by Kushan Dodanwala

Gaming is one seriously misunderstood form of entertainment in Sri Lanka. Most people have never got their heads around the fact that gaming is no longer a time wasting past time for kids. These are the same kind of people who think computers are for typing letters and Playstations are toys for rich kids. So, it is no surprise that gaming has little or almost no recognition in Sri Lanka.

As avid gamers ourselves, we tried to look into what has been going wrong regarding gaming in our little island, where usually everything which hints “AMERICA” is gobbled up by the media and consequently by the public. It seemed strange that gaming had not followed the path into popularity that some of the other elements shipped in from the west have taken. Such as movies, music, television series and more interestingly, pro wrestling.

 

We spoke to a few people regarding the matter and we were surprised how little was known about the gaming scene in Sri Lanka. Many had no idea whatsoever of a gaming scene even existing. So imagine their surprise when we mentioned that such a thing does in fact exist and that gaming tournaments were carried our regularly in hotspots around Colombo, and that some of these events draw crowds in the thousands. Even people in the computer industry were surprised to learn that there were also games being developed in Sri Lanka.

 

From what we figured, it all boils down to one thing. The lack of information. Agreed, the internet offers a sea of information to anyone who is interested in anything. But the fact remains that in our little country an ADSL connection outside the city limits of Colombo is still as rare as a drop of rain in the Sahara. Information on local print media is limited, with just one or two pages dedicated to gaming in a few periodicals, and even though foreign magazines such as ‘PC Gamer’ are available in the market, they cost well over Rs. 2000, which is an insane price to pay for a monthly magazine.

This is where we decided to make our mark. Enter ‘THE GAMER’. We set out with a few main objectives in mind. First, the magazine would provide information on gaming and everything related to a wider audience. The price of Rs. 150 is peanuts compared to anything in the market and the information will target a wider audience with an interest in gaming, rather than to a more focused, technically proficient crowd. Second, the gaming community in Sri Lanka has long been in need for a voice or an outlet of information. So ‘The Gamer’ would be a platform for every gamer in the country to showcase their talents to the general public.

So one not-so-sunny afternoon in June, four friends who had been classmates since the eighth grade, met up at the food court in Majestic City on a break from University studies to discuss something that had been brewing for some time. A magazine on gaming. THE GAMER. None of us had any experience in publishing or done any serious writing. All we had was a passion for gaming. So drawing up on all the knowledge and experience we had gained at our Alma Mater, Royal College and our years of professional education we came out with ideas and drew up plans. From what we had learned, we knew that we wouldn’t be taken seriously by anyone. It was up to us to make an impression.

 

After many weeks of hard work which involved running around to gain contacts, countless times travelling between the printer and designer and pleading for sponsorships, ‘The Gamer’ finally hit the market in the last week of September. The initial reception was good and it gained pace, with many suggestions, praises and criticisms coming in from day one. Our Facebook page hit the 500 fans mark within the first week and ‘The Gamer’ was well and truly on its way.

Since then, much has taken place. ‘The Gamer’ has achieved the status of The Official Magazine of the Sri Lankan Gaming Community, represented by www.Gamer.LK . The Community has taken on the responsibility for providing hands on information regarding the latest developments in the local gaming scene. This could only mean good for the development of gaming in Sri Lanka. The Gamer is also an official partner of the Sri Lankan Cyber Games (SLCG), set to be held in December. Watch out for a sneak peek in our next issue!

The magazine essentially has seven sections. The New Releases section showcases some of the most anticipated games set for release within the month of the publication. In the Reviews section, our gaming experts give you an inside look into the game together with a unique rating system so you can decide how good the game really is before making plans to buy. A few expert tips on how to get the most from a popular gaming title will be featured through the Strategy Guide section. The Features section will touch on any hot topics from the gaming world while the Gaming 101 section will be a series of articles which will act as a hardware guide to anyone who is looking to get into serious gaming. The Classics section will look back at past favorites of gaming and the Coming Soon section will feature hot new games being penned for future dates.

The feature of the magazine is set to be The Scene, which will cover the happenings of the local and international gaming arena. A comprehensive section complete with the latest news from the local gaming leagues, latest standings, insights to upcoming events and exclusive interviews with personnel involved in the local gaming scene will be included courtesy of www.Gamer.LK . Further, there are also plans being made to introducing a Sri Lankan gaming event calendar, where all gaming events set to be held within the following period will be showcased.

The second issue of The Gamer will hit the shelves by the 15^th of November featuring insights to some of the major new releases this holiday season, notably Assassins Creed II and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Also look forward to an exclusive insight of the team representing Sri Lanka in the World Cyber Games 2009 to be held in Chengdu, China.

Get your copy of The Gamer now at http://digit.lk/thegamer or from the following locations.