India Gaming Carnival - Real or Scam ?

[vijayninel]

As you might know, a Delhi based company WTF Eventz is planning to host a event called India Gaming Carnival next month from 6th to 8th April. The event is supposed to be :

• India's Largest Gaming & Electronics Expo..
• Spanning over 21.8 acres at Ayatti a super premium property in Greater Noida.
• Over 300,000 expected attendees with 20,000 gamers in a period of 3 days.
• Prize money of Rs 1.5 Cr (USD 300,000) in total.
• After Party each day with category 'A' performances.
• Various international teams and players participating in the tournaments.
• Gaming across all verticals – PC, Console, Mobile/Tabs.
• Celebrity Visits.
• Exhibit space for over 200 brands.
• Attempt to break Guinness world records.
• Seminars on various aspects of Gaming.
• Dress as a Gaming/Anime character and win prizes (COSPLAY).
• Product launches and various other activities.

Now while this is all very nice and I appreciate someone taking efforts to promote gaming in India where organised gaming is very small, the scale of the planned event and the claims made are making me question them .

I have seen some small gaming events in India and even helped a bit in some lan parties, so I know these things are very expensive, loss making and difficult to pull off even on a small scale. A event of this scale with more than 300,000 people coming is difficult to imagine. Infact there were only 230,000 visitors for the Beijing Olympics and when 100,ooo tourists were to Delhi for the 2010 commonweath games, then it was said there are not enough hotels to house them, transport for them or guides to show them around.

Secondly, getting sponsors for a gaming event is a tough proposition as well. Gaming is not an established form of entertainment or proven crowd puller in India. In this scenario I wonder how the organisers will come up with the declared amount.

A post on hltv.org says that :

An excerpt from Fnatic's (pro gaming team) research:

"As per our initial investigation IGC looks like an event which will never happen & even if they are able to hold the event the prizes won't be paid. Key findings -

• WTF Eventz Company founded on 11th January 2012.
• Total capital of company is just Rs. 100,000 (USD 2000)
• No sponsors, neither anybody is willing to sponsor them
• None of the organizers have any knowledge of gaming
• No info on background of any organizers."

Now, I am not sure how much of this is true but WTF doesnt have any experience in organising even a lan party. I wonder how they will be able to pull this off.

Please share your thoughts on the matter.

[akS ! ♦]

A name like WTF doesn't make sense for a company who wants to make it big.

But yes if Baba Ramdev is one of the after party guests, maybe the numbers promised might come true...

[mohitgamer]

^ The figures look serious. But the IGC website already has a paid registration process going on...
India Gaming Carnival at Ayatti Convention Center, Noida | Zomato Events

In case the event doesn't take place, will they be refunding the registration money ??
According to the IGC website's homepage Countdown, just 14 Days to find out...

[vijayninel]

Well the site says that there is "Exhibit space for over 200 brands" - Surely they must be booked by now just weeks before the event. So which companies are coming? Havent heard anything from any of the Indian gaming companies.

[harryneopotter]

Our Partners | India Gaming Carnival - India's largest Electronic Gaming Tournament and Expo

[mohitgamer]

The list doesn't look long enough HNP as per the mammoth image projected for this Event ....

And what will they do in a gaming Expo? --> NSR Construction ??

[harryneopotter]

see, our beloved mod @MaxAxe is involved with them and he is a part of the event. Tagging him, so that he can shed more light on it !

[vijayninel]

Originally Posted by harryneopotter Our Partners | India Gaming Carnival - India's largest Electronic Gaming Tournament and Expo

Lets go through that page.

For the two sponsors, see usually, companies do inform and invite if they are sponsoring such events.

This company - Gennext doesnt mention anything of this sort and they dont seem to be related to the gaming business.

NSR Constructions - Nobody seems to know who they are. They havent spent Rs 500 to open a website of their company but are spending crores on a gaming event ? looks odd.

CHARITY PARTNER : Yuvraj Singh foundation. So now charity includes sponsoring comercial gaming events ?

PROMOTIONS ON: TV today network. The only thing I can see here is that Aaj Tak Delhi has given a 20 second news on their local delhi morning news covering WTF's press conference and saying that such an event is going to be held in Delhi. They cover such press conferences for no cost if you request them, but then naming the entire TV Today Network as your partner based on a 20 second clip seems to be stretching things a bit.

I am pretty sure that even the local panwala will be happy if he is named as PAN SUPPLYING PARTNER because he sold a cigarette to you?

[mohitgamer]

Originally Posted by vijayninel even the local panwala will be happy if he is named as PAN SUPPLYING PARTNER because he sold a cigarette to you?

Either Vijay has some grudge against the IGC, or the Event does look Shady given all these facts !!
And even if the event does take place, I doubt it will be at such scale at which it is being projected !?

[Sumonpathak]

@vijayninel/anyone...is this the event where a certain guy (new entrant)wanted to do a OC session?
i need to know this....

[vijayninel]

Originally Posted by Sumonpathak @vijayninel/anyone...is this the event where a certain guy (new entrant)wanted to do a OC session? i need to know this....

No .. thats not the one.

-----------------------

So is Makemytrip.com is the "Travel Partner :" because WTF have used the Fast Secure Contact Form plugin 3.1.4.1 for wordpress from FastSecureContactForm.com to put makemytrip's search page on their Travel & Stay page ?

[Xeo]

I really really really want this to come to fruition.

NOIDA (March 13, 2012) WTF EVENTZ Pvt Ltd. the organizers of India Gaming Carnival which is the most talked about gaming event to be held in India this April, has announced that they have received a funding of close to INR 4 Cr (USD 800,000). The funding comes from NSR Construction and Gennext Promoters, two of the highly renowned names in the real estate development business.

[vijayninel]

Originally Posted by Xeo I really really really want this to come to fruition.

I hope it happens as well. BTW did you find the low cost hotel you were looking for? I noticed on their FAQ Page where it states that :

"There are several low to mid budget accomodation options. Around the venue and in Noida if the need be we shall post a detailed list of accomodation on our website."

However there is no such page even two weeks before the event.

Originally Posted by Xeo The funding comes from NSR Construction and Gennext Promoters, two of the highly renowned names in the real estate development business.

They dont seem to be renowned names in the real estate either nationally or in Delhi. Infact "Gennext Promoters" dont even seem to be real estate "promoters" according to their site, while Google failed to find any traces of the "highly renowned" NSR Construction on the world wide web.

[Xeo]

No such luck.

[vijayninel]

Well, I had some luck if finding out more about these two "highly renowned" sponsors.

I came across this thread HLTV.org - Blog: India Gaming Carnival - Truth behind the covers. and guess what ?

Both the sponsors and WTF Eventz share the same third floor flat as their postal address in Noida.

23/C1, The Search House, 3RD FLR, Indl Area, Noida Sector-62, Noida - 201309

Even their landline phone number is same : 4550150

Nsr construction pvt ltd near Noida Sector-62, Delhi | Construction Companies | Justdial



Contacts | India Gaming Carnival - India's largest Electronic Gaming Tournament and Expo



GenNext Group: Import and Export Service delhi, Telecom Sector Services, Infrastructure, Architectural Consultancy Delhi, Legal Firm, c A Consultancy in new delhi, Advertising and Media

The address from GenNext feedback page was deleted after they saw the thread in hltv.org. They were not able to remove it from Justdial's site.