Concerning Playstation 2 Launch in India

We the gamers in India have started this petition, because we feel that we are being ignored and not treated properly. We have had a very unsuccessful Playstation 2 launch during August 2003. Whatever the reasons may be the launch is not by Sony India Pvt. Ltd. but it is done by Milestone Interactive Pvt. Ltd. The launch is so bad that till today many gamers in India dont know that PS2 has been launched here. We have been charged the highest price for the console (Rs 16000/- ~ $330) and the software (new game costs Rs 3000/- ~ $62). While similar countries have gotten a better deal. Despite all this all the members who have signed this petition have bought the console and the software deciding not to go for a gray market console with pirated game (a new pirated game costs around Rs 300/- ~ $7), because we are strongly against the piracy.

Other than the higher prices we have also been getting a bad service and very much lack of information about the new games and their release dates etc. The games available here are only average and below average games such as Finding Nemo, Scorpion King, Judge Dredd etc. If we are being charged so highly then at least the software should be good (we dont mind paying Rs 3000/- for a good game like Jak II, Ratchet & Clank 2 etc.). Then there are problems with the accessories such as the memory cards, which are not available in the market, and they have to be specially ordered or should be purchased in a gray market.

The Milestone Interactive website is very less informative and poorly maintained (only updating it once in a blue moon). Contacting Milestone is a nightmare the phone numbers and e-mail addresses on this site are all wrong, so they cannot be contacted. All though the e-mail goes through they never get back with replies. In India Sony India does not have a Playstation 2 section on their website. The Playstation 2 has just launched in china not only do they get the console and games at a cheaper price than we do, but they also have their own section in the official Playstation 2 website. Why doesnt India have a section?

China also has a higher piracy rate than India does, and yet they get a much better deal. Why is that? They will be getting games from Capcom and Konami but we dont even get a single game from any of these publishers/developers. Why is it that we gamers in India are being treated so badly?

Gaming companies keep on blabbing about how India has a huge gaming market and it is expected to grow in a few years. If India is such a huge market then why arent we being recognized? Why dont we have our own Playstation 2 website? Why dont we get good games?

All we ask for is better games (software), better prices, an Indian Playstation 2 website where we can get up to date information and some recognition.