arly this year, online gaming firm Level Up, began charging for the online game, Ragnarok, which has taken the world - and India - by storm. But are Indian users hooked enough to be ready to pay and play?

In markets like South Korea and its home base of the Philippines, Level Up Global has a successful pay model. But then these countries have a strong gaming culture. In India, after offering Ragnarok free for two years, Level Up has suddenly chosen to go 'pay-per-play'. Given the fact that India is still an 'introductory' market that needs mass movement and support to grow, why did Ragnarok go in for a subscription model? Wouldn't it act as an entry barrier at a time when there should be incentives to enroll, especially in a market like India?... more