It's in its infancy in the country, yet gaming is attracting a lot of attention. With 54 per cent of the Indian population below 25, gaming features as one of the predominant spending areas.

Nasscom states the Indian gaming industry, estimated to be around $48 million (around Rs 210 crore) in 2006, is expected to cross $424 million (around Rs 1,900 crore) by 2010 -- a compounded annual growth rate of 72 per cent. The mobile and console gaming markets jointly contribute around 77 per cent of the total gaming market in India.

Mobile gaming, though, grew at only 40 per cent to become a $10 million industry against the expectation of clocking $20 million by December 2006. In the console gaming market, serious gamers could get their hand on Microsoft's Xbox360. Sony Playstation III is yet to enter India.

"The platform (mobile) will now get a push with localised content and consumer focus from content providers like Mauj.com for their short code service, thus roping-in casual gamers," reasons Sameer Bangara, CEO, India Games.

Clearly, then, it was PC gaming that sustained the market in 2006 and industry players are now gung ho about online gaming as a fast emerging new platform, besides mobile gaming, which will introduce the casual gamers to the new form of entertainment.

Rohit Sharma, COO, Zapak Digital Entertainment, says, "We have been getting visitors on the portal for locations like Siliguri, Guntoor, Jabalpur, Patiala, Jalandhar, Vizag and other such non-metro cities."

Forming a large part of the online gaming market are the massively multi-player online (MMOGs) games. LevelUp MD, Venkat Mallik, says, "The Indian market has not yet tipped off."

India Games too is increasing its gaming content library from present 170 titles to 300 titles and Microsoft is launching its Yuvraj Singh Cricket World Cup 2007 game for the Xbox 360 besides more India-centric titles, says Ashim Mathur, country manager Xbox 360, Microsoft.

The year will also witness, "greater involvement from global videogame publishers and developers as well as Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, which will further boost the market," says an Electronics Arts official.