“We are very serious about our entry into India, however we want to make sure we do it the proper way”
FRAMES 2005 DAY 1, As bustling and abuzz as can get. Everyone’s busy networking and listening to speakers at the concurrently running sessions. Every important speaker in the inaugural session had a sentence or 2 to say about the bright future of animation and gaming in India. There’s enough reasons to justify thier statements.
Globally gaming has grossed revenues greater than Hollywood box office collections and last year the International revenues for videogames was US Dollar 25 Billion (Worldwide retail in 2004)
Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment software companies. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of $3 billion for fiscal 2004. The platform agnostic company markets its products under four brand logos and has over 33 product franchises that have reached more than a million unit sales worldwide.
Electronics Arts President (Asia) Jon Nierman was here at FRAMES as a speaker for the session on ‘Marketing & Distribution of animated content & games and did openly talk about EA’s interest in India. Animation ‘xpress Anand Gurnani touched base with Jon for a quick Q&A.
Excerpts –
What are your India plans?
India is poised to emerge as one of the key strategic markets in the future and we are currently evaluating all options for market entry. We are very serious about our entry into India, however we want to make sure we do it the proper way. We believe that the mobile space offers great opportunity in terms of gaming in India.
So is an Indian studio on the cards?
Currently we are only looking at a business development arm in India.
Please enlighten us on your India strategy?
As far as gaming is concerned, the growth of the Indian market shall be driven by online and mobile. We are looking at entering these segments. We are also looking at franchises and localisation of succesfull franchises wherein we could localise elements such as language, music and themes.
We are not only interested in creating games for India, but also in taking games based on Indian cultural content to the global markets. Our belief is that we want local partners and local experts in the entertainment industry. India has a lot of high quality entertainment content like its music and films. It has got great music talent and a great and vibrant film industry in the form of Bollywood.
EA has its own music production company in partnership with Cherry Lane, and we have great working relationships with Hollywood, there is no reason why we can’t consider Bollywood and Indian music in a similar fashion.
“Video Games will be to this century what television was to the last”
What about games for consoles and PC? What about issues such as piracy?
EA is a platform agnostic company. There is not much hardware penetration as far as consoles are concerned, once the penetration increases we will get in our games for the console. As regards PC, we have been selling our PC games in India for a long time now.
Piracy is an issue that is faced by companies across the globe. No owner and creator of IP likes it, that said we have to figure out ways and means to combat it.
A final message for readers?
I would again like to repeat that we are very serious about our entry into India, however we want to make sure we do it the proper way.
When it comes to creating specific content for the Indian market it is going to be a 3 pronged thrust on MUSIC – MOVIES and CRICKET. And most of that gaming is going to happen online and on the mobile. Also we are looking at reciprocal mutual relationships with local entertainment content creators so that we can create games around Indian content and take them across the globe.