SRINAGAR: The city took a new stride in the gaming and leisure industry Thursday with the launch of a state-of-the-art leisure gaming lounge by a young entrepreneur promoted by Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI).
Gamer Xone, spread over an area of about 400 square feet, is a console gaming lounge with latest devices including Sony PS4 and PS3.  The lounge also has four arcades, a coin-operated entertainment machine for video games, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption and merchandisers games.
A first-of-its-kind digital gaming center, Gamer Xone has almost all the latest gaming options including the PS3, Xbox 360 and WII systems stationed at large screens with comfortable seating ranging on sofas and chairs, said Tahir Bashir, the owner of the venture.
“It is an exciting gaming lounge offering a relaxed yet fun environment to play the latest video games and technology on the newest gaming systems,” he said.
“It’s a mix of great ambience, great food and greater fun where people can unwind. There’s something for every age group,” said the owner. The lounge features a High-Definition Large screen LED Televisions and sitting area which is perfect for some “in your face” game play, online tournaments and multi player gaming.
The facility is fully backed up with industrial generators and heavy UPS devices to supply 24-hour uninterrupted electricity.
All this has cost Bashir Rs12 lakh to establish the unit sponsored and mentored by JKEDI, a premier institute of entrepreneurship development of the state.
The institute, apart from financial assistance, imparts training to aspiring entrepreneurs on business development, performance improvement, leadership and self-development.
Zamir A Qadri, chief operating officer of JKEDI, reiterated the institute’s commitment of support to its entrepreneurs and stressed on the need to create more innovative entrepreneurs in the state, beset with huge unemployment problem.
Qadri said the global video game market revenue, excluding mobile games, was around Rs 420 billion in 2013 in which India’s share was just about Rs 10 billion.
“There is a huge untapped potential in the sector, more so in the state,” he said.

Reader correspondent