More hits on Bush shoe game

After journalist Jarnail Singh hurled his shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram, the number of hits on the Sock and Awe website by Indian users tripled in the last 24 hours.

Players are given 30 seconds to hit as many popping heads of former US President George W Bush. The game gained popularity after Iraqi reporter Muntadar al Zaidi flung his shoes at Bush during his visit to Iraq last December.



Responding to an e-mail query to the creators of the game, Louise Doherty, the spokesperson for US-based firm Fubra Ltd, who own the site, said, "After the shoe was thrown at Chidambaram, we were flooded with inquiries for a game featuring other world leaders. I won't be surprised if we receive requests for a game featuring Jarnail."

Indian game developers, however, are unsure if a game on Chidambaram and Jarnail will find any takers. Nitish Mittersain, CEO, Nazara Technologies, said, "Not much innovation is required to develop a Chidambaram-Jarnail game,u00a0 as the Bush game is quite popular."

Gaming portal Zapak.com felt that it was hard to monetise on such games. "To begin with such games are put together in a hurry, so game play isn't that great to start with. Moreover, the interest in such games dies down with the issue."

"Zapak does not think that topical games work," said a spokesperson.

91 million people played the Sock and Awe game till last evening

World leaders in contention
The website also called for suggestions from gamers on personalities on whom such games can be made and they received several nominations for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French president Nicolas Sarkozy, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Other suggestions included the Zimbabwe head Robert Mugabe, ex-Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld Jr, the republican party's vice president nominee for the 2008 US presidential elections Sarah Palin, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Burlusconi.
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To play the game visit www.sockandawe.com