Net-enabled Dreamcast enters Indian game market

KOLKATA: The Delhi-based entertainment and media firm Stracon India Ltd., has

announced the launch of the Internet enabled gaming console -Dreamcast.

Dreamcast is being manufactured by the $2.5 billion company-Sega Corp. of Japan

which had sold around 1.8 million units of the product in the previous year.

The product is being marketed by Stracon, which is expecting a domestic sale

of 1-lakh units within the year and is expecting revenue of Rs 400 crore by

2004. The console offers gamers a 3-D graphic output, 128-bit processor and a

sophisticated 3D audio capabilities delivering the most intense and compelling

gaming experience.

The hardware includes a Dreamcast console, an internal 56K modem, a standard

controller, stereo A/V cable, power cable, Internet browser CD-ROM and a game

sampler among others. The customer gets a 25 hours of ISP connectivity.

On the potential market in India, firm officials were optimistic and said

Dreamcast would try to foray into 3 million homes that have more than one

television. "We see Kolkata as an upcoming hub in the IT &

entertainment sector. Stracon expects a very good market for the console in

Kolkata. The product will also be pushed through multiple channels like retails,

direct sales and Internet tie ups with entertainment parks," said Stracon

India’s MD Surojit Sen.

The console will be made available in Delhi, Pune, Agra and Indore and will

soon be marketing to Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Surat and Ludhiana.