Sify Technologies has launched what it is calling India’s first interactive gaming site. Named Antzill, the site at www.games.sify.com provides a platform to several online gaming websites.

“In the West, the average age of gamers is 32 while in India it is less than 17. We have studied their psyche and come up with specific features,” says Venkata Rao Mallineni, head, portals and consumer marketing, Sify. Casual gamers, he points out, seek variety which is why it makes sense to collate games from a number of sites on one. “They play a game for a short time.” Bush Boot was played for a couple of weeks after the boot-throwing incident while Terror Camp became a hit after the terror attack in Mumbai. A game on Slumdog Millionaire (picture top) became popular with the film making it big. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, as many as nine election games are available.

Hardcore gamers want to be identified as specialists in the community. “We have a feature called the Friend Leader Board, wherein gamers can check the top scores for all games and challenge friends on their favourite games,” Mallineni says.

Social networking has also been woven into the site. One can maintain personal profiles, rate favourite games and scrap friends.

To add to the excitement of gaming, the site is offering other attractions. “Winners can collect points from each game that they play. These points can be encashed at the online Sify mall (http://shopping.sify.com/shopping/) for prizes like iPods, MP3 players, cameras and mobile phones.”

According to the Sify authorities, India needs more game developers. The site now provides more than 560 games, stacked in genre-wise arrangements to appeal to all categories of gamers and help them seek out their favourite areas like sport, racing, strategy, puzzle etc. “As long as new games keep getting added, gamers will keep coming and stickiness will be high,” Mallineni concludes.

Sudeshna Banerjee