Ibibo launches new social game

Rahul Razdan,President – Products & Operations at ibibo says,“We introduced card games with Teen Patti,which is like Poker to Indians. In a very short,it became the biggest multi-player game of India. Another card-based game was on the cards and rummy was the next most natural choice because it is a distinctly Indian card game.”

ibibo’s Rummy can be played by two players. A single deck of 52 cards is used and each player takes turns dealing the cards. To be eligible to register and open an account and / or participate in the game,the user must be at least 18 years of age or older,have a confirmed email address and must be a legal resident of the country. “The game has a pan-Indian appeal and cuts across social and economic concerns. It’s popularity across age groups and various demographics was the prime reason we picked rummy as our next game,” Razdan says.

In an obvious move at monetisation,the website offers the game wherein players must deposit a certain amount of real money to play the game in the premium version,called Game Account. Rummy cash packages of various denominations are also available to the users. A user can deposit money into their account via debit card,credit card and net-banking. Players can also withdraw money from their account. However,the user must have at least Rs 100 as balance in their account. A player can deposit up to a maximum of Rs 5,000 or 10 successful transactions,whichever is earlier,per day.

“Monetisation is an important part of our overall strategy. Players will continue to buy games and services that require small amounts and allow easy transaction. We are confident Rummy will help us leverage our monetisation strategy. We feel this will work primarily because people need to spend time while playing the game. Since the play-time is higher,we anticipate a lot of transactions for Rummy,” Razdan says.

He added that there are two versions of the game,casual and serious. “While the casual mode,called practice mode,is targeted primarily at college-goers who do not have access to enough pocket money but are passionate about the game,the serious mode is for hardcore players who are willing to risk a little money to gain substantial rewards. This is primarily targeted at the young upwardly mobile youth,” Razdan explains.

According to him,the unpredictability of the opponent and his skill level will also add a unique dimension to the proceedings. “Real time rummy is a multi-player game and is agnostic of the age group playing each other. It is different from social gaming in that you do not know the skill level of the opponent you will be paired with,the deciding factor that determines whether you win or lose,” he said.

As part of its strategy to expand to newer markets and adopt new screens,Rummy will also be developed for mobiles and tablets. “We are also present on different platforms like Apple and Android apart from computers. We have also enabled a mobile transaction system for players who want to use their cellphones to play Rummy,” he says.

While Razdan refused to comment on the number of users currently playing Rummy,he admitted the website will soon launch another card game. “We see Rummy becoming one of the top multi-player games in India. We are also looking at about four-five games right now,one of which we will launch in the next few months. It’s a part of the company’s strategy so I can’t give out any names,” he signed off.