local partners,» Christensen said on the sidelines of a gaming conference in Mumbai, India's finance and entertainment hub. «We will contribute our technology to the joint venture,» he said. The local partner would be expected to provide the creative talent for the games and chip in toward setting up the studio. Online gaming is just catching on in India. There are only about 2.8 million online gamers in the country, but developers expect the market to explode as broadband penetration grows over the next few years. With more than 50 percent of India's population under the age of 25, analyst firm Pearl Research estimates the online games market to reach US$200 million (¤135 million) by 2010 from US$4 million (¤2.7 million) now. Gaming in India is roughly split between Internet cafes and home computers. Among the video game consoles, Microsoft's Xbox 360 has the edge. Sony's PlayStation 3 was launched in April in India, but PlayStation 2 is more popular than the new console. Sony's planned studio will likely be in the southern Indian city of Bangalore. Sony recently tied up with Virgin Comics to develop a multiplayer online game based on «Ramayan 3329» _ a comic book written by self-help guru Deepak Chopra and filmmaker Shekhar Kapur that was inspired by a famous Indian epic about a battle against demons. «If the game is successful in India, we will take it to Europe and North America,» said Christensen. «It is a fresh international story and if it is created into a movie it could be a big global property. The Ramayan comic was released in the United States last year, and Bangalore-based Virgin is currently in talks on a movie version. Virgin's President Suresh Seetharamanin said the company was in the process of adding to the creative team that would work on the game with Sony. «It is one of the most exciting things to happen in India with Sony being one of the biggest players in the online game world,» he said. http://www.pr-inside.com/sony-plans-to-ope...dio-r321455.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastAvenger Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 This is definitely good. I am happy that Sony is taking India seriously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot-Drake-Pixel Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 southern Indian city of Bangalore yippppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinitwins Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 online games? or arcade titles for PSN? V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketTantrik Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 I have read some of the comics by Chopra. Its under the name Gotham comics in India which is the company started by Shekhar Kapur and Virgin. Some of their new IP is pretty sweet, like Sadhu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arjunsood2003 Posted November 29, 2007 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 finally some1 participation by sony india..good to see tht.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DIRECTOR Posted November 29, 2007 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skdMrk Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 If its Bangalore guess who might be the partner!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightySkate Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 ^^Don't tell me it's gonna be your company.. :shock3: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skdMrk Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 As far as I know, Sony is talking to some companies but nothing is confirmed yet!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot-Drake-Pixel Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 guys!!! what m i missing here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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