So, I have been deeply questioning whether Indians REALLY NEED Internet Entertainment?!
When I say Indians, I mean the 1+ billion people out there – 70% of whom are under the age of 30..
Lets assume that of the 700 million, 20% wil be literate, wealthy to own an android device to browse the net and have a basic plan that supports browsing (PC+Laptop owners included obviously)..
Will 140-150 Million Indians USE the Internet for Entertainment??
Here is what makes me a ‘disbeliever’
– Our country is very ambient in temperature. Except for bad Delhi Summers and winters, in most of the country we can walk around in shirts and T’s all year long.
In the USA/EU/China/Korea/Japan markets, the weather is FROZEN almost 6 months in a year… This makes sitting INDOORS almost compulsory… Hence, Internet Gaming Parlors in Korea and China thrive and in the USA you have ‘Cabin Fever’..
In India, we roam the streets and gullies without a care in the world… So why huddle inside a dungeon or stare at a dumb screen to entertain yourself?
– Almost ‘everything’ is FREE here – Young people can go to malls and enjoy the ‘free airconditioning’, do some nice window shopping and just ‘hang out’. This means that the cost of entertaining yourself outside is negligible..
– We release 3 NEW MOVIES every day… So there is an EXPLOSION of RICH, High Quality, 70mm ( not 13 inch PC screen) entertainment around us. Going for movies is expensive, but its also a great place to FLIRT, hold hands, have laughs with friends etc… Hence isn’t this a NO NO for single person (internet) entertainment at home?
– We live in SMALL HOMES (at least in the cities). It usually populated with parents, siblings, and even grand parents. Its a PAIN to be at home and constantly be ‘policed’ and told what to do – what to eat and most importantly RUN ERRANDS of the house. So why not run away into an AC mall and just have fun…. Internet Entertainment be dammed?
– If I have a PC at home, everything I watch on my screen is visible to everyone….hmmmm… most of the content young people watch is NOT what they want others (specially parents) to see 🙂
– Most of the SPARE moneys young people save are being spent on Mobile Phones, Clothes and BOOZE!!! Who the hell wants to PAY for online and mobile content when that is ‘supposed’ to be free and also that can be hacked into?
Point being that if Piracy and FREE demanding populations of a country do not pay up, Internet Entertainment Companies cannot flourish.
– Just the festivals, relatives, and commotion is entertainment for lots of Indians… I mean the Samba beat during Ganpati in Mumbai ROCKS any online entertainment for me!!! So also the GOVINDA dhamakaa….
WHO NEEDS INTERNET ENTERTAINMENT??
– OOOPS – I forgot CRICKET — we now have 200 + days of FREE CRICKET ON TV every year… including the other days of Emotional Atyachar and Roadies…..
Writing this as a CEO and founder of an online gaming company based in India is not easy nor consoling – but then one has to accept what IS…. !
I guess what we will have working for us will be smaller cities with lesser entertainment options, much better bandwidth and connectivity etc etc etc – all the promises made to me and which I am making to my kids…
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