In an effort to raise HIV/AIDS awareness, New Delhi-based gaming company ZMQ Software Systems released "Freedom HIV/AIDS," four games that can be accessed and played by users of Reliance Infocomm, one of India's largest private cell phone service providers.

Hilmi Quraishi, the company's chief technology officer, noted that 2.9 million people had downloaded the games between their launch in December and April 30.

"Games will educate mobile subscribers and create awareness while reducing stigma and discrimination," Quraishi said. "We have a target of getting at least 13-14 million people to download the games."

The games include cricket featuring Demons XI and Safety XI. The Safety team has balls appear in the form of condoms, faithful partners, information on HIV, and the AIDS red ribbon. The Safety team must watch out for googlies and doosra balls: unsafe sex, infected blood transfusions, and bad friends.

"Ribbon Chase" requires players to deliver prevention messages to cities worldwide while being pursued by HIV.

"Messenger" has a dove flying from village to village with condoms and red ribbons that players get points for distributing.

"Quiz with Babu" features a well-informed character with whom players can match HIV/AIDS knowledge.

Reliance Infocomm will give an undisclosed amount of revenues generated by the games to help HIV/AIDS patients, said Quraishi.

The Cellular Operators Association of India said the country is adding 4 million to 5 million subscribers every month, up to 60 million a year. Shubhi Quraishi, ZMQ's chief executive officer, said mobile phones are very common in India, even in rural areas. "It is our corporate social responsibility to spread HIV/AIDS awareness using latest technologies and that is why we have undertaken this project."

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