Botfighters - a new Russian addiction

A MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) called Botfighters and which utilises the latest mobile technology has really go the Russians hooked, according to Sven Halling, CEO with It's Alive.

This Swedish-based mobile games company has sold its game to a number of mobile operators - including Vodafone in Eire - but it is apparently the Russians who have become the most hooked.

The GSM network in Moscow operated by Sonic Duo only has a relatively small subscriber base (sub 1 million) but Botfighter players are already clocking up one million SMS messages (which cost around E 5 cents [Euros]) each per week. Halling reckoned that some Russians were playing for as much as 40 hours per week and are clearly addicted to it.

Essentially what the players do is create their own fighting robot online and then start wandering around the streets of Moscow looking for other players. The game makes use of basic location awareness capabilities provided by the GSM network to help players which of their rivals are in the vicinity. They can then issue ordinary text (SMS) messages to blow opponents away.

For the serious addict, a java client can be downloaded to the handset to provide them with a 'radar' facility to locate opponents.

Halling argues that Botfighters have been successful in Russia as ever since it's launch in November 2002, Sonic Duo has expended a great deal of effort promoting it.

There was even a Miss Botfighter competition with the winners including a female doctor and female lawyer - both of whom are definitely fit looking. Already another Russian GSM operator, sister company Megafon, is planning to launch the game in the Volga region.

The fact that such a violent game was launched during the Moscow theatre hostage crisis was regarded as a publicity bonus rather than an unfortunate co-incidence. µ

L'INQ
www.botfighters.com