Author: Reuters
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: September 23, 2007
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/219582.html
A Japanese video game software firm has come
up with a novel way to release stress that doesn't involve blowing up aliens
or racing roadsters: yoga.
Konami Digital Entertainment showcased its
digital yoga instructor at Asia's biggest video game expo this week to cash
in on the global popularity of what industry experts are calling "casual"
games - lifestyle-oriented software that is aimed at older gamers for whom
slaying monsters holds little appeal.
"There is very much a health boom these
days. So we thought it would be great if we could make people healthier or
more beautiful with these games and provide value-added services to the gaming
industry," said Katunori Okita from Konami.
The digital instructor, which fits on a portable
game console, guides you through all the moves, giving you tips on where to
stretch. It also keeps a daily log of your activities. The software also comes
in a pilates version and costs $35. More than 200,000 people are expected
to attend the three-day Tokyo show which began on Thursday.
Promoters for Nintendo's hit Wii console and
its rivals, Sony's Playstation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox, vied for the attention
of the thousands of gamers, industry specialists and the members of the media
that packed the Makuhari Messe on the outskirts of Tokyo for the show's opening.
Around the world, fans spend around $30 billion
a year on electronic games and equipment and Asia accounts for a hefty portion
of that, especially tech-savvy countries such as Japan and South Korea. At
the Tokyo show, 200 companies and game software makers pulled out all the
stops to promote gadgets.