Microsoft launched its new XBox in India. The grey market is already flooded with host of game console devices. You name it and you'll find it. PSP, Nintendo, XBox, Sega, Evo, Genesis are readily available at an unmatched price. The sixth generation consoles are ready to conquer the heart and soul of Indian Gen Z kids, their adolescent brothers, their 35+ fathers and their be-at-home-and-take-care-of-the-family grandpa's.
Sify launched the Game Drome (a decade ago it was their cyber cafes) a computer gaming zone across every city in the country. Game Mobile, an OOH promotional activity by Sify has taken Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi by storm. Before kids used to bunk schools and college for the latest movie show, now they drop their Organic chemistry class for an intense fight with Odysseus or Telemachus beautiful wife Penelope. MMORPG (Mom, My Online Role is Potty Greg) is a big hit in India now. Counter Strike, Ragnarok and the endless number of games, blogs, forums, discussion panels only points out that games are here to stay. A search at IDC, Info-shop will reveal numbers which will blow anyone's head. Of the 37 million internet users in India, 11% plays online game (not very good with numbers though).
Indeed, days have changed. I have came from a small < 1lakh population town to a big city to earn my daily bread. There was a time during our childhood days when we used to borrow Rs. 5 from dad and grandpa and sometimes employed elder cousin brothers to buy a Tennis Ball for a Saturday afternoon inter-para(neighbourhood) cricket match. Those were big events with all elderly, retired men from both the competing neighbourhood cheering, screaming, shouting and sometimes abusing (incase, the ball reached the boundary while trying a Jonty Rhodes stunt) for a three hour exciting extravaganza. Later, in the evening over a cup of tea heated discussion, crticial scrutiny and ball-by-ball projection of the next match used to keep people busy. As a big city dweller, only rational reason to console those bygone era is people in small town had nothing better to do then.
Theres only one question which is bugging me. Will Online game add up to the short-comings of India's search for real sports talent. We as a country are pathetic when it comes to sports. No matter how much we try to hype about our sports person the country has a serious shortage in supply of quality people. Cricket is niche, so kids from well-to-do families take it up as hobby. Do we have a national football team?? Hockey, well ... errr ... swimming, archery, athletics, kabadi ...
Don't worry, India Games is launching a new mobile football game in association with Airtel for all its mobile subscribers. So, go play!!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Think Opposite
Forum Mall on Hosur Road in Bangalore is the new destination for the city dwellers. Overcrowded on weekdays and jam-packed on weekends. You gotta be seen at The Forum.
Amidst the maddening crowd, I saw a little boy sitting on the footpath leading to the mall. He was selling books. My eyes caught on one particular book, "Whatever You Think, Think The Opposite" by the legendary adman Paul Arden. So, I picked up the book and started browsing the pages. Arden points out how counterintuitive thinking can bring sucess. What we think as 'Wrong' can be right. The book is filled with paradoxes and shows how 'Stealing' can lead to authencity. In one such paradox, he mentions "Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination." In another he says "Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable and originality is non-existent. So, Don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it."
The book got me thinking, how many times in our life do we actually steal an idea, execute it and celebrate it like the New Year Bash. It really doesn't matter where the idea comes from as long as we can make a Picasso out of it. So, a relevant insight can be used over and over to make an effective communication. If you need to steal the execution, so be it but only and only when you feel for it. Turn the wrongs into rights by asking yourself the question, is it relevant, is it worthy. You'll know the answer by yourself. Go ahead, start stealing!!
Amidst the maddening crowd, I saw a little boy sitting on the footpath leading to the mall. He was selling books. My eyes caught on one particular book, "Whatever You Think, Think The Opposite" by the legendary adman Paul Arden. So, I picked up the book and started browsing the pages. Arden points out how counterintuitive thinking can bring sucess. What we think as 'Wrong' can be right. The book is filled with paradoxes and shows how 'Stealing' can lead to authencity. In one such paradox, he mentions "Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination." In another he says "Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable and originality is non-existent. So, Don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it."
The book got me thinking, how many times in our life do we actually steal an idea, execute it and celebrate it like the New Year Bash. It really doesn't matter where the idea comes from as long as we can make a Picasso out of it. So, a relevant insight can be used over and over to make an effective communication. If you need to steal the execution, so be it but only and only when you feel for it. Turn the wrongs into rights by asking yourself the question, is it relevant, is it worthy. You'll know the answer by yourself. Go ahead, start stealing!!
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