ITV

Tag: Saumya Singh Rathore

  • Winzo levels up, takes India’s gaming power play to the US market

    Winzo levels up, takes India’s gaming power play to the US market

    MUMBAI: From Delhi to Dallas, Winzo has just hit its biggest checkpoint yet. India’s largest homegrown digital entertainment platform has officially launched in the United States, levelling up its ambition to export desi gaming tech, IP, and talent to global arenas. The move marks Winzo’s entry into the world’s largest gaming market by revenue, hot on the heels of its Brazilian foray in 2023. That places the company squarely at the crossroads of three of the planet’s top four mobile gaming markets India, Brazil and the US together worth an estimated 65–70 billion dollars with over 20 billion annual game downloads.

    With a 250 million-strong user base back home, Winzo’s ecosystem already spans 100 plus competitive games across esports and social formats in 15 languages, backed by more than 100 tech patents. Among them: its Real-Time Game Engine, GenAI-powered vernacular companion, live streaming stack, one-click integration tech and AI-driven cybersecurity solutions.

    The platform also brings financial muscle via its 50 million dollars Zo Fund, fuelling early-stage tech ventures and creating a pipeline of Indian innovation for global markets. Alongside gaming, Winzo is rolling out Zo TV, its new short-video format, aiming to be a one-stop hub for interactive entertainment.

    “This is a proud milestone for India’s digital entertainment ecosystem,” said co-founders Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda, noting that the expansion represents “Tech Exports 2.0” where Indian developers can finally take culturally resonant games and esports to the most lucrative gaming market in the world.

    While Winzo continues to expand abroad, it is also doubling down on its Indian audience, even as it responsibly rolls back select offerings impacted by regulatory shifts. For the company, the US debut isn’t just a market entry, it’s a statement that India’s gaming story is no longer just local, but truly global.

  • Game for exports Winzo, SEPC join hands to power Made in India gaming

    Game for exports Winzo, SEPC join hands to power Made in India gaming

    MUMBAI: India’s gaming industry just scored a big power-up. The Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and Winzo, the country’s largest social gaming platform, have inked a three-year MoU to catapult “Made in India” games onto the global stage.

    With India already accounting for 20 per cent of the world’s gaming user base and 15.1 per cent of all global app downloads, the partnership is designed to strengthen India’s claim on the 300 billion dollars global gaming market. The sector, which attracted USD 3 billion in FDI over the last five years, is home to 1,888 gaming startups and is projected to grow from 3.7 billion dollars in 2024 to USD 9.1 billion dollars by 2029, clocking a 19.6 per cent CAGR.

    As part of the tie-up, Winzo will showcase Indian developers and their IP at Gamescom, Germany, this month Europe’s largest gaming expo before taking them to other global events. The initiative aims to connect Indian talent with publishers, investors, and industry leaders, opening fresh avenues for international collaboration.

    The MoU also promises to address persistent ecosystem hurdles like startup incubation, funding, monetisation, and talent development, while scaling Winzo’s Bharat Tech Triumph programme, which has previously spotlighted Indian developers at GDC, Gamescom LATAM, and Startup Mahakumbh.

    A cornerstone of the alliance is Winzo’s Global Centre of Excellence (GCoE), set up with DPIIT, to champion Indian gaming IP worldwide. The focus: protecting IP, attracting more FDI, and building a skilling pipeline for developers, influencers, innovators, and students fuelling India’s creator economy and new-age jobs.

    “This initiative will have a profound impact on game developers, empowering them with new opportunities and a global platform,” said SEPC Chairman Karan Rathore. Winzo co-founder Saumya Singh Rathore added, “The socio-economic potential of online gaming can create multifold opportunities for skilling, jobs, and IP exports, supporting India’s journey to a 5 trillion dollars economy.”

    With prime minister Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision as backdrop, this first-of-its-kind national-level collaboration seeks nothing less than securing India’s rightful 20 per cent share of the global gaming industry matching its user strength with export muscle.
     

  • India’s gaming sector poised for explosive growth: Winzo report at GDC, 2025

    India’s gaming sector poised for explosive growth: Winzo report at GDC, 2025

    MUMBAI: India’s online gaming companies are gearing up for a blockbuster debut on public markets that could unlock a whopping $26bn in investor value, according to a report unveiled yesterday at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco.

    The India Gaming Market Report launched by WinZO Games and the Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council (IEIC) at the India Pavilion, offers a tantalising glimpse into the sector’s meteoric rise. Currently worth $3.7bn, the industry is expected to surge at a 19.6 per cent compound annual growth rate to reach $9.1bn by 2029—and a staggering $60bn by 2034.

    “India stands at the cusp of a remarkable transformation in the global gaming ecosystem,” declared San Francisco consul general of India Srikar Reddy at the launch. The report suggests the sector’s public market potential could balloon to $63bn by 2029 if projections hold true.

    The document paints a picture of a market primed for explosive growth. With 591 million gamers—roughly 20 per cent of the global total—and approximately 11.2 billion mobile game downloads, India’s digital playground is expanding rapidly. The country now boasts around 1,900 gaming companies employing 130,000 skilled professionals.
     

    GDC

    Foreign investors are certainly not playing around, having poured $3 billion into the sector. A hefty 85 per cent of this foreign direct investment has flowed into the pay-to-play segment, which has cracked the once-vexing challenge of monetising Indian gaming assets.

    Nazara Technologies, India’s lone publicly listed gaming company, currently commands the highest premium among global gaming stocks. Apply similar multiples to the broader sector, and you get the eye-watering $26bn valuation potential cited in the report.

    “The online gaming industry in India is on an unprecedented growth path,” said WinZO  co-founder Paavan Nanda,  who launched the report alongside co-founder Saumya Singh Rathore. The duo’s company is no small player itself, boasting over 250 million registered users across India and Brazil.

    The report also highlights how Indian gamers overwhelmingly favour casual and hyper-casual games developed in regional languages, heralding what it calls “the renaissance of Indic content ‘Made in India, for the World’.”
    Despite its impressive growth, India’s gaming market currently represents just 1.1 per cent of the $300bn global market—suggesting plenty of room to level up. If projections hold, the user base could swell to 952 million by 2029, creating over two million jobs along the way.

    The report’s launch coincided with the second edition of the India Pavilion at GDC, showcasing games from major players and indie developers alike. The pavilion was a joint effort by WinZO, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the Game Developer’s Association of India, and Nazara Technologies.

    In the game of global tech dominance, India’s gaming industry is clearly playing to win.