Wednesday, December 29, 2010

As long as it is rummy try your hand in Gujarat

Aman Gymkhana Pvt Limited, Gujarat got relief after the Gujarat High Court declared Rummy Card Game as a game of skill and not gambling. The club owners were not happy with the regular raids and harassment by police over the issue of gambling because of which they approached the High Court.

A single judge bench of Justice Akil Kureshi considered a judgment of Apex court in case of The state of Andhra Pradesh v. K. Satyanarayana and others, reported in AIR 1968 SC 825 to give relief to the petitioner. In the said judgment, the apex court held that rummy involves element of skill and is not a game of chance and involves no element of gambling.

The court disposed of the matter with a direction to authorities that they shall not interfere with the members of petitioner’s club or any other visitors as long as it involves no element of gambling.



The court however clarified that this order should not be understood to be limiting the powers of police authorities to verify whether in name of rummy, gambling is going on in certain premises.

Source: http://www.lawetalnews.com/

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Rediff launches gaming section with social networking features

Nasdaq-listed portal Rediff.com, today announced the launch of a gaming section on the website which combines features of social networking with gaming.

Though there are a variety of websites offering online gaming, the product offering is different because it has social networking features embedded, Rediff's Associate director for product development, Prerana Nayak, said.

Using the application, one can invite friends to play a particular game, let others know of their performance, or just discuss about the game, she said.

Monday, December 13, 2010

The new reality of gaming

Video games used to be about fighting aliens and rescuing princesses. Not any more

Today’s most popular games have you tilling your farm, hiring waiting staff and devising menus for your restaurant or taking your pets out for walks while maintaining cordial relations with the neighbours. Reality it would seem is the new escapism.

Farming, running a restaurant or keeping a pet are three of the most successful game concepts on social networks like Facebook or smartphone platforms like iPhone and Android. For instance, Farmville is today the most popular game on Facebook with close to 55 million people playing it every month. Its maker, California-based Zynga — all of three years old — is reported to be (privately) worth USD 5.5 billion. Two of Zynga’s well known peers, Playfish and Playdom, were acquired by Electronic Arts (EA) and Disney over the last year for USD 400 million and USD 763 million, respectively.

Clearly, there’s money in social network chore-gaming. But why on earth are people actually doing it?

Friday, November 26, 2010

GAME for a JOB - Great Jobs in Indian Online Gaming Industry

The gaming industry in India today is not just fun and games. It is a serious trade and a worthwhile, rewarding job market for those who desire to enjoy an ‘animated’ life.

Times are exciting for the Indian gaming industry. It is fast becoming a stimulating career option for the country’s gifted professionals. Consider this: Nothing less than seven to eight million mobile games are downloaded every month. The size of the Indian gaming industry grew from Rs 7.9 billion in 2009 to Rs 9.8 billion in 2010 and is expected to grow to Rs 32 billion in 2014. The industry employed an estimated 1,800 employees in 2008 and is expected to have over 13,000 employees by 2012. Clearly, the industry, which extends across the mobile, PC, online and gaming categories, is headed to a place where it will create a different DNA of people and thus an ever-increasing career prospect.

There are two components to the opportunities available in this sector in India, points out Rohit Sharma, CEO, digital, Big Entertainment. “One is that there is a huge amount of outsourcing of work in terms of art and back-end work. This will increase exponentially as the industry grows globally. Numerous studios are opening up across the country to facilitate the creation of this work, giving rise to multiple opportunities for a lucrative job market.” “Secondly, many companies like Zynga, for example, are setting up development offices in India and see a resulting growth in this industry, as well as in the number of people who will become a part of it,” adds Sharma.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

This Diwali, win some hard cash

This year, the stakes are set to go higher than ever before as Diwali card parties, underground and online tournaments vie for the top spot in attracting players and the money that comes with them. With cash prizes up to 50 lakhs (cumulative money) up for grabs and much more moolah at stake at parties, these gatherings have already started creating a buzz on the city's card circuit.
And to ensure that one has enough practice for the big day, there are currently a host of meets and practice sessions, both in the virtual and real world, with social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter being used to keep players updated on upcoming tournaments and registration details. While the older tournaments feature the traditional card games of rummy and teen patti, newer ones cater to poker players after a dramatic rise in its popularity in the last few years. However, their motive is the same - to ensure no one misses this opportunity to deal a full house.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Bollywood’s great gamblers

It's Diwali and time to roll the dice at some of the industry's hottest card parties. Here's a report card, past and present.

Remember the line from the Hollywood film The Colour of Money that went 'money won is twice as sweet as money earned.' Well, this sentiment looms large each Diwali in Bollywood.

In the week leading up to Laxmi Pujan, amounts running into several lakhs are lost and found at the famous Bollywood patta parties.

And the card parties correspond to increasing fortunes of the industry; just like the movies, the stakes at the tables are very high.

Diwali: From pujas to poker

Sleek iPods, edible family photos ringed with pink icing on cakes, and weekend holidays in Singapore. Believe it or not, these are some of the items on the Diwali wish-list this season. If gold and silver are beyond your reach, and steel bartan seem infra dig to buy this Dhanteras, indulge in a shiny new laptop. Bored with celebrating Diwali at home every year? Have a swinging weekend elsewhere, be it Goa or Singapore.

All this seems a far cry from what Diwali used to be 20 years ago. Remember whitewashing the house a month ahead of the festival; taking out your best bedsheets and curtains from the trunk; lighting coloured candles bought from the neighbourhood store; gorging on barfis, ladoos and pedas without fear of adulterated khoya or diabetes and exploding the noisiest crackers without dreading court rules and deadlines?

Bangaloreans enjoyed this play

Bangalore rocked on Saturday night, thanks to a brilliant play called The Game, that was staged a city hotel by renowned Bombay thespians Alyque Padamsee and Sabira Merchant.

The duo played two old Parsees who meet in an old age home after being abandoned by their family. They get to know each other better over several games of rummy and what ensues is a brilliant journey laced with humour.

Among the audience was Leena Singh, looking lovely in a black flowing gown and Manjusha, in a crimson saree, along with Vijay and Zarine Rekhi, Harish Bijoor, Chytra, Esther and Julie. Alyque and Sabira, who performed in Bangalore after aeons, received a very warm reception for their play on the loneliness that old age brings.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

It’s Truth or Dare, cards and more at pre-Diwali bashes

Not every festival comes with a prelude of revelry, lights and sounds bringing in the celebration as people throw pre-Diwali parties and of course, taash dos. And though exams play spoiler for many during this month, city teens are rearranging their schedules to make time to organise and attend as many of the festivities as possible.

Prashansa Shahani, a 19-year-old is upbeat about the Diwali fun and frolic at her place, “I have pre-Diwali bashes at my place every year and they are oodles of fun. I call friends over and we have games including a round of rummy, but it’s just simple fun with no money involved. There are quizzes and we must play Truth or Dare which is always fun. My parents are very cool about these parties. It’s better than going to a pub because your parents don’t fret about your safety. I’m not into crackers because they pollute, so these bashes are what I look forward to the most, more than the festival itself.”

A combination of the safety factor and there being no curfew, make home the best place to have a party. The card-playing connoisseurs also find an endless stream of enthusiastic co-players. “I attend Diwali parties at my friend’s place every year. I like playing cards and it’s better to play it at such dos rather than anywhere else. I get to play with so many friends which makes it even more fun. Diwali holidays would have been so boring if not for these parties. This is the only time my parents let me really ‘party’ with friends so I love ‘em!” says Mihir Chadda, 17.

As Diwali heralds the party season that peaks at New Year’s, youngsters are also looking to evolve the party venues. This year farmhouses are on the ‘places to be seen’ radar. With large spaces, swimming pools and great locations, the lure of the farmhouse Diwali party is irresistible.

“I like to attend farmhouse parties as there is more space to freak out and if there is a pool, then it just adds to the fun. This year, I’ll be attending two parties at a farmhouse and we’re planning to play cards and end it with a whole bunch of crackers,” says Ajay Ashok, a student of St. Mary’s college.

Source: Deccan Chronicle

Monday, October 25, 2010

Gaming business three times bigger than films market: Rohinton Screwvala


UTV Software Communications has proved its mettle in the media and entertainment industry. Having begun its operations as a serial producer, the company diversified into movie production, gaming and television broadcast business. Of late, the company is focusing on scaling up its gaming business. It has invested around `550 crore till date in gaming business. Though such a huge investment has raised serious doubts among industry observers about the revenue generating capability of the gaming business, the company’s chief executive officer Rohinton Screwvala , is quite optimistic about it. In a conversation with ET Mr Screwvala tells about the company’s future plans as it explores new territories. Excerpts:

                                                                         

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

MLAs holed up at Golden Palms Play Rummy Card Game

The BJP MLAs are making the most of the time that they are spending at the Golden Palms Resport and Spa of filmmaker Sanjay Khan. Not only they are eating, drinking but they say their favorite time pass is playing rummy card game.

No wonder rummy card game is one of the favorite card game whether it is the common Indian or ministers of India. The high court is hearing the case about the disqualification of 11 BJP MLAs and meanwhile the MLAs are enjoying the old Mysore legislators' favourite dishes, which include naati koli saaru (country chicken gravy), boti (diced pieces of mutton) and tale maamsa (head meat curry) along with mudde (ragi ball) at the resort.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Cyber children

Websites that appeal to every taste and hobby help create virtual hang-outs for the young.The number of gaming sites for kids is fast growing in the Indian cyberspace. One of the most recent entrants is Disney, whose Club Penguin launched an Indian website to widen its virtual world where users waddle around as penguins. They can play games, chat and decorate their igloos.

Club Penguin also actively promotes online learning by allowing its user base to create paper-mache artifacts, play memory card games and also encourages real-life interactions between children across the globe logged on to Penguin’s site. Rob Beeston, Asia-Pacific head of Disney Online Studios, explains: “These kids will need to use computers at work later on in their lives. So, why not give them an opportunity early on while they are young adults?”

Monday, September 27, 2010

Support for Online Gambling in India

Now this is an interesting reaction to the recent cricket scandal involving three Pakistani players, and perhaps it’s ultimately the most rational one possible. No less an authority than the U.K. government has reportedly backed the full legalization of sports betting – and particularly online sportsbooks – in India.

Sports betting in India is illegal but after the recent match fixing contoversy that involved three Pakistani players, interesting suggestions and reactions have come up and a big authority like the U.K. Government itself has said that sports betting should be legalized in India and specially online sports books in India.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Gaming while you are on the way

The digital gaming industry is looking forward to the mobile 3G rollout with the great enthusiasm. The 3G regime will allow a sharp step-up in mobile gaming from single-player Java downloads to multi-player, social gaming, enabled by high-speed data transfer capabilities. With the fast proliferation of smartphones — affordable and high-end — mobile gaming has already started creating noticeable ripples in India. GPRS-supported mobile phones enable mobile game play. A mobile VAS (value-added services) report says that India’s mobile gaming industry stands at Rs 541 crore, which is 4.56 per cent of the total VAS revenue of Rs 11,860 crore. Frost & Sullivan estimates that the Indian mobile gaming industry will touch Rs 3,100 crore by 2014.

Samir Bangara, COO, Indiagames, had put the size of the mobile gaming industry at a more conservative Rs 250 crore during the June launch of Happydent White’s mobile game, developed by his company. He said, “Post the 3G rollout, the segment is expected to grow at a much faster pace. There are about 40 million mobile internet users in the country, a number that is expected to increase exponentially.”

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Play Online Game and Help Reduce Hunger

Yes, it is true. Now you can play an online game, improve your vocabulary and help reduce hunger because the more you play this oline game, the more rice are donated through the world food programme which is helping in ending hunger.


Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Dr. Samuel Johnson on Playing Card Games

I am sorry, I have not learned to play at cards. It is very useful in life; it generates kindness and consolidates society 

--Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Potential of Online Games

With the rising interest and reach of computers, mobile, Internet and overall technological advancement, the arena of online gaming has been benefited the most and Asian countries like Japan, Korea, China and now India have noticed major growth in the online gaming segment.

There have been success stories where some games have seen more than 750,000 users playing the game simultaneously and this number suggests that the success of online gaming in Asian countries has been far better than that in the US or any other European country. The number itself is the answer to the potential of online games industry.

Friday, August 20, 2010

90% of tweens now play online games

Gaming may have moved with the times, and seen an increase in the number of adults playing as a result, but kids are still heavily involved. In fact, 90 percent of tweens play online games.

According to the M2 Research report (via Gaming Angels website), 93 percent of girls and 91 percent of boys (between the ages of 8 and 15) play some form of online games. The DS, PSP, and Apple products are all helping, but it’s Facebook that’s really driving this trend.

It should be noted that “online games” is different than “games online.” These young kids are increasingly turning to social networking sites such as Facebook to get their gaming fix, and so we’re not just talking about PS3 and Xbox, or even DS and Wii here.

However, as much as social gaming, as is the accepted term, can be dismissed and denigrated, it is at least a starting point. So if it gets kids involved and interested in video games at a young age, I’m all for it. After all, these are the individuals we need to buy next-gen consoles if the industry is going to grow.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Growing games socially


From ‘FarmVille’ to ‘Mumbai Underworld’, game developers see social networks as the way to drive games in India...

All it took Games2Win co-founder Alok Kejriwal to turn his mother into a regular social gamer was showing her how to send ‘FarmVille’ gifts over the social networking site Facebook. Now, the 60-year-old regularly pays real money to buy “virtual gifts” for her FarmVille buddies.

Available as an application on Facebook, FarmVille is a real-time farm simulation game that allows members to manage a virtual farm by planting, growing and harvesting virtual crops and trees, and raising even livestock. It has become a smash hit in the cyber space.

Indeed, social games — casual games that are played on social networking sites with a group of friends — are fast becoming the most used online apps among the 52 million internet subscribers in India. And, this has brought domestic game companies with their own popular portals, like Zapak, Indiagames and Games2Win, into the social networking scene.

Video games should have strong women characters

In video games, women should be portrayed more often and in a better way than Lara Croft, experts have suggested.

In video games, women are depicted as the helpless girly-girl persona of Mario’s beloved Princess Peach, or for getting distracted by the big-boobed often-running Lara Croft.

“We tend to make our females look like they’re ready for sex right now,” the BBC quoted Sheri Graner-Ray, studio design director for Schell Games as saying.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Online gambling Rules and Laws around the world

People in most nations gamble online, but countries have different rules and regulations to keep it in check, from declaring online gambling strictly illegal to allowing only state-controlled operators. It doesn’t always work: Canadians alone spend $1-billion annually on grey-market gambling.

Illegal:

Since 2006, online gambling has technically been illegal in the United States, though the U.S. is one of the largest global markets for it. The House financial services committee passed a motion in July to re-legalize and regulate online gambling, and Congress may complete the legislation by the fall.

Career in online gaming has a big potential

Being at a nascent stage, the Indian market offers a lot of scope for growth


Online gaming is one of the favourite pastimes for entertainment deprived on-the-run individuals. The development of infrastructure, increasing penetration of the internet and availability of quality games has increased the time spent on this form of entertainment.


Online games play a major role in filling the social void created by the fast paced world which leaves little time to socialise in traditional social settings. They provide users a chance to socialise either by competing with each other or working together to accomplish a game’s objectives.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Women over 55 are the biggest online gamers

It’s become something of a truism that when you’re playing a video game online and getting thrashed you are almost certainly getting beaten by a teenage boy. They are, after all, very into games and they have plenty of time on their hands in which to practice.

However, the stereotype might not be true, at least according to research from ComScore. In terms of minutes spent playing games online, the heaviest users are women aged over 55. They spend more of their time gaming than any other age group, male or female.

Gaming seen as means to reduce workplace stress

COMPANIES are increasingly considering ‘gaming’ as a serious option for employee engagement and organisational development initiatives. Gaming during office hours is believed to help in creating an interactive work environment and a relaxed mindset, when the employees get more creative. However, the trend is more confined to IT, media and some service sectors alone.

According to Prashant Bhaskar, CEO of plugHR, a Mumbai-based HR management company, “gaming is seen as a required breather for roles that get monotonous or stressful.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Virtual games people play

he most used function on Angela Shields’s iPhone is not the phone. Or e-mail. Or the Web browser. It’s a game called Words With Friends, and she taps it open more than 10 times a day, anxious about her next move. Shields, a clinical social worker in Washington, DC, doesn’t consider herself a
gamer, a term that conjures images of 26-year-old men slaying aliens in their parents’ basements.

She is 31 and very funny and has many real-world friends, yet she often catches up with them in the Scrabble-like game’s chat room while pecking out 36-point words. “Some friends and I communicate through the app more than we do through e-mail,” Shields says.  “It’s a lot more fun than e-mail. I mean, you can kick their butt while we catch up about our lives.”

More than 200 million people play social games every month, and the numbers playing these simple throwback games grow by the thousands every day. “Whereas the 19th century will be remembered for the creation of the modern novel, and the 20th century was dominated by movies and images on screens, I think we can now see that games will be the dominant form of entertainment in this century,” says Jon Radoff, an early Internet entrepreneur, game developer and armchair gaming historian. If that sounds like blasphemy, consider that online games just passed e-mail as the second-most popular activity online, behind social networking, according to Nielsen.

Last week, Disney paid $563.2 million to buy social game developer Playdom. Google is reportedly in talks with game companies to start a site called Google Games, having noticed that on Facebook, the fastest-growing Web site in the world, 40 per cent of the company’s 500 million users regularly play social games.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Global mobile gaming revenue to reach $11.4 bn by 2014: Gartner

Worldwide mobile gaming end-user revenue is expected to reach USD 11.4 billion by 2014, research firm Gartner said.

According to Gartner, global mobile gaming end-user revenue is expected to increase by 19 per cent to surpass USD 5.6 billion in 2010 from USD 4.7 billion in 2009.

The market will continue to see steady growth through 2014, when it is projected to reach USD 11.4 billion, Gartner said in a statement.


Thursday, July 29, 2010

Google in talks with online gaming companies to develop Facebook rival


Internet giant Google Inc is in talks with several makers of popular online games as it seeks to develop a broader social networking service that could compete with Facebook, says a media report.
Attributing to people familiar with the matter, the ‘Wall Street Journal’ reported that Google has been in discussions with top developers like Playdom Inc, Electronic Arts Inc’s Playfish and Zynga Game Network Inc, a company in which Google recently took a financial stake, to offer their games on a new service it is building.
However, it is unclear when Google may launch the new gaming offering and the plans are not finalised, the report noted.

Indian animation sector set to grow at 21.8%, says report

India is the sweatshop for the global animation and gaming industry, expected to grow at an estimated 21.8%, but hurdles like dearth of quality talent and studios are issues affecting the nascent industry.

According to PricewaterhouseCooper's Indian Entertainment & Media Outlook for 2010, the industry is estimated to grow at Rs 23.8 billion with an increased usage of social gaming and online gaming.

According to the report, India continues to leverage its low cost advantage combined with the entreprenuerial drive of its companies to position itself on the global front but issues that are acting as hurdles include dearth of quality talent in animation and VFX, piracy affecting gaming industry, expensive hardware delaying the penetration of console gaming and lack of quality studios for high-end animation.

An out-of-this-world experience in gaming

The days of gamers going to small, crowded gaming cafes in bylanes near their houses are over. Alienware, a company famous for its premium gaming PCs and laptops, has started a top-notch gaming cafe in the city that promises to be the new hot-spot in town.

The gaming cafe, named the ‘Alienware Spaceship’, will have around 16 systems and will also have a store within. The company expects to boost interest in gaming with this new initiative.

“We’ll be offering mostly new games, not any of the older games that other cafes offer. We won’t be having Counter Strike 1.6, which is found in every gaming cafe, but the newer version of it, Counter Strike: Source. Also we are expecting a lot of gamers to come here to play games that require high-end systems such as Call of Duty. Also, three of the systems will let gamers play in 3D,” Suhas J, Brand Manager of Alienware, says.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Are PC gamers better than console players?

Rahul Sood, who started Voodoo PC and is now an exec at HP, is never one to shy away from bold statements. In his latest missive, he claims that Microsoft has killed a project that would have pitted PC gamers against Xbox fraggers in online play.

Why? According to Sood, Microsoft expected the Xbox players to cream PC gamers, but the opposite occurred: the top-notch Xbox players the company used would repeatedly lose to what Sood describes as “mediocre” PC gamers.

It’s unclear why Microsoft would have pulled the plug on such an experiment, but Sood — a long-time advocate for PC gaming — speculates that if the company had implemented the PC-Xbox gaming bridge with its Live online environment, the Microsoft’s Xbox team was would have been embarrassed.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

1 in 10 internet users in South Korea addicted to online gaming

About 2 million South Koreans – nearly one in 10 internet users in the country – are addicted to online gaming, according to the government. While the number of teenage addicts has fallen from more than 1 million to 938,000 in the past two years, those in their 20s and 30s have risen to 975,000, with the unemployed and university students considered at greatest risk.

South Korea's status as the world’s fastest and most developed broadband nation gives the online gaming addicts the technical wherewithal to fuel their addiction. Many spend every waking moment immersed in role-playing games, in which players form alliances to guide their characters through mythical worlds, collecting extra powers and other items as they go.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Four Reasons Why Gaming is Good for Couples

It gives the two of you an excuse to spend time together

So many girls complain about their boyfriends being hopelessly addicted to video games. What’s so understand about it: video games are FUN!

Besides, these are the modern days. Video games are created for every demographic one could possibly imagine! Developers have thought of everything and everyone. After all, games like Bejeweled aren’t created with unbelievably intricate controls and levels, simply because the developers knew that this would be what the type of game that target audience wanted.

It is this simple concept of fun that makes gaming a great way to spend a couple of afternoons or evenings with your partner.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Teen Do panch card Game, 3-2-5 card game

Teen do paanch (3-2-5) is a very popular card game with kids in India; also because teen do panch is considered to be a game for kids as elders like to play games like bridge and rummy. Teen do panch or 3-2-5 game is played by three players and with 30 cards.

Players in teen do paanch card game: There are 3 players in any teen do panch card game.

Dealer in teen do paanch card game: Usually, a quick lottery is done which could be a high card or a low card lottery and the dealer of the game is decided.

Hands in teen do paanch card game: There are in total 10 hands in any teen do panch card game where the dealer has to make 2 hands and the other 2 players have to make 3 and 5 hands respectively.

Cards distribution in teen do paanch card game: Teen do panch card game is played with 30 cards. You have to take out Ace to Seven of Spades and Hearts and Ace to Eight of Diamonds and Clubs out of the standard 52 cards deck.

After shuffling the entire deck of cards, the dealer deals 5 cards to each player.  After dealing 5 cards each, 
the player who has to make 5 hands announces the trump.

Trump in teen do panch card game: The player who has to make 5 hands has to announce the trump from the first 5 cards that he receives. If this player is not sure on what trump to announce, he can randomly open one card from the next 5 cards and that suit becomes the trump for that particular teen to panch game.

How teen do panch card game is played?

The player who has to make 5 hands starts the game. The objective in any teen do panch card game is to make as many as hands as possible. If the turn is of spades, then the players have to play a card of spade. If any player does not have a card from spades, the player can make the hand by playing a card from the trump. If at this time the player does not have a trump card, he/she can discard any card that is less useful.

At the end of the game, if any player has made more hands than required, he/she gets the benefit in the next teen do panch game i.e. if the player X that had to make 2 hands made 4 hands at the end of the game, than player X can pull 2 cards (one at a time) from the player who made less hands than required in the previous game. After pulling 2 cards, X has to return 2 cards to the other player/s.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Eat Food and Play Card Games

A few enterprising restaurants and cafes in the city have started keeping board games, giving youngsters a new reason to visit


In the world of restaurant chains and quick service, the biggest loser seems to be the corner coffee shop that serves sandwiches, or the once-popular ice-cream parlour down the road. With their ambience – both decor and music – and the speed with which they serve customers, the proponents of fast food are attracting a large number of youngsters, who constitute a major chunk of the 'eating-out' market.


However, the small cafes and restaurants, unwitting victims of the merciless rise of food chains, have never given up, and lately seem to have stumbled on to the jackpot – a sure-safe way of attracting youngsters: keeping games in the establishment.

Google Pumps $100M into Zynga for Google Games

Google has pumped at least $100 million into online gaming power Zynga, TechCrunch reported. Zynga would serve as the centerpiece for Google Games when it launches later this year.

Just days after supposition that Google could get into gaming, TechCrunch reported that Google has pumped at least $100 million into online gaming power Zynga, whose Farmville and Mafia Wars titles captivate millions of Facebook users.

In a strategic deal, Zynga would serve as the centerpiece for Google Games when it launches later this year, the top tech blog said.


Friday, June 25, 2010

Why video games matter

Video games almost took over Tom Bissell's life, thrusting him into an intoxicating months-long, cocaine-fueled binge playing Grand Theft Auto.

But like any good writer, he got a book out of it -- and possibly a new career direction.

Bissell's book, "Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter," was published this month by Random House's Pantheon imprint and is part criticism of video games as an art form, part social commentary and part memoir.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

LVS Head, Adelson, Proposes Casino Resorts in India, Again

The majority owner of Las Vegas Sands wants India to enter the gambling resort business so as to tax revenue escaping to online casinos and illegal gaming operations. Sheldon Adelson has been pursuing the development of a gambling strip similar to Las Vegas or Cotai somewhere in India for over two years, but has been rebuffed by the government.

Adelson says he'd like to open an upscale casino complex like the one he operates in Singapore either in Mumbai, New Delhi, or another large Indian city. He emphasizes the casino would target middle-and upper-class citizens, and would be far removed from the underground gaming venues popular throughout the country.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Gaming's new face and moves

I have never boasted about my gaming abilities; hand me an Xbox Controller and I am all thumbs. While I am passionate about the gaming industry in India and expect it to be a core entertainment option for families, I have never been overly optimistic about it exploding into a multi-billion-dollar industry in India overnight. Therefore, it is no surprise that my Xbox gamer tag happens to be “Indiancynic”.

All this was true until the recently concluded E3 or the Electronic Entertainment Expo. This is easily the world’s biggest gaming show, where gaming companies, console makers and publishers gather at the LA Convention centre to showcase their latest wares and innovations. The show more than lived up to its hype. As I roamed the gargantuan halls, the excitement and passion in the air was tangible. Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Lara Croft, Masterchief from Halo — they were all there, walking the halls along with me, with thousands of exhibitors, media personnel and consumers from all over the world. The Big 3 console makers were there in full force: Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. So were all the big publishers — EA, Konami, Ubisoft, and the Indian gaming biggie, UTV Ignition.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Rising interest in online gambling legalisation

The latest statistics on lobbying expenditure in US politics indicates that there is still a keen interest in online gambling and the legalization question.

Mark Balestra’s e-gaming consultancy BolaVerde Media Group has released a report on declared lobbying expenditure over the first quarter of 2010, which shows that Harrah’s Entertainment Incorporated is still a big spender in the sector as it promotes the idea of legalised online gambling.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Indiagames To Change Brand To UTV Indiagames

Indiagames, India's benchmark mobile, online and ITV Games Company and a leading global mobile game publisher, will now function under the brand name of UTV Indiagames. The company will adopt the new brand name as part of its ongoing synergy with its majority stake holder - UTV Software Communications Ltd (UTV). The registered name of the company will continue to be Indiagames Ltd. There is no change in the company's management, or operations and the shareholding pattern remains unaltered.. The original logo of the Company will continue to be a trademark of Indiagames and used as appropriate from time to time.

"UTV and Indiagames have significant business synergies. We believe the new brand creates a stronger positioning for the two companies in the business environment" said Vishal Gondal, CEO and Founder of Indiagames Ltd.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Queen Elizabeth to miss Commonwealth Games

Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October, Buckingham Palace confirmed Sunday -- the first time she has missed the event in decades.

Prince Charles, her eldest son and the heir to the throne, will represent the 84-year-old Head of the Commonwealth instead at the October 3-14 Games.

"It is correct to say that the Queen will not be attending the Commonwealth Games this year," a palace spokesman said. "The volume of Her Majesty's engagements, coupled with other overseas commitments, means she will not be able to attend."

Monday, May 24, 2010

Pac-Man 30th anniversary



It's the Pac-Man 30th anniversary this weekend, and Google is celebrating as only Google can: with a free online game embedded in its homepage logo.

The ever-changing Google logo - called the Google Doodle - which often celebrates holidays and notable birthdays, was updated Friday to look like a screen from a classic Pac-Man game.

But in a delightful twist, the logo actually is a Pac-Man game.  Alongside the "Google Search" button, today the site offers an "Insert Coin" button.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Online games outrank everything in popularity – Reveals a new teen survey

A recent survey conducted mostly among a group of teen males has revealed some interesting findings about the internet surfing behavior of male teenagers across the world. The survey was conducted among a large number of males across various social community sites such as facebook and some popular online forums.

More than 45% of male teenagers claimed to spend more than 60% of their browsing time in playing online games. The most popular games played by them include online flash games, multiplayer games and even social networking site games such as Farmville, Mafia wars and others. Another 25% of the teenagers said they were active in some sort of online games and maintained a character there.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Indian Sports Betting | Betting in India | Sports Betting India

The huge popularity of the Indian Premier League's Twenty20 tournament has created a storm of betting by cricket-mad fans, but because betting is technically illegal in India, at least some of the action has gone to offshore websites.

The Economic Times in London investigated the phenomenon this week, reporting that major UK-licensed bookmakers like William Hill and Paddy Power are accepting online bets from India.

The article quotes Rupert Adams, a spokesperson for William Hill, who estimated his company will make GBP 4 million on the current IPL series alone.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Can’t gamble online? Go to a Rummy site


While online gambling of any kind is illegal in India, the handful of Rummy sites that allow you to play for cash are not flouting the law. This is because a Supreme Court ruling of 1967 (State of Andhra Pradesh vs K. Satyanarayan) states that Rummy cannot be called a “game of entire chance” and “is mainly and preponderantly a game of skill”.
Websites like Games24x7.com allow players to play Indian Rummy for free as well as for cash stakes. Games24x7 is basically a multi-player format with cash stakes of between Rs 25 and Rs 1,250 per match and regular tournaments where players can win larger sums. The Games24x7 site flaunts its biggest winners on its front page, putting player “sjey7203” at the top with an overall earning of Rs 20,900.73.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Digital River Buys Fatfoogoo For $10 Million

E-commerce company Digital River announced its acquisition of Fatfoogoo, an in-game and online commerce service provider specializing in virtual goods, with a cash transaction of approximately $10 million.

Founded in 2006 and based in Vienna, Austria (with offices in the UK and U.S.), Fatfoogoo offers its clients the ability to implement publisher-to-player and player-to-player transactions in online games and virtual worlds through white label turnkey solutions or individually configured modules.

Minneapolis-headquartered Digital River offers a platform for online businesses, including software and game publishers, to handle a range of tasks like site development and hosting, order management, fraud management, export controls, tax management, physical and digital product fulfillment, multi-lingual customer service, advanced reporting and strategic marketing services.

Bingo.com LTD sells 25.9% to Unibet for $2.25 Million

European facing and Malta licensed online gaming giant Unibet; hosting gaming family of popular online bingo site Maria Bingo has announced to have closed a private placement with Bingo.com Ltd holding company of the generic bingo  domain bingo.com worth $2.25 million for 25.9% of bingo.com. The news come to follow with the announcement made earlier this year that bingo.com would be switching networks as it would be migrating from Malta licensed Cozy Gaming hosting company of the Best Bingo Network and 3 others which amongst other host popular online bingo sites gonebingo.co.uk and harrysbingo.co.uk.

“Bingo.com is pleased to have secured a private placement from Unibet,” said Tarrnie Williams, Bingo.com’s CEO. The generic domain name and a strong liquid gaming network are just some of the contributing factors which are assuring that bingo.com will further more succeed on its new home. On the other hand Unibet CEO Petter Nylander announced that he is pleased with the deal as he very much believes that the generic URL (domain bingo.com) in addition to the wide acceptance and increasing popularity of bingo on the internet nowadays called “online bingo”, “bingo online” or “internet bingo” will be contributing factors to the ever growing success of bingo.com under its new idendity.

Online Gaming News, May 2010

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Crossword Rummy Challenge – Play Rummy Online and Win Free Books or Music CDs!

5th May 2010, Mumbai, India: Games24x7.com in association with Crossword Book Store today announced the launch of Crossword Rummy Challenge (CRC), an online rummy tournament where winners get free gift vouchers from Crossword Book Stores.

This is a great chance for all book and music lovers to show their skills in playing rummy online on Games24x7.com and get a chance to win free gift vouchers. These free gift vouchers worth thousands can be redeemed against your favorite books, music CDs, stationery and more.

What is Crossword Rummy Challenge Tournament?

Sunday, May 2, 2010

The gamble in gaming

 It is no more only ‘time’ that Indians are investing in gaming, now it is money too. Be it the famous ‘FarmVille’ on Facebook or the ‘T20 Fever’ of Indiagames—the culture of spending real currency in online games is picking up.

Facebook has encouraged social gaming culture globally with games like ‘FarmVille’, ‘Poker’, ‘Mafia Wars’, ‘FishVille’ and ‘Cafeworld’. From its total population of 400 million users on Facebook, about 200 million are hooked on to ‘FarmVille’. Any developer can build their applications on Facebook.

Career in Gaming Industry

If your dream job is to work in the video game industry then the future is looking brighter with industry players seeing a pick-up in the number of jobs becoming available although salaries remain flat.

"Hiring is up from last year, but the market is rough," said Marc Mencher, president of Gamerecruiters.com.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Desi games on PlayStation bridge the digital divide

Gully Cricket, Teen Patti, Kancha or Meter Down, are no longer neighbourhood pastimes. From being yesteryear's outdoor games, they have turned into 'desktop' delights, redefining online gaming. Instead of sweating it out in the scorching sun, Gen Next is hitting the mouse and moving the cursor playing a game of marbles or cards. Others such as gilli danda, kabbadi and kite-flying are Playstation hotties.

Mumbai college student Rahul Mitra, 20, has been visiting a gaming website daily for over a year to play gully cricket, set in an Indian bylane with buses and local transport plying past. The user needs to smash sixes and fours with bonus points for hitting special hoardings in the game.

Asus brings 3D Gaming Notebook in India

Asus has finally brought the G51J 3D gaming notebook in India. Bundled with special 3D glasses, this laptop has 120Hz 15.6-inch display panel and is equipped with Nvidia 3D Vision technology for the ultimate 3D gaming experience. Asus has added quad-core Intel Core i7 processor for better processing and Blu-ray Combo optical drive for watching HD movies. The new Asus G51J 3D would be available in India at price starting at Rs. 99,000 (excluding taxes) with two years of global warranty.


Designed and intended for gamers, the new Asus G51J 3D gaming notebook comes with Nvidia 3D Vision Kit that works with 120Hz display and makes use of one specially designed 3D glasses and one special transmitter. New G51J's 15.6-inch HD LED backlight 120Hz display that supports 1366x768 pixel resolution and is capable of running Nvidia 3D Vision friendly games. Asus would be offering two models of G51J notebook - G51JX-1X110V and G51JX-1X206V, wherein the latter model is equipped with more memory, more HDD storage and a higher version of Nvidia graphics card.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Desi games on PlayStation bridge the digital divide

Gully Cricket, Teen Patti, Kancha or Meter Down, are no longer neighbourhood pastimes. From being yesteryear's outdoor games, they have turned into 'desktop' delights, redefining online gaming. Instead of sweating it out in the scorching sun, Gen Next is hitting the mouse and moving the cursor playing a game of marbles or cards. Others such as gilli danda, kabbadi and kite-flying are Playstation hotties.

Mumbai college student Rahul Mitra, 20, has been visiting a gaming website daily for over a year to play gully cricket, set in an Indian bylane with buses and local transport plying past. The user needs to smash sixes and fours with bonus points for hitting special hoardings in the game.

Interview with Zynga India Head, Shan Kadavil

If Zynga doesn't ring a bell, I am sure it will when I refer to them as the creators of FarmVille and Mafia Wars. Yes, the developers of several Facebook blockbusters are about to set shop in India. They are looking to setup their first and largest base outside the US in Bengaluru (Bangalore).

To tap into one of the world's largest online markets, Zynga are planning on hiring about a hundred computer scientists and research engineers experienced in large volume computing environments. The idea is to build a full fledged game studio here that can do end to end game development. Needless to say, they will also be looking to woo a sizeable chunk of our internet users to add to their already impressive 235 Million monthly active user community.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

‘Commonwealth Games 2010 preprations on track'

Commonwealth Games 2010 preparations are on the right track and are going smoothly. The arrangements for the XIXth Commonwealth Games about to happen in New Delhi this October are in shape, said Jiji Thomson, the Special Director-General of the Organising Committee in Kochi on Monday.

“A soft opening ceremony is scheduled for September 15 and all arrangements will be completed before that,” Thomson said addressing the media on the second day of the National Awareness Campaign. “Work is in full steam and the stadiums are expected to be ready in June.” Admitting that work on two prime venues - the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, slated to host the opening and closing ceremonies apart from the athletics events, and the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Aquatic Complex -- had lagged, he stressed that work had picked up pace in the last six months.

Seventy-one Commonwealth Games Associations from 53 countries are expected to present 8000 athletes and officials for the 12-day event in 17 disciplines.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Gaming breaks gender barrier; women gamers account for 20%

Gaming may have been a male bastion, but women are making swift inroads. Gaming companies claim women gamers have evolved as a thriving segment in India, accounting for nearly 20% of the total market and could potentially double in the next three years.

Women are initially getting glued to internet games in social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, which, in turn, is triggering growth of console and mobile gaming. Small wonder, biggies like Microsoft, Sony and ADAG’s Zapak are finetuning their business strategies to tap the growing base of women gamers in India.

“Technology has truly transgressed the gender,” says Microsoft India’s director marketing (entertainment and devices division) Ashim Mathur.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Rummy Tricks and Tips | Rummy Strategies to win Rummy Game

Rummy is a game of skill and to improve your chances of winning rummy game, you need to develop smart rummy tricks. One of the most popular types of rummy game is Indian Rummy which is also known as 13 cards rummy. Indian Rummy differs slightly from original rummy as it is played with 13 cards and also with a Joker (wildcard).

To finish a typical rummy game, you need to arrange your cards in sequences and sets wherein you must have at least 2 sequences; at least one of them should be pure sequence.

Let me reveal how to play Indian Rummy and a couple of tricks and tips that would be useful in playing rummy.

Rummy Trick 1: Arrange your cards by sequence and by suit
  • Arrange Rummy cards by Sequence: Try to arrange your cards in a sequence as in 4-5-6 and not 5-6-4. This rummy trick reduces confusion as you are sure about the sequences that you have already made and the card that you require to complete your rummy.
  • Arrange Rummy cards by Suit: Arrange all diamonds at one side and then spades near it i.e. try to arrange black cards besides red cards. The best combination could be something like Spade-Hearts-Clubs-Diamonds or Hearts-Spades-Clubs-Diamonds. Arranging cards in a red-black-red or black-red-black color combination helps you easily identify the cards and minimize the chances of discarding a card that you didn’t wanted to.

Rummy Trick 2: Track the interest of your opponent
Keep a track of the cards that your opponent is picking and not picking. In online rummy there is no chance that you can see the discard pile opposite to what you may be able to do when playing with friends. This way you at least won’t discard the card/s that your opponent is looking for you will think twice about the card that you want to discard.

Example: If the card you want to discard is 5 of hearts, has your opponent picked a nearby card i.e. 3 or 7 of hearts? Chances are that your opponent will pick it and if your opponent has discarded a card near to 5 of hearts than the chances that your opponent will pick 5 of hearts discarded by you are quite less.

Rummy Trick 3: Reduce the points
Rummy is a game of points and even if you lose, you should ensure that you are penalized with least number of points. Having said that, the trick is to discard the cards with higher points first and reduce the point burden on you. To add further, you should not discard a card just because it is a high point card but you should also check if this card could be required by your opponent as mentioned in Rummy Trick number 2 above.

Last but not the least, besides keeping an eye on the competitor and doing quick calculations, I also believe a lot in gut feeling. Following these 3 Rummy tricks or tips, I have been able to perform really well and won a lot of rummy games too.

Rummy Tricks and Tips from Gamesnomy



Monday, March 29, 2010

GameStop launches first online game

GameStop Corp. said Friday that its Jolt Online Gaming unit is launchings its first free-to-play game, "Legends of Zork."

GameStop, the world's biggest video game retailer, has been looking to expand beyond selling packaged games at its traditional stores.

It bought a majority stake in Jolt last year. The company, which is based in Ireland, makes games users can access over the Web.

Having too much stuff a sign of greed

NEAR THE END of a game of rummy, a player reached out to take a whole stack of visible face cards and aces. Then he suddenly withdrew his hand.

"Don’t be greedy," he said, out loud to himself.

Instead, he took a single card from the deck, a card he couldn’t see until he turned it over. By opting for the single unknown card instead of the pile of obviously valuable cards, and going against his initial greedy instinct, he won.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Advice for budding game developers

So you want to design a video game?

One way to break into the field is to customize existing games like Sim City, where users can create your own clothes and change various gaming mechanics.

That was the advice from Shanna Tellerman of WildPockets.com when I asked her about entry-point recommendations for someone who is interested in creating video games but lacks a computer-programming background.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Oldest American Rummy Player dies at 114

Mary Josephine Ray, a sports-loving card-player who was the oldest person living in the United States, died on Sunday at the age of 114.

Born on May 17, 1895 in Canada, Ray was the world's second-oldest person according to the Gerontology Research Group, which maintains a registry of the oldest people. It says Kama Chinen of Japan was born seven days before Ray.

According to the group's website, the oldest American is now Neva Morris of Iowa, born August 3, 1895.
Ray was a big sports fan -- particularly of the Boston Red Sox baseball team -- and liked to play cards, particularly rummy, which she played at least twice a week, Wilson said.

"Mary would always win, one way or another," Wilson said.


Online Gaming News @ Gamesnomy. Source: Reuters

FarmVille Wins “Best New Social/Online Game” at Game Developers Choice Awards

Every year at the Game Developers Conference, the Game Developers Choice Awards acknowledges the best games in the business, whether they be mainstream or otherwise. This year saw the addition of a new category in the form of “Best New Social/Online Game.”

As if you really had to question which game came out on top, Zynga’s FarmVille won the award, with apparently little competition. It’s no surprise, as the game is Facebook’s most popular game, topping over 83 million players a month, and recently, more than 32 million players a day.

“It’s funny that we’re at this part of the show, and we feel big and established, but two years ago we were sitting around in a crappy little room,” says Mark Skaggs, FarmVille General Manager.

Online Gaming News @ Gamesnomy

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Quantum of Solace Game Review

Bond isn’t just back in the cinema -- he’s returned to video game consoles too!

Making up for the lack of a licensed game for the previous movie, the Quantum of Solace video game -- based on the latest Bond flick -- combines plot lines and set pieces from both Casino Royale and 007’s new adventure, with the added bonus of outtakes from both movies being fully playable in the game.

Featuring accurately rendered faces of every major character in the movie, including Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, the game uses the same graphics engine and control system as Call Of Duty 4 (CoD4).

FIFA `09 Review

I purchased FIFA 2009 for the PSP for a price of Rs 1600  and FIFA 09 had my attention as soon as I popped the disc in.

FIFA `09 looks refreshingly good on the PSP, but if you have played the earlier installments of FIFA, then the game play is not a revolution but an evolution.

Every year, they make small changes that make the game more real. But what I liked was a long game list of game modes (more than any other game on the PSP) that will take you a long time to master and provide good depth for all gamers. Here are a few:
Football IQ is great, as it tests you on your football knowledge in a fun quiz format and really tells how little you know about the game.

Sexiest babes of action games


You thought action games are a male forte? All those adrenalin pumping action games have male protagonists? Time you meet these hot action babes.

These hot bods have made many action video games hotsellers by not just their sex appeal, but by their impeccable action skills and heroism.

Here's meeting the sexiest action heroines of the gaming world.




New Super Mario Bros

Even before it refined family fun with the Wii, Nintendo was dedicated to creating satisfying multiplayer experiences. Games like "Mario Kart," "Su
per Smash Bros." and "GoldenEye 007" encouraged everyone to join in, and you missed the real action if you played them alone.

But Nintendo's flagship franchise, "Super Mario Bros.," has always consisted of solo journeys. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto wanted to change that, so "New Super Mario Bros" has been designed so up to four people can play it at once.

Does it work? That probably depends on whom you get to join you on the couch.

Microsoft intros hands-free gaming

Microsoft revealed this week that it has secretly been developing technology that lets people play videogames using natural body movements instead of handheld controllers.

The US software giant behind Xbox 360 videogame consoles revealed a prototype of a project codenamed ‘Natal’, a system that combines cameras and voice and face recognition software to recognise people and their actions.

"The gamer in me went out of my mind when I got to be interactive with this," famed film director Steven Spielberg during a Microsoft press conference on the eve of a major videogame industry show, Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), in Los Angeles. "I got a feeling I was in a historic moment. What Microsoft is doing isn't re-inventing the wheel; this is about no wheel at all."

Sony's new PSP

Sony Corp unveiled a smaller, lighter PlayStation handled game device called the PSP Go, in a race to catch rival Nintendo in an intensely competitive mobile games arena.

Nintendo said it sold more than 15 million units of its blockbuster "Wii Fit" fitness game, and plans an update -- the Wii Fit Plus -- later this year.

Sales of the Wii have dwarfed those of more technically souped-up and pricier rival consoles from Microsoft Corp and Sony Corp, by broadening its audience beyond hard-core video gamers.

On the second day of E3, the largest US video games conference, Sony and Nintendo vied for the spotlight, a day after rival console-maker Microsoft charmed audiences with its "Natal": groundbreaking technology utilizing full-body motion-capture for gamers.

Sony's Killzone 2 Review

When Sony announced the PlayStation 3 at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, its centerpiece was a breathtaking chunk of footage from a game ca
lled "Killzone 2."

The clip, which showed a squad of troopers descending on a city and battling alien forces, was so dramatic that many viewers questioned whether the game itself could possibly live up to it.

Four years later, the verdict is in: "Killzone 2" ($59.99) is awe-inspiring. With crisp, cinema-quality graphics and immersive sound design, this first-person shooter feels like an interactive version of a big-screen war epic.

Street Fighter 4 Review

Pocket money. I used to get about 20 bucks from my father every week. It doesn’t sound a lot at all now, but back then, it was good enough to fit 3 needs -- arcade gaming, WWF cards and food. Gaming parlours as they were called, was our hangout. The need for some serious button mashing was satisfied here and this is where boys became “street” boys. Of course, there was the usual “Pacman”, but no other game was better than drum roll Street Fighter!

The game was simple, the characters were great and the fights were awesome! I as a kid started playing Street Fighter 2 more than 15 years ago; but the memories are as fresh as ever. As every game does, Street Fighter came to the PS3, and I was seriously impressed! My fingers have never felt this sore in a very long time. Here’s why:

Adobe leading the online gaming revolution in India

Indian game developers have always struggled to make big games as they either don't have the necessary funds to invest in the game or they are more cautious in spending so much in a single game. Whatever the reason maybe, apart from few small successes Indian game developers are known more for creating small games or outsourcing to the West. This is not necessarily a bad thing as online games have taken the world by storm, thanks to the platforms like Facebook.

Don't believe online game companies can earn that much money to compete with the PC and console game developing companies? Take the example of Zynga which has scaled to a massive company with 700 employees and has expansion plans in Bangalore. According to the data by Internet and Mobile Association of India, India is projected to become the third largest online market behind China and U.S. with 81 million internet users by 2013. Out of the total users that used internet in India, 41 percent used internet for gaming. Also, developers don't have to spend a lot of money and time on developing online games.

Stock Maket Online Gambling Opens in Australia

Australians who feel the stock market is a gamble will now be able to act on it, as online gambling operator Centrebet began taking plays on the market index last week. Players can put Internet wagers on the Standard and Poors/Australian Stock Exchange 200, the country's version of the Dow Jones Index, gambling on the market's future movement.

Internet gaming operators in Australia have had the opportunity to bet on rate policies by the national Reserve Bank for several years, receiving or laying odds depending on the direction played. Now, bets will be taken by Centrebet on monthly market trends, against odds set by financial analysts and adjusted to betting patterns.

Indiagames acquires official gaming licence for IPL

Gaming company Indiagames has acquired official gaming licence for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2010.

The gaming company has partnered with Global Cricket Ventures (GCV), the exclusive licensee of key digital, mobile and image rights to the IPL to develop exclusive online and mobile gaming rights for a period of eight years.

Indiagames will be creating a range of cricket-based games, which will be licensed by the IPL, across mobile and online platforms globally.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Games24x7.Com - Online Rummy Website

The love affair between Indians and card games spans all demographics right from working men playing in subways and buses, housewives playing at social parties, middle aged and retired men playing in social clubs, to friends and families playing on weekends.

Pioneers in offering Rummy online, Games24x7.com goes Social with new interaction features and the company promises a complete social roadmap ahead. With over 1 Lakh players, Online Rummy is becoming the New Face of Social Indian Games.

The growth and popularity of social networking and interaction websites like Facebook and Orkut has altered significantly the shape of the worldwide online games industry. Connecting through games is the new paradigm in online entertainment.

Games24x7.com is undoubtedly beginning to transform the future of the Indian games industry with the introduction of its latest Social Interaction features. The latest features include Personalized Player Chat, Private Rummy Invitations and the ability to create your own Rummy Circle. With these new features and many more to come, Games24x7.com is revolutionizing the online skill games space with a new face.

“We have managed to bring over 1 Lakh Indian Rummy players together in just 9 months of our BETA launch. This has helped Games24x7.com emerge as India’s favorite Online Rummy site. We aim to offer entertaining and engaging game play in local Indian games of skill where people can connect, play and win cash prizes too.” said Mr. Sachin Uppal, Games24x7.com’s, Marketing Director.

Furthermore, Mr. Trivikraman Thampy, CEO, Games24x7.com addressed the legality of the website by mentioning that “All games offered on Games24x7.com have been expressly approved as skill games by the Hon. Supreme Court of India. Rummy was deemed to be a game of skill in 1968. The card distribution methodology used by Games24x7.com has been certified by the prestigious ‘I Tech Labs’, Australia.”

Mr. Thampy continued, “Seeing the popularity of Games24x7.com’s Rummy on popular social networking sites like Facebook , Twitter and Orkut we will launch a Rummy Application on social networks soon.”

Games24x7.com offers unlimited free rummy games, 24x7. The biggest hit among the Indian audience is their premium version of online rummy for cash starting at just Rs. 25

Videogames getting more social

Videogame makers are riding the social-networking wave with a flood of soon-to-be-released titles that let friends play online as teams and even create their own characters.

The world's big three console makers Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony are providing frameworks for players to connect with hardware and software on which online communities of gamers can have fun and flourish.

"Gamers aren't just in it for the high scores anymore," Sony Computer Entertainment of North America president Jack Tretton said, as videogame industry giant’s unveiled new offerings at the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Women most dedicated players of online games

Online games are not exclusively a male-dominated domain, for a new study has revealed that the most hard-core players are actually females.

Challenging the age-old stereotype, the study investigating gender differences among gamers, found that despite gaming being seen as a male activity, female players now make up about 40 per cent of the gaming population.

Also, the study also found that gamers are healthier than average, and that game playing is an increasingly social activity.

What makes online games a rage

 Ever wondered what makes those online games so hot among the people? What is it that makes most of them an instant hit? Here are six reasons.

* They are easy to grasp

* Similarity with the real games is the key

* Gamers can perform here better than what they can do physically

* These are easy to handle and are a great stress buster

* Accessible 24x7 on the World Wide Web

* It's mostly free, gamers only need to register online Play, participate and compete in closed groups Play right from the comforts of home or office

Online Gaming News, March 2010

Online games high on charity

If kids are playing video games, why not do some good while they're at it?

Elf Island, a virtual world created by Atlanta-based Good Egg Studios, ties online games to charity construction in the real world. The more "virtual" homes the kids build by completing mini-mazes, the more real homes that are built by Habitat for Humanity.

Liz Kronenberger, who founded the company with her husband, Craig, said they started the site to promote positive social values online.

"We're really giving kids the proper motivation and the right tools to empower them to make a difference in the real world," she said.

The couple recently unveiled Elf Island's first "GoodQuest," challenging gamers to build 10,000 virtual homes in a month. If they do, the couple will pay for four new homes to be built in a dilapidated community in Honduras.

The quest is harder than it might sound. It took me about 30 minutes -- and several heart-pounding attempts -- to lead a lumbering giant through a series of timed mazes and around bad guys to build a virtual home.

More quests will follow in the months to come, aiding charities that build playgrounds, preserve endangered species, promote green initiatives and boost music education. Kronenberger said much of the site's direction will depend on what the gamers decide.

"Elf Island's vision will be run by the kids," she said.

Elf Island includes chat rooms and scores of games in addition to the GoodQuests. Membership is now free. But the developers hope to raise revenue in 2009 to help pay for the good deeds with a monthly fee that will likely be around $6.

Online Gaming News, March 2010

Tiger Woods Rejects Offer from Online Gambling Operator

After over a dozen of Tiger Woods’ extra-marital affairs came forward to the press, the golfer was dropped by several of his sponsors, which contributed to his $110 million income last year. Gillette and Gatorade are among the companies of whom Woods is now a former spokesperson, eliminating a large portion of the golfer’s earnings for the upcoming year. But, it seems that he is not too worried about his financial future, as he has just rejected a $75 million offer from an online gambling operator.

Paddy Power, an online betting website based in Ireland, recently offered Woods a $75 million sponsorship campaign over 5 years. The company believed that now was an opportune moment to make their offer to Woods, who would have generated a great deal of interest in Paddy Power's products. The company stated that Woods was a sports figure with which it would be happy to become aligned, and the opportunity would have been a beneficial one for both sides.

The deal would have undoubtedly compensated for the loss of Woods' previous sponsors, but the living sports legend has decided to reject the offer. Woods' agency has stated that it is not interested in taking on any new sponsors for their client at this current point in time.

Paddy Power remains hopeful, however. The company has stated that they will prepare an enhanced offer, this time keeping the details under wraps.

Online Gambling News, March 2010

Online gambling outlets hurting land-based casinos

The number of Americans that visited casinos was down a whopping five percent in 2009 compared to the previous year, according to a study released by the Mintel International Group.

The recent economic crisis certainly played a part in that decline, but the report by Mintel also speculated that many gamblers are turning to online wagering portals to quench their thirst.

The study states that approximately 27 percent of players are visiting Indian casinos, 24 percent are in Las Vegas and another 12 percent in Atlantic City. It also revealed that 12 percent of Americans claimed to have visited an online gambling site within the last year.

Mintel’s study suggested that the land-based casinos have taken a hit because of the advancement in HD television as well as the overall improvement of the online gaming industry.

Online Gambling News, March 2010

Britons spent £200 million on MMOs in 2009

British players spent nearly £200 million on massive multiplayer online games in 2009, while the worldwide market topped £3 billion, research suggests.

One and a half million Britons million spent an average of £10.50 per month on MMO games in 2009, analysis of the consumer data coming from today’s Gamers MMO Focus Report by Gamesindustry.com and TNS reveals.

More than 90% of this budget is spent directly online. Some 2.5 million Brits play MMOs without spending any money. Revenues in Britain are slightly higher than in France and Germany but way behind the US. Yanks spend some £2.55 billion a year gaming with dwarves online.

Of the hundreds of MMO games in the market, only a few require payment up-front, mainly by selling software to be installed on the PC. Brits spent approximately £25 million on boxed products and online downloads.

Three quarters of a million Britons confessed to having played World of Warcraft and Runescape the top two MMOs in the UK, although many only made use of the free trial. Next most popular are MMO Club Penguin, Final Fantasy and Lord of The Rings Online.

Spenser Chi, of Aeria Games & Entertainment, comments: “With every game launch, we find a new population of users without noticeable cannibalisation of our other titles. This is a sign to us that the MMO market will continue to grow in number of players as well as revenue.”

Online Gaming News, March 2010

Game Developers Conference to focus on social games

Traditional gaming sites and platforms are losing players as they shift to play online for free with friends.
This merging of social networks with games is set to dominate the schedule of this year's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Titles include Farmville and Mafia Wars that can be played on Facebook.

"The last two years social gaming has been living in its own bubble. This year that changes," said Sebastien de Halleaux co-founder of Playfish.

Playfish, which was recently acquired by Electronic Arts, EA, has 11 online games and more than 61 million people who play them worldwide.

"The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is going to mark the beginning of something very exciting in the games industry and that is the birth of the social game industry as a mainstream industry," Mr de Halleaux told BBC News.

"We are talking about an audience of hundreds of millions of users for social games and that is why there is a lot of excitement."

According to Neilsen Online, sites like Yahoo Games, Pogo and AOL Games have all lost users as they migrate to social networking platforms like Facebook to play with friends.

'Crashing the party'
Proof of how seriously the nascent social gaming industry is being taken can be seen at GDC which has consolidated previous sessions on social and online games into a two day summit.

"This definitely shows the importance of the social and online gaming space as one of the few areas of our industry to have grown so fast," said Simon Carless GDC's global brand director.

The summit will comprise of a total of 37 sessions discussing everything from making money through the sale of virtual goods to delivering games over the cloud and from interactive story techniques to the state of the industry.

"It is clear from all the parties happening this week, and the panels and sessions going on that social gaming is crashing the party of the hardcore console game industry," said Dean Takahashi, lead writer for the GamesBeat conference, which will take place during GDC.

"Social and mobile gaming are growing fast and coming on strong. They are undermining the traditional gaming industry which likes to charge $60 for every game compared to these free-to-play games where you make your money selling virtual goods for 25 cents or a buck," Mr Takahashi told BBC News.

'Sexy new thing'
This year's GDC is expected to be an altogether more upbeat event compared to last year which saw a marginal drop to 17,000 attendees because of the slumping economy.

"The mood is clearly positive because people are starting to see there are so many avenues you can develop for that you can make a living from," said GDC's Mr Carless.

One of those big platforms is the iPhone, which will have its own two day summit stretching over 16 sessions.
Industry analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan said that while iPhone developers " are not making a lot of money developing for the iPhone they all want to see their apps downloaded ten million times".
That has helped "reinvigorate mobile gaming", he added.


Many are now asking whether developers will also latch on to Apple's new iPad.

The tablet computer which was launched amid a media storm will go on sale at the beginning of next month.
"I think it will have an impact on the developer community albeit it may only sell four to six million units," said GamesBeat's Mr Takahashi.

"It will be the sexy new thing and developers will want to get in on it early."
Playfish's Mr de Halleaux agreed.

"It is an opportunity for gaming in general. As to whether it will be specifically for social gaming remains to be seen."

Mr Pachter does not believe the iPad will have the same impact the iPhone and iPod Touch had on gaming or that developers will devote much time to it.

"Early sales predictions are not impressive and if people aren't carrying it, then developers won't go out of their way to develop for it. They will just port over what they develop for the iPhone."

Online Gaming News, March 2010

Friday, March 5, 2010

Deepika Padukone gets addicted to card game on plane

Bollywood star Deepika Padukone has become so addicted to the card game Mendicot that she along with the team of the new film Karthik Calling Karthikcontinued to play it on a commercial flight, even as other passengers tried to sleep.

The team was to fly back to Mumbai from Jaipur on a private jet. But the pilot informed the team that they couldn't head for Mumbai due to a cyclone that was to hit the city.

"We had to return on Monday night because many of us had to leave for Dubai for the premiere on on Tuesday morning. So from Jaipur to Mumbai we all booked ourselves into the economy class of a commercial airline."
What could've turned out to be a nightmare turned out to be a joyride for Deepika and her team and perhaps not such a pleasurable experience for the other late-fliers on board.

"We had blocked a whole row and instead of sleeping after a super-hectic day we started playing Mendicot. We forgot we were in a commercial flight. So we were yelling and screaming in excitement while the rest of the passengers were trying to sleep."

And now, for the first time in her life Deepika is seriously addicted. "I can't stop playing Mendicot. Ritesh and Farhan introduced me and director Vijay Lalwani to the game. When we took off on Sunday from Mumbai on our private jet the first thing Farhan and Ritesh did was to teach us this game. I've become addicted."

Game News, March 2010

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Gamasutra Reports Online Gaming Up 10 Percent in US

It appears with all the fancy online multiplayer games released thus far from last year and this eyar are giving a boost to Online Gaming according to the NPD. An NPD report stated that the weekly hours spent on online gaming has risen 10 percent and it also said that on average gamers spent up to eight hours per week which is up from the 7.3 that was last reported.

NPD analyst Anita Frazier said in a statement, "While the percentage of the population that reports playing games has declined slightly, this study details other metrics which point to both stability and growth in both online and offline gaming."

In addition, it appears that online gamers regularly purchase games, even in a tough economy. The report said that 71 percent of online gamers purchased or received one game over the 2009 holiday season, or calendar Q4. Buying habits between 2008 and 2010 didn't significantly change among online gamers either.

"This suggests that online gamers’ purchasing behavior may not have been impacted significantly by the recession and may bode well for future pockets of economic weakness," NPD said.

The PC is the most used platform for online gaming, which is said from the Eighty-Five percent of gamers that said they used that platform of choice. But the Xbox 360 rules the family room for gaming time online and for the third year in a row its the leading home console with 48 percent saying they take online console gaming as well. The Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii are about even at the moment.

Game News, March 2010

Online gaming grows rapidly in Vietnam

Vietnam and India have seen rapid growth in the digital entertainment market and online gaming, the US Pearl Research company has said.

The company forecast that in 2014 the number of online game players will hit 25 million in the two countries, as personal income rises, increasing the number of computers and Internet hits as well as the number of youths online.

According to the Pearl Research’s recent survey, Vietnam has more than 50 online games, although the first games only appeared in the country in 2004. There are around 22 million Internet users in Vietnam. The leading online games can attract 200,000 players who mainly play at Internet cafes.

There are 40 million Internet users and more than 180,000 Internet cafes in India.

Game News, March 2010

Mobile Online Gambling Surge In South Africa

Their has been a huge surge in mobile online gambling in South Africa. It is estimated that over 500,000 citizens are actively gambling online and most of these players are gambling over their mobile phones. This may be due to the fact that more South Africans have access to a mobile phone for gambling, and less access to a laptop or desktop computer.

The National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP) in South Africa has stated that the online gambling market is worth over R800 million per year and that this figure continues to grow. Online casino software providers have been investing heavily in new technology to bring some of the most advanced casino games to mobile phone users. Playtech just recently announced the development of new applications that will focus on mobile gaming.

South Africa has been moving towards legal online gambling, but they are moving at a very slow and cautious pace. While the market continues to grow, the SA politicians continue to study the industry and debate on whether or not to legalize the activity.

The current gambling laws in South Africa are unclear when it comes to online gambling, and new legislation needs to be adopted to clarify the laws. Online gambling operators continue to accept South African bets due to the unclear law and lack of enforcement.

Online Gaming News, March 2010

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Farmville gaming company now in Bangalore

Social games giant Zynga, which boasts credit for games such has Farmville and Mafia Wars popular among Facebookers, has chosen India's IT hub Bangalore to start its first operations outside the United States.

The India operation will focus on game and large-scale infrastructure  development to support Zynga’s games played by millions of people every day, the company said in a press release on Wednesday, Feb 17.

Zynga India is also a great opportunity for those in country struggling to make a career in gaming as the company is looking to recruit computer scientists and engineers experienced in building scalable infrastructure.

“India offers some of the world’s most sophisticated and rich technical talent bases and we are thrilled to have a local presence,” Zynga CEO Mark Pincus said.

India is gradually growing into being considered as a serious market for gaming. Online gaming, specifically, has expanded rapidly due to popularity of socail networking sites such as Facebook.

Quoting a study by Internet & Mobile Association of India, which found that 41 pc of active Internet users played online games in 2008 accounting for a 89 pc rise from 2007, Zynga expressed hope that exposure of its social games such as FarmVille, Mafia Wars, Café World, and FishVille, will grow among Indian players with the presence of a local office.

Gaming News @ Gamesnomy

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