(3 September 2009 6:40 pm)

MUMBAI: Zapak.com, Reliance ADAG’s online gaming portal, has been announced as the official gaming partner of the upcoming science fiction movie, District 9.

Zapak will host the official game based on the movie, which is slated for release on 11 September in India.

The game, available on www.district9.zapak.com, allows the gamer to play as a human or a non-human. As a human, the gamers’ mission is to be on patrol in District 9 as a MNU officer and to arrest or shoot non-humans. If the gamer chooses to play as a non-human, then the mission is to take action against the oppressive MNU Corporation and its patrolling guards.

Zapak Digital Entertainment COO Rohit Sharma said, “District 9 gives us an opportunity to provide a sci-fi game to our Indian audience. Zapak will be able to reach out to maximum gamers in the country. We believe this game will be well accepted as it has a unique offering for our gamers.”

The movie is directed and written by Neill Blomkap and produced by Peter Jackson. The film stars Jason Cope, Sharlto Copley and Robert Hobbs. The story of the movie was adapted from Alive in Joburg a short film directed by Blomkamp and produced by Copley. The title and premise of the film are inspired by historical events that took place in District Six, a residential area in Cape Town in South Africa under apartheid.

District 9 has already raked in $37.4 million in its opening week in US. The film will be released by Multivision in India.

Said Multivision director Ajay Gupta, “District 9 is an internationally acclaimed film. Multivision is proud to release it in India and have a 360 degrees marketing strategy for it.”