Zapak launches subscription-based gaming service

Users can now download the full-version of games on their personal computers.

Zapak.com, the online gaming company, has launched Zapak Plus, its first subscription-based gaming service in the country. Under this service, the gaming company will make available full-version of games, which a user can download on his personal computer.

The gaming company, to begin with, will make available more than 100 games across various categories like action, strategy, sports, arcade, and fun casual. A dedicated microsite (Zapakplus.com) has been developed, where games will be displayed. Users will be required to visit the site and select the games, and then pay a subscription charge to download them on his personal computer. For instance, the company will charge a monthly subscription fee of Rs 99, for 120 games. There is a three-month subscription plan, as well, in which the user will have to pay Rs 247 for 120 full-version games. Both online payment and cash-on-delivery options will be offered to users.

Rohit Sharma, chief executive officer, Reliance Entertainment (Digital Business), says, "Zapak Plus offers an opportunity to millions of gamers to experience some of the biggest titles in PC gaming at less than Re 1 per month, in the comfort of their homes. Zapak is now a destination not only for flash games but for PC games, too. Gamers, who hitherto had access only to highly-priced gaming DVDs or poor quality of pirated game DVDs, can subscribe to Zapak Plus and enjoy good quality full-version PC games at affordable pricing."

Last month, Zapak.com announced its entry in the social gaming domain on the social networking site Facebook. It launched a multi-player housie game on the site called Zapak Tambola, as an independent application (Apps.facebook.com/zapaktambola).

The company mentions in an official communique that Zapak Tambola is a version of a popular game called 'Housie', played in clubs, parties and other social get-togethers across India. Users have to log on to the application and choose a room from the lobby to play in. The rooms are with variable ticket prices, appealing to both players who like to play it safe and those who love to win big. The user buys tickets to participate in the game. Numbers are called out randomly by the Tambola host, and crossed automatically on the ticket purchased. The winners are those players, who first cross out the numbers called, in a particular pattern (top, middle and bottom rows, and full house).

The multi-player game allows players in the same room to chat with each other, and also send and exchange virtual gifts. The exciting part is that unlike the offline game, Zapak Tambola allows players to experiment with different avatars which they can show off.