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Published on April 5, 2008

Playpark is using RS's teen-boy band K-Otik as presenters for its latest online game, called FreeStyle Street Basketball.

It hopes the band members will draw more young players, as well as recruit new ones.

Playpark launched the new game on Thursday with the band at the Bangkok Interactive Game Festival 2008 event.

The show, which ends tomorrow, is held at the Royal Paragon Hall in Siam Paragon.

Asiasoft managing director Lertchai Kanpai did not reveal the investment budget for the deal but said the band should boost its business.

Since the game was introduced two weeks ago, 300,000 people had registered to play it, he said.

RS is also seeking opportunities to promote its bands in the youth market.

Lertchai said this was the second time Playpark had used bands as presenters for its games.

Its TS Online game launched five years ago also employed a band to promote it.

The new game features a basketball competition, he said.

The ploy should work because players and music fans share the same lifestyle, he said.

Lertchai estimated the online-game market should grow 15-20 per cent this year.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation