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Tag: gaming

  • WinZO teams up with Ogilvy’s Piyush Pandey to boost brand presence

    WinZO teams up with Ogilvy’s Piyush Pandey to boost brand presence

    Mumbai: Homegrown social gaming platform WinZO is set to launch its multilingual brand campaign in close collaboration with Ogilvy chairman of Global Creative and executive chairman India Piyush Pandey. The campaign drives the brand’s core objective of delivering winning moments through a relatable social platform to over a billion Indians. 

    Through this campaign, WinZO aims to establish itself as the preferred destination for all interactive entertainment of Bharat. 

    The entire campaign theme and stories were conceptualised by Piyush Pandey. With this engagement, Pandey and Ogilvy will be bringing their plethora of experience to the new and rapidly growing industry of Gaming for the first time. 

    Commenting on the rationale behind the campaign, Piyush Pandey said, “It was great fun for me working on the WinZO campaign. Playing some game or the other is inbuilt in human nature. We’ve tried to get into real life and real ways of how each one of us, no matter what strata of society we come from, enjoy these moments. And from there comes the belief that WinZO gives you a lot of opportunities to play games that you thoroughly enjoy and get the kick of winning from. It’s been wonderful working on this campaign, and I hope our audiences enjoy watching the films.”

    The campaign aims to capture the raw human emotions of competition, winning and associated delight that creates lasting social connections. These everyday conquests have been articulated and crafted into four humorous video stories by Ogilvy which will be launched as TVCs across digital platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram as well as other electronic modes such as TV, radio, OTT platforms, amongst others, to maximise the brand’s visibility among the billion plus audience of India. 

    Speaking about the new campaign, WinZO co-founder Saumya Singh Rathore said, “While the last decade belonged to e-commerce boost in India, this decade belongs to gaming and Interactive entertainment. India is at the epicentre of this rapidly growing trillion-dollar global gaming opportunity. As a leading player in the space, our partnership with Piyush and Ogilvy is symbolic of us recognizing and taking this responsibility of establishing gaming as a mainstream social activity. Piyush has not only helped build brands but also contributed in building large sectors through his campaigns over decades. We are excited to collaborate with him to achieve the same for the gaming industry and our brand.”

     WinZO had launched the multi-media campaign #JeetneMeiKickHai last year which celebrated the ‘kick of winning’ in people’s daily lives and helped establish the brand’s relatability and recall value. The upcoming campaign, as an extension of the previous campaign, will expand on the theme of excitement experienced by individuals in social circles merely by small winning moments, bringing forth the spirit of the platform alive. 

    As a part of its brand development exercise, WinZO has also secured the principal sponsorships for two major Vivo Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) teams, Bengal Warriors and Gujarat Giants, as well as associate sponsorship for Patna Pirates. PKL is the second most followed sporting league in the country after the Indian Premier League. 

  • #Retrace2021: Entertainment trends that swept the media industry in 2021

    #Retrace2021: Entertainment trends that swept the media industry in 2021

    Los Angeles: As the credits roll on 2021 and the curtain prepares to rise on 2022, we’ve put together a few previews of entertainment trends to look forward to in the coming year and beyond. The convergence of new technologies, increasing domination of smart devices like smartphones and smart TVs, 5G internet, the growing demand for streaming content combined with the omnipresent Covid lockdowns have been the driving forces behind these trends.

    OTT STREAMING SERVICES

    The global over-the-top (OTT) streaming industry is booming. According to a report published by Research Dive, the OTT market is expected to generate a revenue of $438.5 billion by 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.1 per cent. The outbreak of Covid-19 has contributed to this growth, however, leading players are focusing on developing strategies to bolster growth in a post-pandemic market. Netflix leads the pack of providers with 35 per cent of the global OTT streaming market share followed by Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Prime Video, and HBO Max.

    SOCIAL VIDEO

    By 2022, it is estimated that online videos will make up more than 82 per cent of internet traffic. These clips may be short, only 30 seconds or so long, but the ones that go viral have been viewed over a million times. Social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube have been trying to retain the social video throne but rising star TikTok is working hard to overthrow them benefitting from Gen-Z users during the Covid lockdowns. Growth has also been seen on Instagram which has been putting a heavy focus on optimising users’ video experience. Likewise, LinkedIn users are increasingly preferring video content over other types of posts. Twitter, Snapchat, and Vimeo are also seeing a significant uptick in video content. However, no matter which platforms are able to increase their share of users, one thing is for sure: social videos are here to stay.

    CLOUD GAMING

    The ability to play the best video games out there without the need for a console has now become a reality and has pushed this industry forward. There are estimated to be about 3.2 billion gamers in the world and very few have the hardware required to play the latest, most demanding games. Cloud gaming solves this problem by streaming video game content from remote servers to your device. The range of video games is extensive from casino to adventure. Major offerings include Nvidia’s GeForce Now, Google’s Stadia, Sony’s PlayStation Now, and Xbox’s Project xCloud. It’s new and evolving technology but a growing trend to watch for in 2022. According to a report published by Allied Market Research, the global cloud gaming market generated $244.8 million in 2020 and is expected to reach $21.95 billion by 2030, seeing a CAGR of 57.2 per cent from 2021 to 2030.

    PODCASTS

    The number of people listening to podcasts in 2022 is expected to grow to 164 million and that’s just in the US alone. Podcasts have taken off and are no longer considered a hobby but a legitimate business model with new opportunities for brands and businesses. In a world where influencers are kings and people trust them more than traditional outlets, podcasts have been an effective way for their hosts to grow their influence and share their niche viewpoints and knowledge on specific topics. In addition, with increasing tolerance for advertising – a recent survey by Nielsen found 78 per cent of listeners don’t mind sponsorship ads – podcast ad revenue is expected to grow to $1.33 billion in 2022. Now, big-name companies like 20th Century Fox and Spotify are jumping onto the podcast bandwagon, backing and developing content and, in the process, increasing the production quality and value.

    GAME STREAMING

    Game streaming has been around since the early 2000s but now is gaining traction. It involves the streaming of video games where people broadcast themselves playing games to a live audience online. Professional streamers often combine high-level play and entertaining commentary and earn income from sponsors, subscriptions, ad revenue, and donations. Game streaming became popular on the US-based site Twitch before growing to other sites particularly in China.

    In 2014, Twitch was acquired by Amazon and since then it has experienced explosive growth. In Q1 2020 alone, Twitch had more than three billion hours watched, 100 million hours streamed, and an average of 1.4 million concurrent viewers, firmly cementing it as the number one platform for game streaming worldwide.

    THE KOREAN WAVE

    The Korean Wave or “Hallyu” refers to the rise in South Korea’s growing international popularity for its culture encompassing dance, music, TV dramas, movies, food, and more. In 2012, the music video for “Gangnam Style” by recording artist PSY was one of the first Korean hits to go global, became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views, and spun off an international dance craze. K-Pop bands exploded onto the music scene in the early 2000s and currently boy band, BTS is South Korea’s biggest cultural currency whose sales rival big names like Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish.

    In 2020, South Korea’s black comedy thriller, ‘Parasite’, written and directed by Bong Joon-ho, won a leading four awards at the 92nd Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film, becoming the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

    Now, this September, ‘Squid Game’, the South Korean survival drama series quietly premiered on Netflix and then took off like a rocket ship. With more fans coming on board every day, Bloomberg has reported that the show will bring in $900 million for Netflix (it was produced for 21.4 million). The Korean Wave is going strong and worldwide fans are enjoying the ride.

    It will be interesting to see how some of these trends fare in a post-pandemic world but, at least for now, we have come to value these forms of entertainment just as the devices we access them from – our mobile phones, smart devices, laptops, and PCs.

  • Battlegrounds Mobile India tackles obsessive gaming in new campaign

    Battlegrounds Mobile India tackles obsessive gaming in new campaign

    Mumbai: Online gaming has taken off in a big way in India, becoming a virtual social gathering for gamers and even a collective obsession for many. However, the fun and entertaining activity also has the potential threat of turning into an addiction that could lead to serious long-term effects.

    It is this concern that the South Korean video game developer of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Krafton previously known as PUBG Mobile- a popular multiplayer game title in India, hopes to address through its new campaign ‘Game Responsibly’.

    Conceptualised by DDB Mudra, this is a first-of-its-kind campaign from a major video game developer. As a revamped version of PUBG Mobile, BGMI faced issues with a negative image and negative sentiments, not only among their players but also among the players’ parents and the government. Hence, the primary objective and challenge of the ‘Game Responsibly’ communication, a DDB Mudra spokesperson told Indian Television, was to craft one cohesive message that would speak not only to the gaming audience that loves to play round the clock, but also their friends and family.

    “The goal of this film was to assure the audience that it’s safe to play BGMI by promoting the various efforts taken by Krafton to this end, including a virtual world warning message, OTP-authenticated controls, break-time reminders, three-hour gameplay limits, in-game spend limits, among other,” said the company’s spokesperson. “The measures implemented by BGMI now bring a significant degree of control into the hands of parents. Thereby, the previously annoying behaviours of their gamer children need no longer be a source of incessant disturbance in their lives. This came from the realisation that being able to monitor and exercise a degree of control over their child’s excessive gaming habits would give parents the peace of mind they desire.”

    The newly launched film, directed by Abhinav Pratiman and produced by Amarjeet Phukan from the production house of Early Man Film, tackles the core problem of over-gaming with humour while highlighting BGMI’s in-game parental-control features.

    The films address the physical, mental, and social implications of obsessive gaming, while showcasing the other features that BGMI has built into the game. By educating all the audiences and the gamers themselves with a lighter, relatable, and non-preachy narrative, the campaign shows that there are simple solutions for the obsession.

     “When it comes to a conversation on Responsible Gaming, there’s no real benefit in talking down. People don’t like to be preached to. So, we took a lighter, more relatable approach. And we brought everyone into the conversation: gamers, their families, and their friends. The films are unexpected and fun, but always human,” said DDB Mudra creative head – South Vishnu Srivatsav.

    “We care deeply for our gamers, hence we acted. These changes have been made to ensure responsible gaming practices are adopted by gaming enthusiasts, especially minors. It also asserts the integrity and fairness of our business practices of putting community first. Yes, we aim to offer our best entertainment and experiences to our gamers, but at the same time mental and physical health of our players remains one of our top priorities,” said Krafton- head of Battlegrounds Mobile Division Wooyol Lim.

     To drive the message of responsible gaming further, BGMI plans to reinforce the campaign’s key visuals with in-game billboards and banners. Furthermore, Krafton has launched a microsite that features the campaign and additional content to encourage moderated gaming practices.

  • Battlegrounds Mobile India partners with Flux@TheGlitch to elevate brand presence

    Battlegrounds Mobile India partners with Flux@TheGlitch to elevate brand presence

    Mumbai: Popular mobile video game Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), developed and published by South Korean video game developer Krafton Inc has onboarded Flux@The Glitch, the content wing of The Glitch, a VMLY&R agency to create engaging video content for users.

    The partnership will focus on disruption driven and industry-first ideas to unleash the full potential of the BGMI brand in the Indian market, by bringing new players from various demographics across India, into the BGMI ecosystem. “The goal is to provide information and inspiration driven content based on awareness and engagement, that will help pull the community of both – the advanced gamers as well as the casual gamers into the game,” said the brand in a statement.

    With the increasing availability of smartphones and cheaper data plans, mobile gaming has become one of the fastest growing industries in India.

    “The gaming universe is growing exponentially in India, rallied by a majority of mobile gaming players like Battlegrounds Mobile India. As an avid gamer myself, I am super elated with an opportunity to grow the Battlegrounds community in India. The industry is yet untapped in India, and the promise is that of category first innovation and content,” said Flux creative director and the creative lead on the account Tathagata Ray.

    “More than a game, BGMI is a part of pop culture and we are more than happy to have it as part of our portfolio. We have put together a team of mobile gaming enthusiasts who’d like nothing more than to work on a brand like this,” stated Flux@The Glitch associate VP- strategy & business Varun Anchan. “What makes this even more exciting, is where we are at as a country when it comes to gaming. The Y-O-Y growth of the gaming industry as a whole and of mobile gaming, in particular, is just tremendous.”

    BGMI is a premier, free to play, multiplayer, battle royale game that aims to change the gaming landscape in the country. The mobile gaming industry in India is expected to treble in size over the next four years. Within the first week of the   launch of   Battlegrounds Mobile India in August   this year, Krafton saw nearly 40 million downloads and 16 million Daily Active Users, stated the gaming company.

  • Indian mobile gaming to become a $5bn+ industry by 2025: report

    Indian mobile gaming to become a $5bn+ industry by 2025: report

    Mumbai: The gaming sector in India is growing faster than most media sub-sectors – including cinema and home entertainment, audio and more. The industry is currently generating $1.5 billion revenue and is expected to triple to $5 billion plus by 2025 on the back of the “mobile first” phenomenon, according to a BCG-Sequoia India report.

    The growth has largely been catalysed by better smartphones, increased internet access, popular titles, influencers, and the global pandemic, said the report titled ‘Mobile Gaming: $5B+ Market Opportunity’ released by Sequoia India in partnership with BCG to assess the current mobile gaming market in India, and its prospects for expansion.

    The Consumer Survey conducted by BCG as part of this report gathered insights from 3200+ respondents across 21 locations in India, and investigates gaming habits of the Indian gamer. It probes into the evolution of Indian mobile gaming in terms of genres, engagement, and monetisation dimensions.  

    “The gaming industry in India has seen a growth of almost 40 per cent in 2019-20, more than that of OTT, television and social media platforms. 86 per cent of this market consists of mobile phone users. While there is large dependence on ad revenues today, increasing traction and engagement is expected to drive higher willingness to pay which will drive new ways of user monetization and rising ARPUs in the coming years,” said BCG managing director and senior partner Vikash Jain.

    The report also highlighted how India is emerging as both an investment opportunity and a talent hub for the world.

    “Monetisation of Indian games, which has been a concern in the past, is already at $1.8B revenues ramping up very rapidly. The industry is witnessing a significant investor interest in Indian gaming. In fact, a third of all the funding for gaming in India came in the first quarter of 2021. The rise of gaming platforms is especially exciting, as evidenced by 80 per cent of all funding going to platforms,” said Sequoia India managing director Rajan Anandan, talking about investor sentiment.

    According to BCG managing director and partner Mandeep Kohli the Indian gamer is not defined by their demographic. They are rather defined by their context – their needs, preferences, and gaming habits. “An average player who plays to avoid boredom may spend around one to two hours on games, while a die-hard gamer who plays for the competitive spirit, can spend nearly double the time on gaming while playing the same game or a different game all together. Companies that are able to understand these varied consumers and identify which ones are they really serving are the ones which will lead the market,” Kohli explained.

    The report also highlighted key imperatives that will drive the next wave of growth for this fast-paced industry. These include enhancing the discovery and adoption through casual and free to play games, improving usage and retention by diversifying genres to increase engagement and retention, and effectively driving monetisation through localized pricing strategies, among others.

    “80 per cent+ of the mobile gaming market is driven by user spends, i.e., in-app purchases and real-money games, further catalysed by wide availability of quality smartphones, affordable internet and UPI,” said Sequoia India associate Prachi Pawar.

    It also delved deep into the strategic choices of some of the successful mobile gaming companies in India — Nazara, MPL, Dream11 and Gameskraft. “Being the first movers in their respective segments, some of these companies have helped shape the Indian gaming market. They continue to bet on new growth opportunities and build competitive advantage to stay ahead in this high-stakes game,” said BCG principal Wamika Mimani.

  • India’s gaming market set to become $7 bn in FY2026: RedSeer & Lumikai

    India’s gaming market set to become $7 bn in FY2026: RedSeer & Lumikai

    Mumbai: India’s gaming market is set to grow three times in the next five years and become $ seven billion in FY2026, said Lumikai and Redseer in their latest report – ‘India Gaming Report 2021.’

    While in-app purchases remain the fastest-growing revenue stream of the market with an increasing number of paid users, their growing propensity to pay is driving the growth. According to the report, paid gamers in India are set to touch 235 million in 2025, from 80 million gamers in 2020 which will drive the growth of paid gamers.

    Real-money games are the largest source of revenue for the market, but IAPs will grow faster for the next five years at 30-40 per cent with the rise of paying users in casual and hyper-casual gaming. Further, non-RMG gaming segments are expected to grow faster than the market growth rate, with eSports and streaming are expected to grow at 40-45 per cent CAGR for the next five years.

    “We at Infinix are dedicated to providing the best gaming experience to our customers with our value driven product offerings. To empower gamers and make gaming-focused smartphones available for everyone, even for those from the remotest areas of the nation, we have been focusing on R&D like never before and are constantly trying to improve ourselves with each product that we bring to the market,” stated Infinix CEO Anish Kapoor. “Our indigenous DarLink game-boost technology is just one example of our efforts in this direction. With this partnership, we aim to open doors and give new opportunities to the growing gaming talent in India. We are confident that Indian players will not only win but will also encourage the Indian gaming pool in a global platform like WEC.”

    An average gamer spends $16-a-year on gaming, and it takes around one week to start paying to play games, as per the report.

    Apart from the increasing maturity of gamers and their propensity to pay, gamers are embracing the trend of playing “India-first content” games. Over 60 per cent of gamers are willing to play games with an Indian central theme or characters like from mythology or celebrities, showed the report.

    “This is an exciting time for the gaming ecosystem in India. Access to gaming is democratised with increasing participation from Tier-2 cities and beyond, gamers are maturing in the way they play different gaming genres, and unprecedented growth in new-paying users (NPU) to drive the overall gaming market to become three-times in the next five years,” said RedSeer engagement manager Mukesh Kumar.

    Lumikai Fund general partner Justin Keeling said the inaugural report represents the most in-depth analysis of India’s gaming market ever undertaken, and the goal was to face the core assumptions on the true potential of the market.

    “What has emerged is a picture of the market that already exceeds preconceived notions around size, growth, sophistication, and most importantly propensity to pay. India’s gaming market is due to three times in value to over $ seven billion by 2025, driven by a healthy diversity of monetisation mechanics that indicate plenty of white spaces for new investment, and massive potential for a new generation of leaders across the gaming value chain. We are excited to continue being at the forefront of India’s gaming investment landscape as the market matures and evolves to the next level,” he added.

  • Onmo signs up Lowe Lintas to manage its creative duties globally

    Onmo signs up Lowe Lintas to manage its creative duties globally

    Mumbai: Mobile entertainment company OnMobile Global Ltd has appointed Lowe Lintas Bangalore as the creative agency for Onmo – a mobile cloud-gaming platform. According to a statement, the scope entails creating the positioning, guidelines and assets, designing the creative strategy, and conceiving integrated marketing and advertising campaigns for the brand,

    Onmo aims to redefine the gaming experience by bringing together e-sports, social features, and AI-powered analytics, the company stated. The agency endeavours to build mind space for Onmo in the rapidly growing global gaming market. Lowe Lintas Bangalore is already working on the account and will soon come up with an integrated campaign, it added. 

    “As we embarked on the journey to launch Onmo, our D2C mobile cloud-gaming platform, we were looking to partner with a global, forward-thinking, and consumer-first agency who identified with our passion & understood our vision,” stated OnMobile global director marketing and communications and Onmo global head of marketing Pallavi Nayak. “Lowe Lintas stood true for that and more, and we’re absolutely delighted to partner with them! Looking forward to doing some groundbreaking work together.”

    A Research and Markets Global Gaming Market report forecasts that the global gaming market was worth $167.9 billion in 2020, and is expected to reach $287.1 billion by 2026. Cloud-based gaming will continue to grow its share in the pie, especially as it allows users access to a premium gaming experience even without expensive consoles or devices.

    “The gaming industry has seen steady growth since the mid-80s, but the rise of internet and mobile in the 21st century has really pushed it into top gear. Companies like ONMO, which offer totally fresh and immersive gaming experiences, are going to be at the vanguard of this incredible growth story,” said Lowe Lintas executive director and branch head – South Sonali Khanna. “At Lowe Lintas, we believe bleeding-edge products deserve future-focused strategies, combined with consumer-centric storytelling. To put it in gaming terms, we’ve got itchy trigger fingers as we team up with ONMO to storm the leaderboards!”

  • Nodwin Gaming set to launch Chess Super League

    Nodwin Gaming set to launch Chess Super League

    Mumbai: South Asia-based esports company, Nodwin Gaming is teaming up with chess streamer Samay Raina and chess media company ChessBase India to launch a new online chess league – Chess Super League (CSL). The online esports league is also the first property announced by Nodwin Gaming, an independent subsidiary of Nazara Technologies after the acquisition of the gaming business of OML Entertainment for Rs 73 crores. 

    The first season of the Chess Super League will run between 8-11 pm from 11 to 17 October featuring six top Grandmasters across the globe. It will include the top six players in both men and women categories from India as well as junior categories. The six teams of six players each will give viewers an opportunity to see players come together to battle for a prize pool of a whopping Rs 40 Lakhs.

    The teams will be spearheaded by franchise owners who will support and represent their squad through the Chess Super League. The franchise owners of the debut edition include Tanmay Bhat, Raftaar (Kalamkaar), Zakir Khan, MortaL (S8ul), Biswa Kalyan Rath, and PayTM Insider CEO Shreyas Srinivasan. These franchise owners will act as ambassadors and will be the torchbearers for their teams for the entirety of the league, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

    “Chess Super League is a testimony to the fact that gaming, eSports, and comedy have significant synergies and shall come together in a big way. It is a sampling of many such collaborations between the different forms of gaming entertainment that the world will see,” said Nodwin Gaming MD Akshat Rathee.

    The league will be broadcast on Samay Raina’s YouTube channel and will feature ChessBase India CEO Sagar Shah and Samay as the hosts and commentators. “Indian chess is on the rise and experts all across the world have dubbed India as the next powerhouse in the world of chess. We have many strong players and young talents. This online league will give more exposure and opportunity to Indian players, especially the youngsters,” said ChessBase India founder Sagar Shah.

    The league will see Grandmasters like Ding Liren, Hikaru Nakamura, Anish Giri, Teimour Radjabov, Hou Yifan (the strongest female player in the world), Muzychuk sisters, Nana Dzagnidze, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and others.

  • Zirca appoints Tarun Abhichandani as head of products & solutions

    Zirca appoints Tarun Abhichandani as head of products & solutions

    Mumbai: Zirca Digital Solutions on Wednesday announced the appointment of Tarun Abhichandani as head of products & solutions.

    “Abhichandani will be responsible for bringing the company’s product-centric development and services at the forefront and work with the board to lead new business agenda in India and global markets,” said the statement.

    He is a specialist in media measurement products with a deep understanding of data analytics, consumer behaviour, product development as well as strategic planning and management.

    Before joining Zirca, Abhichandani was with Kantar/IMRB. He led the growth in the research/insights business in the domain of digital media and technology. In leading this growth, he delivered large-scale research projects for digital, media, and telecommunication companies. Previously, Abhichandani started his own business centered on identifying behavioural biases through gaming, getting recognition in multiple avenues for innovation.

    On the new appointment, Zirca’s CEO and director, Neena Dasgupta commented, “We are excited to have Tarun’s experience and leadership as the head of products and solutions. His expertise will drive our new and existing products, transforming businesses as part of our vision at Zirca.”

    On his new role, Abhichandani said, “Zirca offers 360-degree digital solutions and has a bouquet of products which are unique. I am confident to deliver the best to our clients with the support of our team.”

  • Nazara acquires skill gaming platform OpenPlay for Rs 186 cr

    Nazara acquires skill gaming platform OpenPlay for Rs 186 cr

    Mumbai: Nazara Technologies, home-grown diversified gaming and sports media platform has announced that it has acquired 100 per cent stake in Hyderabad-based skill gaming company OpenPlay for a total consideration of Rs 186.4 crores.

    OpenPlay operates a multi-game consumer gaming platform under the “Classic Games” brand which hosts popular skill-based games while following high standards of technology, game fairness, advance player protection, security, AML and advertising standards. It currently has an annualised gross gaming revenue run rate of Rs 80 cr and is operating on EBITDA positive margins.

    Nazara CEO Manish Agarwal said, “The OpenPlay acquisition offers an opportunity for Nazara to build a network of skill gaming destinations operating on one common tech platform under the proven leadership of Sreeram and his team at OpenPlay. Sreeram is a successful entrepreneur globally in online real money gaming and we are excited that he will be leading Nazara’s growth in this sector.”

    OpenPlay is led by Sreeram Reddy Vanga who is a serial entrepreneur in the global online gaming industry. In his previous avatar, he founded and led CozyGames to become the second largest Bingo network in the UK before being acquired. He was also part of the early team at PartyGaming which went IPO on London Stock Exchange in 2005.

    Sreeram Reddy Vanga said, “I’m excited to join the ‘Friends of Nazara Network’ and look forward to working closely with Nazara leadership and the Network to build India’s largest vernacular social gaming and entertainment platform. Our technology complemented by Nazara’s positioning in the gaming industry in India is the perfect combination for this endeavour.”

    The “Friends of Nazara” network comprises established gaming companies in which Nazara holds majority stakes and works actively with existing founders and management teams to rapidly achieve scale. These companies include Nodwin Gaming and Sportskeeda in Esports Next Wave Multimedia, developer of World Cricket Championship (WCC), the largest mobile-based cricket simulation game and Paper Boat Apps, developers of popular gamified early learning app Kiddopia.