New Virtual Pet Game My Talking Tom Friends Is Now Available Worldwide

Outfit7 Limited announced the launch of its new virtual pet game My Talking Tom Friends, now available to download worldwide on iOS and Android. The eagerly awaited new game from the award-winning Talking Tom and Friends franchise brings a never-before-seen approach to the genre, uniting all six iconic characters in a play-as-you-want sandbox experience. Fans around the world couldn't wait to play the revolutionary new game, with 13 million pre-registering before the launch – a record-breaking achievement for the company.

“With My Talking Tom Friends, our goal was to take the popular virtual pet genre and reinvent it. We wanted to go far out and deliver something that sweeps people off their feet,” said Xinyu Qian, CEO of Outfit7.

“For the first time ever, we created an environment where our fans can play with not one, but multiple characters at the same time – in whatever ways they choose! This offers a practically limitless array of possibilities, providing a unique playing experience for each and every user. We are all very excited to see what will become of it in the hands of our fans.”

With Talking Becca – the newest addition to the franchise – joining Talking Tom, Talking Angela, Talking Hank, Talking Ben, and Talking Ginger, players can now tend to the needs and wishes of all six characters at once, and help them live their fascinating lives.

The friends are dynamic, moving around the open, scrollable house, looking for ways to have fun. Players can engage with them and take part in fun activities like cooking, painting, gardening, and socializing. There’s also a suite of brand new, action-packed mini-games to discover. Impressive interactive options allow fans to explore and customize the vivid, beautifully-designed virtual world at will.

For the chance to create your own unique stories of friendship and fun, download My Talking Tom Friends for free from Google Play and App Store.

Forecast of animation and gaming lowered by NASSCOM

Nasscom, the apex body of IT software and services has lowered its 2012 forecast for the animation industry by 27.7 percent and gaming industry by 16.3 percent. It now expects revenues from the animation industry to touch $830 million against the earlier estimate of $1060 million and revenues from the gaming industry to touch $830 million against $1163 million.

In its press statement, Nasscom stated that this downward revision is largely on account of slackened demand due to the global economic downturn and the domestic box office for animation movies has not picked up as estimated, end-to-end skill sets not being developed in the animation services industry and proof of concept or IP creation not up to the expectations.

Som Mittal, President of Nasscom said, "NASSCOM recognizes this industry as a significant user of technology and can further showcase India's well established credentials in the IT Industry space. However, being in a nascent stage of development, it is critical for all stakeholders to come together and create an environment that nurtures this industry for it to be able to compete at a global scale."

The economic crisis has hurt the earnings of Indian IT companies with NASSCOM forecasting four to seven percent rise in India's software services and exports for the year to March 2010, sharply slower than the past years' robust growth.

Agencies