Smart’s GameX makes playing PC online games more convenient

MANILA, Philippines - Playing PC online games or eSports is no longer just a “juvenile” past time. It has in fact become a worldwide multimillion-dollar industry that caters to a particular group of gaming aficionados.

The Philippines has its own community of gamers that continues to grow, thanks to increased access to affordable PC units and faster broadband subscriptions.  Recognizing the potential of this market and responding to the evolving needs of these “hardcore gamers,” Smart Communications, Inc. recently boosted its online portal, GameX.

“The PC gamer community remains an untapped market here in the country,” said Mellissa Limcaoco, head of Smart’s Innovation and Product Development Group which developed GameX (www.gamex.ph) — an online portal that enables gamers to purchase gaming ePINS anytime anywhere via their mobile phone account.

“We launched GameX to empower Filipino gamers by giving them faster and easier access to their gaming needs,” Limcaoco said.

“They need not run out to the store to purchase cards. They don’t have to stop playing their games and be inconvenienced. Hence our tagline of ‘endless play,’” added Limcaoco.

Serious business

 For most Filipino gamers, PC online games are more than just a past time. They consider it their field of expertise, or their sport.

“Filipinos are very good at it,” said Limcaoco. “Several Filipino gaming teams have already won international eSports or gaming competitions. Also, Filipinos are always quick to adapt to the latest worldwide gaming craze — from Ragnarok and World of Warcraft to League of Legends.”

League of Legends is one of the world’s most played games today with more than 27 million gamers (and $624 million revenue in 2013). Although the game can be played for free initially, players must purchase champions (game characters) and skins for a better gaming experience.

For these games that require purchase for maximum enjoyment, this is where GameX comes in, said Limcaoco.

In other markets all over the world, players use credit cards to pay for these game upgrades. In the Philippines where majority of these gamers do not own credit cards, they need to go to physical stores to buy top-up cards and PINS. 

More value for the prepaid load

 With GameX, players can simply visit the website, select the PIN for the game they are playing, and pay using their Smart, Talk ‘N Text or Sun Cellular prepaid load.

“Smart has been adding value to the prepaid load,” said Charles Lim, EVP and head of wireless consumer business for Smart and Sun Cellular. “Last year, we enabled music purchase with load through spinnr.ph, then we followed it up with movie viewing via clickplay.ph.”

“In the digital goods market, especially in the Philippines, paying with load makes more sense. Most of us do not have credit cards but everybody has a mobile phone that can be loaded in over a million prepaid loading stations all over the country,” Lim added.

GameX currently offers gaming PINs for a variety of gaming titles like League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Mercenary Online, Dragon Nest, Elsword, Yulgang2, Drakensang, Blade9, and a lot more. The website www.gamex.ph is accessible via phone, tablet or PC/laptop.

Since Smart did a soft launch of the gaming ePIN portal late last year, site registration and revenues continue to post double-digit growth every month. Mobile VAS games revenue increased by 100 percent compared to same period last year.

The company also noted that the average revenue per unit (ARPU) of mobile users who are gamers are usually twice the regular subscribers’, driven by purchase of ePINs using their mobile credits.

“The PLDT group is keen on developing the biggest online marketplace for digital goods, and with our multi-platform access, advanced network, and efficient operator billing, we are ready for the multimedia content and digital goods revolution,” Lim said.