Custom computer makers Rahul and Ravi Sood.

Game boys

Text: BRUCE WEIR
Photo: JASON MOLYNEAUX

VoodooPC, the brainchild of brothers Rahul and Ravi Sood of Calgary, is tapped into one of the hottest trends of the decade: high-end customized gaming machines worthy of fast-fingered, if not obsessive, gamers.

But the company wasn’t always so wired. In 1999, with only Rahul at the helm, VoodooPC had become something of a monster. “It was out of control,” recalls the younger Sood brother, now 32. “There were just too many divisions.” In desperation, he asked his big brother, Ravi, to restore order to the company. With his MBA and accounting background, Ravi was more than qualified to take over as the company’s CEO. And the two knew that they would work well together. “We’ve always been close,” says the younger sibling. “We grew up in the same room.”

The pair returned VoodooPC to its roots and restored its credibility. “The press liked us because they got to review hot machines,” says the elder Sood brother, now 34. “And good reviews gave customers the confidence to part with $5,000 to $10,000 over the Internet.”

With the company firmly re-established, it’s now time to move on. Early this year, the Sood brothers will release a new notebook for game developers and digital special effects technicians as well as an innovative home media centre. Rahul says the new direction is in keeping with the vision of VoodooPC as an entertainment company. As proof of their success, the brothers need only look around their new headquarters where, far from sharing a room, they each have an office to call their own.

To watch for in 2005:

_ The release of Voodoo Vibe, a media centre that lets users access files stored on their computer – DVDs, MP3s and photos – and display them on screens (including televisions) around the house.

_ The release of the Envy notebook that allows users to switch graphics- processing units depending on whether they are playing or creating games.