Competitive business strategy for video games industry players in Indian market

Abstract

Video games industry in the developed country is in a matured state but the developing countries such as India and china provide them with ample opportunities for the gaming industry players. The gaming industry has undergone various changes and technological breakthroughs were acting as game changers in the gaming industry. The Key players in the industry include gaming consoles manufacturers, Independent service providers and the Online gaming providers. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are the big three in the gaming consoles Industry. Activision blizzard and EA sports have the major share in independent software developer space. Online gaming is becoming very popular with Massively Multiplayer online games becoming an instant hit in the market among the youngsters. It doesn’t face any piracy threat and the shipping cost is reduced. High R &D cost involved and the technological leapfrogging by the players are the inherent traits of Gaming industry. India is undergoing a rapid technological up gradation and the economy is growing at a faster rate. With increasing disposable income and the westernisation of the culture, video games industry would grow in the future. The target customers are also getting redefined in terms of increase in the median age of the gaming population. The growth of mobile phones and the near introduction of 3G would provide a new platform for gaming in India. Broadband connections and DTH also provides alternative channels for the gaming. Indian players in the industry are at a very nascent and the key players are Indiagames and Zapak.com. Focussing on product and localisation of content is essential for the success of the gaming industry. Introducing the movie based games, comprehensive games solution packages, games focussing especially on female are the key steps to capture the new market segment in India. Competitive pricing should be introduced and bundled pricing and incremental pricing for the product features are the essential pricing strategies. 3D gaming in consoles, development of online portals which provides contents to download, community sites for gaming would be the key trends in the future. Conducting country wide Gaming contests, sponsoring important sports events like F1 racing and IPL games would help in players in their promotional activities. Apart from the entertainment, gaming industry have the potential opportunities in corporate training, health and also in education sector.