NEW DELHI -- Add another category to India's intensifying regional competition with China: online gaming.
Five years after China pulled away from its giant southern neighbor in all things internet, young Indians are logging on for Quake 4 and Counter-Strike marathons in rapidly growing numbers. Deepening PC and broadband penetration, together with invigorated promotion and heightened game awareness, have India on the cusp of an online gaming explosion.
And those leading the charge aren't shy to admit that the elephant has a dragon in its sites.
"We are going to catch China by 2010," says Sukamal Pegu, the 24-year-old founding member of the gaming division at Indiatimes Online, South Asia's largest internet service provider. "It will be a challenge, but we're making strides on China every day."
Tangible progress will be marked by the first Indian participation in the Electronic Sports World Cup, which kicks off June 30 in Paris. Earlier this month, 162 regional qualifiers from nine Indian cities came to New Delhi -- including 8-year-old Rohan Karir, a TrackMania prodigy -- to compete for 10 tickets to Paris and a shot at some of the $400,000 ESWC prize money. All told, more than 20,000 Indians competed, making it one the biggest national gaming tournaments ever.
http://www.esworldcup.com/
Source:
Wired News
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