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India is one of the world’s fastest-growing markets in gaming fuelled by high-speed internet and a tech-savvy population. Covid-19 catalysed the adoption of online gaming as a form of virtual entertainment and social connection. Zoreko wants to bring that sentiment to life in their entertainment centres with innovative games and social events, Avanish Agarwal, their consulting chief marketing officer, tells us.
Excerpts from the interview…
What are some of Zoreko’s current offerings?
We’re spread across 18 different cities, including Jaipur, Noida, Gurugram and Thane. Apart from arcade offerings like bowling, basketball and air hockey, we also worked simultaneously on developing video games and are now moving into VR.
The problem with Family Entertainment Centres (FECs) in India is that they're very age-group-focused. From ages nine to 17, there are a lot of activities for them to do. But, 21 and above, you just end up accompanying the kids. That’s the problem we’re trying to address.
Tell us about the VR games Zoreko has developed.
All of our VR games are developed in-house. In some games, you have to do target practice; in others, you don't have to do anything. Basically, you put on a VR headset and the content is played. But it's so immersive that you feel like you are a part of it. That is POV (point of view) gaming. Like our game ‘Jurassic Escape’, which simulates sitting in a jeep. Once you put on the VR headset and seatbelt, all of a sudden, a dinosaur comes at you, or a snake falls on your jeep bonnet. It is purely experiential.
We have another game called ‘Epic Rollercoaster’, which simulates riding a rollercoaster while you have to do target practice. The games we develop are also bought by other FECs around the world.
What does India’s gaming community look like?
The Indian gaming community is very unorganised. People play games on their phones, PCs and consoles. But as a gamer, even when using your PS5 and a joystick, it’s still not a fully immersive experience.
Another way people experience it is through streaming. Twitch is a streaming platform for gamers. At any given time, if I open Twitch, there would be an average of at least 30-40 lakh people watching live.
We want people to experience rig gaming. A rig is a setup with gaming equipment that simulates things like driving a car or flying a plane etc. Although this gaming rig is expensive, we’re trying to create a gaming arena in which you can experience this in the real world with two options - without VR or with VR.
So, if you want a really immersive experience, you can connect the same rig to the VR console and get a 360-degree panoramic view. But if you want to limit yourself to the three or four-screen setup, that also can be done.
What are your plans to enhance the gaming experience?
We are trying to break the anatomy where gaming enthusiasts gather in front of their screens. The eventual plan is to have about six to eight locations where we set up the rig and conduct national championships where people can compete with each other in games like Assetto Corsa or Rally Racer.
We’ve also built up on the F&B front. Previously, we used to offer things like french fries, pizzas and pasta – the regular run-of-the-mill stuff. But now, we are doing curated menus with great offerings. We’re also developing play areas within centres where you can leave your toddler.
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We will soon launch an Original Gamers Club for our VIP and high-value customers. Through the membership, they will enjoy perks like no waiting time, discounts on parties and birthday offers.
