Cable TV
‘Desperate Housewives’ to be made into a computer game
MUMBAI: US broadcaster ABC’s show Desperate Housewives is being turned into a computer game.
The game will give fans of the show the chance to play a fictional character on Wisteria Lane. The game will be released by Buena Vista Games later this year.
Talks are going on with the show’s stars Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Nicolette Sheridan to appear in the game.
The game puts players in the role of a new housewife who moves into Wisteria Lane – the central location for the television show – and sets about uncovering the scandals hidden behind the idyllic and seemingly perfect neighbourhood.
ABC is said to be continually looking to build upon this successful franchise. It believes that extending this program into the world of PC gaming will result in a fun new way for fans to connect more deeply with the series and its captivating collection of characters.
The game is currently in development at Liquid Entertainment and the move into gaming marks the latest merchandising extension of the television show. This includes a best selling DVD box set, a clothing range, board game, fragrance, online store, mobile personalisation tools, ringtones, graphics and a forthcoming cookbook.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
