Tag: Gaming🎮

WinZO: Revolutionizing Social Gaming with Innovation and Growth

Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations.

The Indian online gaming industry is flourishing with a wide variety of games that are letting young and old indulge in them. Among all other outdoor games including cricket, football, kabaddi, and basketball, India is also witnessing a rise in the popularity of several indoor games like ludo, pool, carrom, free fire, and more, which are also letting the gamers of India rewarded with real cash prizes among a list of other rewards.

The large youth population and the rapid penetration of the internet have made the country really witness a gaming revolution that includes fantasy sports and social gaming platforms over the past decade or so. To name one of the most popular gaming hubs in India is to talk about WinZO. The New Delhi-based social gaming platform is well-known for offering monetary benefits and prizes to players from around the country.

Founded by Paavan Nanda and Saumya Singh Rathore in 2018, WinZO has been ingeniously developed as a vernacular gaming platform to tap into the Indian audiences hailing from Tier 2, 3, and 4 cities.

WinZO offers an array of popular games from PubG to cricket, rummy, and more, which make up an enviable collection of 100+ games that reward users online. Read about WinZO Games, Founders and Team, Business model, Revenue Model, Growth, Funding and Investors, Name, Tagline, Logo, Awards, Challenges, Future Plans, and more.

WinZO – Company Highlights

Startup Name	WinZO
Founders	Paavan Nanda and Saumya Singh Rathore
Founded	2018
Headquarters	New Delhi, Delhi, India
Industry	ESports, Gaming
Website	www.winzogames.com

About WinZO and How it Works?
WinZO – Industry | Target Market Size
WinZO – Founders and team
WinZO – Startup Story | How was WinZO Started?
WinZO – Mission and Vision
WinZO – USP and Innovation
WinZO – Name, Tagline, and Logo
WinZO – Business Model and Revenue Model
WinZO Financials
WinZO – Startup Challenges
WinZO – Funding and Investors
WinZO – Acquisitions
WinZO – Advertisements and Campaigns
WinZO – Advisors and Mentors
WinZO – Recognition and Achievements
WinZO – Future Plans

About WinZO and How it Works?

WinZO is a microtransactions-powered vernacular entertainment platform, which has 100+ games served in 5 formats to users in 10+ regional languages. The diverse game offerings include hyper-casual games such as Candy Crush, Metro Surfer, Carrom, Chess, Ludo, and Pool to Mid-core flagship esports IPs like Free Fire.

WinZO is a member of the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) and FICCI. It is also known as the proud sponsor of Patna Pirates, Gujarat Giants, and Bengal Warriors.

WinZO is built with the idea of emerging as the ‘Netflix of Gaming’- one platform with games to play with your friends. To boost the gaming infrastructure in the country, WinZO partners with individual, mid-size, and large global studios to bring a variety of games to its users on a single platform.

The social gaming startup also helps the developers improve their revenue by providing them with an alternative and a far more efficient model of monetization led by microtransactions rather than conventional in-app purchases and advertisements. The partner developers of WinZO have clocked 100 more revenues from their games on WinZO in India as compared to their distribution channels such as Google Play Store, Apple Store, etc.

In the short term, WinZO aspires to be the preferred platform of choice for both its stakeholders- gamers in Bharat (Tier 2 – Tier 5) and game developers. The company is always innovating and bringing products and features to empower its users and game developers.

Also, their decentralized language management portal has empowered housewives and college-going students by helping them earn up to Rs 30,000 per month, thereby letting them become financially independent. Here, they only needed to help localize their product and add languages, remotely from their homes. For game developers, WinZO has come up with the Developers’ consoles to facilitate their outreach to the company and become more entrepreneurial in game development in light of assured revenue streams of up to 100x.

In the long term, WinZO envisions serving as a one-stop platform for all mobile-first entertainment media in India and other developing markets driven by the power of communities and microtransactions.

The company is empowering all its stakeholders on multiple fronts. The primary problem that WinZO started to solve was the efficient monetization of games in developing economies where in-app purchases and advertisements do not work. Through their microtransaction model, where 200 million+ microtransactions are clocked per month, their partner studios have witnessed growth up to 100X in their revenues. Hence, the model definitely has proved to be effective.

WinZO Products/Services

WinZO is an off-Play Store app, which hosts 70+ casual to mid-core games in 5 formats and 10 Indian regional languages. The games range from rummy, pool, carrom, ludo, call break, bingo, chess, 29 card games, archery game, bubble shooter, and more.

Users here get the thrill of competition and instant gratification. It also ensures the personalization of content to serve users with relevant games based on their engagement patterns on the platform. The company is developing a community of gamers who can engage and compete with each other via features such as WinZO Versus.

To make outreach easier for the developers, they have also launched WinZO Developer Console where any developer can sign up and submit content for integration on the app. The console has garnered massive traction, with over 1,000 games being submitted from across the globe. It also provides real-time analytics related to the game for efficient monitoring of the performance and ensuring transparency. WinZO also offers WinZO store, which brings gaming coupons, Gaana coupons, Nykaa coupons, and more.

WinZO – Industry | Target Market Size

WinZO is in the Indian online gaming industry, which was projected to reach a market size of $60 billion by 2034 in a 2025 report by WinZO and IEIC. WinZO targets a user base of over 250 million registered users in India, with a focus on the “Tier 2-Tier 5” audience in smaller towns and rural areas, alongside its recent expansion into the US and other international markets. The company relied mainly on the Tier 2 cities and beyond to achieve the estimated growth.

This is because when the company scrutinized the market, they were surprised to discover that around 80% of active gamers in India are from non-metro locations. Yes, it was found out that somewhere between 40% and 60% of the overall gamer population of India are from Tier II towns and beyond. All of this helped WinZO scale fast and grow large enough to be one of the most popular gaming companies of today. The company targets the small cities of India, where the gamers’ ages range between 18 and 35 years.

WinZO – Founders and team

WinZO was co-founded by Paavan Nanda and Saumya Singh Rathore.

Paavan Nanda

Paavan is an engineer from NSIT, who later went to IIM-Calcutta and to the Copenhagen Business School. He worked with Bain & Company, Abbott Labs, and Merrill Lynch before co-founding Zostel Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., which emerged with ZO Rooms, an affordable and technology-driven hostel chain. However, ZO Rooms, after a failed merger with OYO, shut down, but it failed to put a halt to the rising entrepreneurial instinct of Nanda, who then co-founded WinZO with Saumya Singh Rathore in 2018.

Saumya Singh Rathore

Saumya is the co-founder of the vernacular social gaming platform, WinZO. She has a Master’s in Psychology from The University of Manchester and eventually obtained a degree in Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society. Saumya had already worked with Paavan Nanda in Zo Rooms before the duo decided to found WinZO.

WinZO, currently, is a tight-knit team of around 40 young, enthusiastic, passionate, and talented people who believe in the company’s vision and hustle together to work on the most advanced cutting-edge technologies and provide the best value to the users. When the team closed its Series A and had 5 Million+ users, it was only a 9-member team.

The work culture at WinZO is as vibrant, customer-focused, and fun as it might be imagined in a gaming venture. The team works hard at exemplary execution speed to push great new exciting features for the users and each small achievement is appreciated and celebrated. Weekly office parties and milestone celebrations also bring extra motivation and energy to the team.

“We at WinZO believe that hiring right is more effective than hiring fast – peer interviews is how you get on with the mission. It is always a great support to have a team which is self-motivated, target driven, accountable and committed to the vision. Hence, we hire the best talent with the right value alignment with the company’s core values.”, said Paavan Nanda, co-founder of WinZO.

Most of our relatively new colleagues have joined us through the recommendations from their friends already working with us as they wanted to be a part of our journey to build the Netflix of Gaming and solve some of the most challenging tech problems of the country – Saumya Singh Rathore, co-founder of WinZO.

WinZO – Startup Story | How was WinZO Started?

WinZO was conceptualized after studying the revolution that affordable smartphones and Reliance Jio had created in India in 2015-16, by providing users from even the remotest corners of the country, with powerful devices and affordable high-speed internet connections. Thanks to this revolution, India became the global leader in in-game downloads.

However, there was clearly a problem of efficient monetization for games in high-potential developing markets that needed to be solved. This marked the journey of WinZO. To validate the concept, WinZO was launched as a subscription-based trivia app to monitor the user acceptance of the model.

Based on the encouraging results of this POC, they launched a micro-transaction powered vernacular hyper-casual gaming platform where users pay small sums of INR 2 – INR 25 to participate in real-time multiplayer games and win prizes from the pool of rewards set aside for them. This model had the elements of regional language, real-time competition, and affordability in consuming content yet paying for it. Together, these made WinZO an instant hit among the users of vernacular Bharat.

WinZO – Mission and Vision

WinZO focuses on competitive multiplayer gaming experiences and is charged with the mission to create a culturally relevant mobile games platform with a broad rate of adoption.

WinZO aims to lead the Indian online gaming ecosystem with an expansive influencer network that is capable of catering to 50+ million registered users of the platform.

WinZO – USP and Innovation

WinZO’s USP has always been its innovative and inclusive approach to solving real-life problems. While the intuitive approach for any gaming company would be to tap the easier metro and tier-1 audience first, WinZO saw and successfully tapped the potential of the real Bharat (Tier 2-Tier 5 towns, rural India) through its deep-down distribution strategy.

To facilitate this, they offer the support of 10+ regional Indian languages on the app. Their vision is to democratize entrepreneurship: They have decentralized language management through their portal to engage women who work from home to get a truly vernacular experience for players in Bharat.

For game developers, WinZO has helped them become more entrepreneurial in game development in light of assured and sustainable revenue streams. As many developers aren’t aware of the intricacies of this complex market, their 80% paying active user base ensures that the games are generating revenue from day 1 at no user acquisition expenses for the developers.

WinZO – Name, Tagline, and Logo

The team took ‘ZO’ from their previous venture ZO Rooms/Zostel. ZO stands for speed & energy – so it’s winning fast! Plus, when they Googled the word, they didn’t find anything, so that solved the SEO hassles with no money spent!

WinZO Logo

WinZO – Business Model and Revenue Model

As per App Annie 2018 Gaming Report, India stood highest in terms of Game downloads – at the same time in the bottom 10 for in-app purchases. The problem that WinZO is addressing is fairly simple: Bharat is in love with Gaming, but the Quality Studios/Independent developers do not see much potential in Bharat.

The WinZO Business Model is simple – Build the Gaming Ecosystem in Bharat. It aims to do that in three ways:

Provide a one-stop Game Developer Console to the Gaming Studios – where it can publish the games and earn revenues out of it.
Charge platform commission fees from all the games and share the revenue with the Game Developers via its Console.
Offer employment opportunities to students and housewives across Bharat to provide content for quizzes via its indigenous portal.

WinZO Financials

WinZO Financials	2024	2023
Operating Revenue	INR 1055 crore	INR 674 crore
Total Expenses	INR 693 crore	INR 564 crore
Profit/Loss	INR 315 crore	INR 126 crore

WinZO – Startup Challenges

The most challenging part that WinZO faced was generating the feeling of trust in the minds of the users, who were seated in the remote areas of Bharat.

“What has worked well for us is – the entire product was on beta for at least six months and we were on stealth mode. We generated lots of insights around how to build trust and the product is designed for the users of Bharat who are from tier 2/3/4 towns. We also decided to be vernacular and be transparent to our users so that it’s easy for them to build trust on the platform.”, said Paavan Nanda.

As a result, they are now available in around 12 Regional Languages and nearly 90% of their audience is from the tier 2/3/4 towns of Bharat.

A significant other challenge is profitability, which the company is yet to gain, as reported last in FY20.

WinZO Copyright Infringement

WinZO has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against gaming giant Mobile Premier League (MPL) because it thinks that the latter has copied its gaming format “World War”. World War is a game launched by WinZO in April 2020, which currently boasts around 80 million registered users. As far as reports, WinZO has already applied for a patent for the invention and copyright registration with regards to the expression of the format and trademark of World War.

It all started when WinZO discovered that MPL has allegedly copied the format and the name of the game. However, it took down the format from its platform as soon as it was informed of the same but the latter again started with “Team Clash”, which allegedly used the same format that was identical to “World War”. Besides, the notifications/popups and more that were sent to the users were also similar. Following the discovery of this new game, WinZO has already sent a legal notice to MPL, who doesn’t want to take down the format this time, as of June 4th 2022 reports.

WinZO – Funding and Investors

The company raised its seed money, an undisclosed amount from K-Start. WinZO has also set up a fund of $1.5 Million to support Game Developers in India. On July 2, 2021, WinZO announced raising an amount of $65 million on a Series C funding round led by California-based Griffin Gaming Partners. The company has raised a total of $110.5 million in its fundraising to date.

Here is the list of WinZO funding rounds:

Date	Stage	Amount	Investor
July 2, 2021	Series C	$65 million	Griffin Gaming Partners
May 3, 2021	Series B	$13 Million	–
April 9, 2021	Debt Financing	$9.5 Million	–
September 3, 2020	Series B	$18 Million	Courtside Ventures, Makers Fund
April 17, 2020	Seed Round	–	–
February 22, 2019	Series A	$5 Million	Hike, Kalaari Capital

WinZO – Acquisitions

WinZO acquired Upskillz Games in its maiden acquisition on June 21, 2022. The deal was an all-cash deal with which a majority stake in Upskillz was acquired by WinZO. Mannit Sidhu founded Upskillz Games in December 2020, which already boasts of having a month-on-month (MoM) growth rate of 75% since it started. Besides, it also had a captive user base of 1.3 mn users, along with blockchain and Web3 offerings, all of which will be added by WinZO now.

Company Name	Date	Deal Value
Upskillz Games	June 21, 2022	–

WinZO – Advertisements and Campaigns

MS Dhoni – Brand Ambassador of WinZO

In 2022, WinZO brought on MS Dhoni as its brand ambassador. Since then, the legendary cricketer has appeared in several of the brand’s ads. According to the company, having MS Dhoni as the face of the brand will boost awareness and engagement within India’s social gaming community, helping to establish social and interactive gaming. Paavan Nanda, co-founder of WinZO, said, “With MS Dhoni, we aim to bring social gaming to people across all ages and genders in this country.”

WinZO has partnered with popular YouTuber Ajey Nagar, commonly referred to as CarryMinati, to serve as its brand ambassador on January 19, 2022. After CarryMinati, WinZO trumps by choosing “BB ki vines” feat, Filmfare recipient digital sensation Bhuvan Bam as its brand ambassador, as the company PR goes dated February 15, 2022. The Vernacular Online Gaming Giant announced that this collaboration with BB will help the company create culturally relevant content that would be relatable even for the persons belonging to the remoter sections of the country.

The Indian content creator from Faridabad, who boasts of having over 34 million subscribers will now be coming up with interesting game-related content that will unique, engaging, and relatable on his streaming channel ‘Carryislive’. Furthermore, he also signed up for another solo integration on his major YouTube channel ‘CarryMinati‘ as part of this relationship. Here’s what WinZO Co-founder Saumya Singh Rathore remarked on this development,

“We are thrilled to have him on board. We collectively hope to further our vision of promoting the spirit of winning and culturally relevant content across Bharat.”

The New Delhi-based interactive social gaming company declared that it will be the official sports brand partner of the Ranveer Singh film ’83’ in December 2021.

India’s largest social gaming and entertainment platform has partnered with the Ogilvy Chairman of Global Creative and Executive Chairman Piyush Pandey to launch its multilingual brand campaign to deliver ‘winning moments’ through a relatable social platform in December 2021.

The campaign that was launched with the tagline and hashtag “Jeetne mein Kick hai” by Leo Burnett Orchard has won a creative mandate for the same, as per reports dated December 2020.

WinZO – Advisors and Mentors

Kalaari is not only an investor but a great partner who is guiding the company all along the way as they are building this for Bharat. It is very important to note that WinZO is Kalaari’s second-largest bet in gaming, second only to Dream11. The team gets to learn a lot from how Harsh managed to build a profitable venture in the Indian Startup ecosystem.

WinZO is fortunate to have had Revant Bhate & Rahul Garg come in very early to push them to build this product with a sharp focus on unit economics. A fund like Kalaari has vast exposure to what works and what doesn’t in the long term. This early understanding would help them to build sustainably.

“We also have received a huge support from Kavin Bharti Mittal who has also backed the venture. Kavin is one of the finest product experts and his insights are always critical in building WinZO as the entertainment destination for Bharat. He has tremendous experience in building and distributing Hike – a home grown tech unicorn.”, said Pavaan Nanda.

WinZO – Recognition and Achievements

WinZO received the following awards and recognitions in the past couple of years since they started their journey:

Startup of the Year – Technology by Entrepreneur India in 2019.
Inc42 Startup Watchlist: Indian Media & Entertainment Startups To Watch Out For In 2020.
SutraHR – “100” Top Startups in India in 2020.
Businessworld Techtors 2020.

WinZO – Future Plans

Digital entertainment platform WinZO has announced its official launch in the US, expanding its international footprint.

“The launch of WinZO in the US is a proud milestone for us and for India’s digital entertainment ecosystem. Our vision has always been to empower Indian game developers to reach global audiences. Entering the US, the world’s largest and most influential gaming market, is a decisive step towards that mission,” said Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda, cofounders of WinZO.

The company also announced the launch of ZO TV, a short-video platform. “This further diversifies our content offerings and strengthens WinZO’s position as a global hub and one-stop destination for interactive entertainment,” Rathore added. WinZO’s expansion into the US is a critical part of its strategy to become the global go-to consumer technology platform for all new-age content consumption, the company said. After diversifying its formats and monetisation strategies, WinZO is now leapfrogging into geographical expansion.

FAQs

What is WinZO?

WinZO can be described as one of India’s largest social gaming and entertainment platform that was launched in 2018. WinZO offers its platform to third-party game developers who can host their games and earn up to 100X in revenue.

Is WinZO a Chinese app?

No, WinZO App is an Indian App headquartered in New Delhi, India.

What is WinZO launch date?

WinZO was launched in 2018.

Is WinZO App legal?

Yes, WinZO was founded in 2018 and is a 100% legal and genuine gaming platform that operates in most of the states in India. It is in fact counted to be one of India’s best gaming apps in the social category.

Who is the owner of WinZO?

Paavan Nanda and Saumya Singh Rathore are the Founders of WinZO.

Who is the CEO of WinZO?

Paavan Nanda is the Co-founder and CEO of WinZO.

How does WinZO make money?

WinZO makes money through in-app purchases, advertising, and partnerships with game developers and brands. Players spend money on virtual goods, while ads and brand collaborations generate additional revenue.

Is WinZO app safe?

Yes, the WinZO app is generally considered safe. The platform collaborates with the security community to ensure its services and data are protected. However, as with any app, it’s important to download it from trusted sources like Google Play or the App Store and follow security best practices.

Is WinZO gold real or fake?

WinZO is certified for Real Money Gaming, meaning it meets strict regulatory standards for financial transactions. This certification guarantees that all monetary activities on the platform, such as deposits and withdrawals, are secure and transparent.

August 28, 2025

Meta Levels Up Indian Gaming with New Accelerator and VC Backing

The game industry in India is expanding quickly, and Mark Zuckerberg’s company Meta is interested in joining.

The multibillion-dollar software company, in collaboration with four top venture capital funds—Bitkraft Ventures, Kalaari Capital, Lumikai Fund, and Elevation Capital—launched Meta Gaming Accelerator earlier this week, an incubator designed to assist small and medium gaming companies.

The goal is to first assist 20 to 30 up-and-coming Indian creators and studios by providing them with strategic direction in the areas of AI-led game creation, cross-border scaling, user acquisition, and monetisation.

Arun Srinivas, Managing Director and Head, Meta (India), stated that although the Indian gaming community is a hive of creativity and invention, “we must close the gap between talent and opportunity in order to realise its full potential.”

Meta to Assist Creator in Infusing AI Tools

Additionally, Meta will prioritise assisting Indian creators in incorporating its AI tools—such as Llama—into their game development and optimisation procedures.

According to Anuj Tandon, Partner at BITKRAFT Ventures, there is a significant need for the ecosystem to unite and support small and medium-sized gaming businesses in developing gaming markets like India.

Given that gaming is a potent catalyst for both cultural expression and commercial opportunity, Meta claims that its Gaming Accelerator expands on the company’s ongoing investments in fostering and expanding India’s digital economy.

The goal of Meta’s Gaming Accelerator programme is to assist up-and-coming game studios and developers. It will give them the tools they need to expand internationally, improve their games, and build their businesses.

The programme includes a variety of features, including ad monetisation and platform integration (Meta Ads, Audience Network), player acquisition and campaign optimisation strategies, and Llama and AI seminars for game design, personalisation, and storytelling.

India Second Largest Market for Gaming

India has the largest mobile gaming market and the second-largest gaming market overall. With 520 million users—second only to China—and 1,888 gaming startups, the nation is home to more than 130,000 highly qualified gaming specialists.

It is responsible for 15.1% of gaming app downloads and 20% of all gaming users worldwide. But because of inexpensive internet, India has solidified its position as the world’s largest mobile game market, with 8.45 billion downloads in FY25, according to the most recent report from Sensor Tower.

India is one of the biggest gaming markets, but it has poor revenue due to a number of structural problems of its own. These include insufficient cultural validation, a fragmented consumer base, minimal monetisation per user, and a lack of deep capital for gaming intellectual property.

For instance, in-app purchase (IAP) revenue in India is only a little over $400 million, which is low when compared to more developed economies, even though downloads are still high there.

June 24, 2025

MPL- How is it Dominating the E-Sports Space in India?

Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organisations.

As per a KPMG report published in 2019, over 300 million people in India play online games. Though online real-money gaming entered India just a decade ago, it has become quite popular among the Indians the primary reason being that the players can earn money and rewards while playing games. There are over 100 companies operating in the real-money gaming sector in India, and one of the most popular platforms for real-money gaming is MPL (Mobile Premier League). Founded in 2018, MPL is India’s largest mobile e-sports platform. Sai Srinivas Kiran G and Shubham Malhotra founded MPL.

MPL was last valued at $2.45 billion and is hailed as the 26th unicorn startup of 2021, and the second Indian unicorn online gaming startup to cross the 1 billion dollar mark, as of October 2021.

This post takes a deep dive into MPL’s success story, founders, history, business model, valuation, revenue, funding, founders, competitors, growth, logo, and much more.

MPL Company Highlights

Startup Name	Mobile Premier League (MPL)
Headquarters	Bengaluru
Founders	Sai Srinivas Kiran G and Shubham Malhotra
Sector	E-Sports and Gaming
Founded	2018
Parent Organization	Galactus Funware Technology Private Limited
Valuation	$2.19 billion (as of December 2024)
Website	mpl.live

About MPL
MPL – Industry
MPL – Founders/Owners and Team
MPL – Name, Tagline, and Logo
MPL – Business and Revenue Model
MPL – Growth and Revenue
MPL – Financials
MPL – Partnerships
MPL – Funding and Investors
MPL – Shareholders
MPL – Acquisitions
MPL – Investments
MPL – ESOPs
MPL – Awards and Recognitions
MPL – LayOffs
MPL – Challenges
MPL – Competitors
MPL – Future Plans

About MPL

Mobile Premier League, or MPL, is an online gaming platform based out of Bengaluru, India. Sai Srinivas Kiran G and Shubham Malhotra are the founders of the company. MPL provides an abundant pool of games such as chess, quiz, fantasy sports, free fire, rummy, 8 ball 3D pool, carrom, ludo, and more. The Mobile Premier League games are distributed into categories like fantasy sports, card games, puzzle games, arcade games, action games, and more

The company renders real cash rewards to those who win in these online games. With various offers that float on the platform and 24/7 support from the MPL team, mobile game lovers are inclined towards MPL. Mobile Premier League also provides the option of connecting with friends and offers a bonus for referring others to play on MPL. The Indian e-gaming platform has more than 60 online games, which can be accessed via its mobile application that is compatible with both Android and iOS phones.

Founded in September 2018, MPL company has seen rapid growth and is currently serving over 90 million users in India.

MPL – Industry

The market of online fantasy games in India is expanding tremendously – over 100 million users in India joined numerous fantasy gaming platforms in 2020 alone. These online fantasy gaming platforms like MPL have been currently engaging 14% of all smartphone users in the country. The revenues from online gaming in India jumped 3X in a year and were last recorded at INR 16,428 crore in 2023.

The fantasy sports market in India is expected to grow at a rate of 20.88% from FY2024 to FY2031. It is projected to increase from USD 751 million in FY2023 to USD 3423.54 million by FY2031. The market has been growing fast in recent years and is expected to continue expanding strongly. Needless to say, MPL also has a huge opportunity in this market in the upcoming years in India.

Galactus Funware Technology Private Limited is the parent company of MPL. Galactus Funware Technology Private Limited is a private company incorporated on May 22, 2018. It is classified as a ‘subsidiary of the foreign company’ and is registered at the Registrar of Companies, Bangalore. Galactus Funware Technology offers a wide range of game applications, tournaments, cash rewards, and other related services.

Galactus Funware Technology Private Limited is currently focusing on Mobile Premier League, which is currently operating as a digital gaming platform.

MPL – Founders/Owners and Team

MPL was founded by Sai Srinivas Kiran G and Shubham Malhotra in September 2018.

Shubham Malhotra and Sai Srinivas Kiran (Founders of MPL)

Prior to MPL, Sai and Shubham co-founded CREO (a technology company) in 2014. CREO was acquired by Hike Messenger in 2017.

Sai Srinivas Kiran G (Co-Founder and CEO)

MPL CEO Sai Srinivas did his B.Tech from IIT Kanpur in Aeronautical Engineering. Soon after completing his graduation, he started working at a gaming firm, Zynga, where he was an Associate Product Manager. He then joined BSB – Bharti Softbank as the Director of Product, leaving which, he co-founded CREO Tech, where he was also appointed as the CEO. However, CREO was soon acquired by Hike Messenger, where he later served as the Head of Total. Srinivas then decided to venture into the mobile e-sports sector, when he co-founded MPL. Sai also co-founded Base9, a company that organized and promoted live events across India in 2009.

Shubham Malhotra (Co-Founder)

MPL co-founder Shubham Malhotra did his BE in Electronics and Instrumentation from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science(BITS), Pilani. He initially worked as the Co-founder and CTO of Capillary Technologies, a technology service provider, before moving on to co-found CREO, where he again served as the Co-founder and CTO. He continued to stay with Hike Messenger as the Head of Engineering at Total by Hike even after it acquired CREO. Shubham then decided to found MPL with his CREO co-founder, Sai Srinivas.

MPL amended its reward policy for employees and made it a reward for teams. This all-new reward system for teams, which it has introduced, will reward teams for their performance and targets achieved instead of rewarding employees, as per June 20, 2022. In terms of its employee salaries, MPL has merged the fixed and variable components of their salaries.

MPL – Name, Tagline, and Logo

The name ‘Mobile Premier League’ depicts the finest collection of games that can be accessed through mobile phones. The tagline of MPL was initially ‘Play.Compete.Win’. MPL now uses ‘Game Khelo Hero Bano’ as its tagline.

MPL Logo

MPL – Business and Revenue Model

MPL’s business model revolves around the app that it offers its users. There are several ways in which MPL makes money. It collects an entry fee from the players whenever they want to participate in any game. When the company holds tournaments, it receives 20% of the total money raised from the participating players as a hosting fee. MPL’s gaming apps also make money through advertisements and in-app purchases. MPL’s business model has aided in its success.

“We already have multiple different forms of monetization that we are looking at, and are working for us. However, we are looking at one of these becoming a long-term source of monetization, while keeping the high level of engagement,” says Sai Srinivas Kiran, Co-founder of MPL, commenting on the monetization plans of the company.

MPL – Growth and Revenue

MPL boasts of having more than 90 million users in India alone and 60+ games. The company is a member of AIGF (All India Gaming Federation), FICCI, IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India), and TRF (The Rummy Federation).

Some other growth highlights of MPL are as follows:

MPL signed up as the ‘official sponsor’ for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on August 26, 2020.
In March 2019, Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli became MPL’s brand ambassador.
MPL is currently trusted by 9 Crore+ Indians

Mayhem Studios

Mayhem Studios is launched by MPL in May 2022 to develop ‘AAA’ mobile games for domestic and global markets. ESports along with MPL launched this gaming studio, which revealed its first gaming title called “Underworld Gang Wars”.

MPL – Financials

MPL Financials	FY23	FY24
Total Operating Revenue	INR 873.7 cr	INR 1,068 cr
Total Expenses	INR 1,365.7 cr	INR 1,393.2 cr
Profit/Loss	Loss of INR 309.3 cr	Loss of INR 374.9 cr

Operating revenue for MPL India surged 22.2% to INR 1,068 crore in FY24 from INR 873.7 crore in FY23. The business backed by Peak XV Partners increased its total expenses by 2% to INR 1,393.2 crore. Their losses all saw an increase from INR 309.3 crore in FY23 to INR 374.9 crore in FY24.

MPL – Partnerships

Here is a list of the prominent MPL partnerships:

Mobile Premier League, a leading eSports and gaming platform, has partnered with GameDuell to expand its presence in global markets.
MPL partnered with the hyper-casual developers and publishers, Voodoo to launch Helix Jump and Color Road
The company partnered with Prime Focus Technologies for content creation
MPL has already partnered with BCCI as the kit sponsor and official merchandise partner
MPL has partnered with the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) as the sponsor of the Indian team
MPL has collaborated with established as well as independent game developers from across India

MPL – Funding and Investors

MPL’s total funding stands at $375.5 million. The last round that the company raised was the Series E funding round worth $150 mn, dated September 15, 2021, and was led by Legatum.

In the Series D round held in February 2021, MPL raised funding of $95 million. The round was led by Composite Capital and Moore Strategic Ventures and funding participation was also seen from Base Partners, RTP Global, SIG, Go-Ventures, Telstra Ventures, Founders circle and Play Ventures. The round before that was the Series C round held on September 21, 2020, where MPL raised $90 million from SIG, RTP Global, MDI Ventures, and Pegasus Tech Ventures. MPL’s existing investors, Sequoia Capital India, Go-Ventures, and Base Partners also participated in the round.

The company’s valuation stands at $2.19 billion, as of December 2024.

Date	Stage	Amount	Lead Investors
September 15, 2021	Series E	$150 million	Legatum
February 4, 2021	Series D	$95 million	Composite Capital and Moore Strategic Ventures, RTP Global, SIG, Go-Ventures, Telstra Ventures, Founders circle and Play Ventures
September 21, 2020	Series C	$90 million	SIG, RTP Global, MDI Ventures, Pegasus Tech Ventures
April 24, 2019	Series A	$35.5 million	Sequoia Capital India, BEENEXT, RTP Global, Venture Highway, Times Internet
November 8, 2018	Seed Round	$5 million	Sequoia Capital

MPL – Shareholders

MPL shareholding as of August 2023 (source: Tracxn):

MPL Shareholders	Percentage
Sai Srinivas Kiran Garimella	11.6%
Base Partners	2.3%
Sequoia Capital	21.7%
SIG	10.5%
VGames	7.2%
MDI Ventures	3.7%
RTP Global	3.3%
Gojek	1.6%
Angel	11.7%
ESOP Pool	11.2%
Others	15.2%

MPL – Acquisitions

MPL has acquired 3 companies to date. GameDuell, the German Game Studio, was the last company acquired by MPL on February 28, 2022. This acquisition will help MPL, one of the most renowned esports and skill gaming platforms, to extend its operations across international markets. MPL is currently present in Europe, Asia, and North America. Here the partnership with GameDuell, the Berlin-based game studio that is the global pioneer in community card and board games, will help MPL get extensive experience in developing multiplayer games like action arcade, board, and puzzle games.

Mobile Premier League previously acquired GamingMonk and Crevise Technologies.

Companies Acquired	Date	Deal Value
GameDuell	February 28, 2022	–
GamingMonk	April 20, 2021	–
Crevise Technologies	May 8, 2019	–

MPL – Investments

MPL has invested in 1 company to date, which goes by the name IndiGG.

Date	Company	Funding Round	Deal Value	Lead Investor
January 19, 2022	IndiGG	Seed Round	$6 mn	–

MPL – ESOPs

MPL announced an ESOP buyback plan in September 2020, which was worth $3.2 mn for its employees, during the Series C round of funding. The company raised $500,000 from its existing employees in January 2021 under its Employee Investment Plan, where 10% of the MPL employees reportedly participated.

MPL made a few changes to its ESOP as well as its employee pay structure, as reported on June 20, 2022. In its ESOP part, MPL has reduced its ESOP vesting period, from a few years to some months. The company further mentioned that previously its employees were granted ESOPs at the end of a cliff period, which was after the completion of a year. At the conclusion of this cliff period, the employees of MPL got the first batch of ESOPs, and it was only in the next year that the company granted them the next batch of ESOPs. This policy was amended and made into one such structure where the employees can vest ESOPs immediately. Also, the updated ESOP policy of MPL has widened the period of availing ESOPs for employees who are exiting the company. While the previous policy allowed the parting employees to avail of their ESOPs for 30 days, now MPL will allow them an allowance of 10 years time from the vesting date.

MPL – Awards and Recognitions

Some of the major awards and recognitions received by MPL to date are:

MPL was recognized as the ‘Best Fantasy Sports Operator’ in the year 2019 by the India Gaming Awards.
The company replaced Nike to become the official kit sponsor and the merchandise partner of both the national men’s and women’s sides as well as the U-19 team, as announced by the BCCI (the Board of Control for Cricket in India)
MPL won the India CSR Leadership Award in 2021
Mobile Premier League is known as India’s second gaming unicorn
With over 60 games, Mobile Premier League (MPL) is currently India’s largest eSports and mobile gaming platform

MPL – LayOffs

MPL laid off around 100 employees on May 30, 2022. This way the company parted with 10% of its workforce. The number of people impacted can also be higher, as per the reports from sources on request for anonymity. However, it is also known that the employees affected by this layoff will receive complete severance along with other benefits.

Besides, the employees who held ESOPs in the company will also have an option to hold on to their ESOPs for the upcoming decade. Numerous Indian late-stage startups from various industries have already laid off their employees, like Meesho, CarDekho, Ola, Unacademy, mFine, Vedantu, etc., but the challenges that the Indian startups are facing become prominent when real gaming startups like MPL also had to lay off their employees. FrontRow, on the same day, laid off 30% of its workforce.

Though many startups like the ones mentioned above have performed their own layoffs, the gaming industry surely had better money-making luck. It is important to note that two of the top ten profitable companies among the unicorn companies of India that have successfully kept their valuations intact in the past few weeks are Games 24×7 and Dream11.

MPL (Mobile Premier League), following the decision by the GST Council to maintain a 28% tax on online real-money games, has taken the unfortunate step of laying off 350 employees in August 2023.

“Last week, it was confirmed that a 28% GST will be levied on the full deposit value rather than on Gross Gaming Revenue. The new rules will increase our tax burden by as much as 350-400%. As a business, we can prepare for a 50% or even 100%increase, but adjusting to a sudden increase of this magnitude means we need to make some very tough decisions,” In an email addressed to the company’s employees, Srinivas, the founder and CEO of MPL, conveyed his message.

MPL – Challenges

Throughout the years since its launch, MPL has undergone numerous challenges. Establishing itself in the competitive industry of online and fantasy gaming is an unbelievable feat in itself, and it challenges the company continually.

Rollbacks

Along with announcing the 10% workforce layoff, MPL has also announced the rollback of its Indonesia operations. MPL has also stated that it will be doing away with the streaming product on its MPL app.

Karnataka banned MPL and other Online Fantasy Games

Mobile Premier League, Paytm First Games, and RummyCircle-like mobile gaming platforms that deal with real money had to suspend their services in Karnataka following the enactment of the state legislation that prohibited money wagering and betting in online games on October 5, 2021.

Apps like MPL and others were previously ruled as “games of skill” by one too many courts of India. However, this law, which is declared as a part of an amendment of the Karnataka Police Act, was enacted to ban all forms of online gambling and betting platforms. The offenders of the law, as announced on Tuesday, will henceforth be subjected to a maximum imprisonment of 3 years or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.

Soon after the law came into effect, MPL’s services were suspended in Karnataka on Wednesday, where the users of MPL are now greeted with the message, “Sorry! The law in your state does not permit you to play Fantasy sports” if they open the app. Though RummyCircle and Nazara’s HalaPlay had also updated their respective messages to inform their users regarding the ban of their services in the state, Dream11 still ran smoothly on October 6th, and it is still unclear whether they too have suspended their services.

MPL – Competitors

Dream11
Cricnwin
LXG
NODWIN Gaming
FanFight

Mobile Premier League Following the decision by the GST Council to maintain a 28% tax on online real-money games, the company has taken the unfortunate step of laying off 350 employees in August 2023.

Srinivas explained that the firm’s major variable costs encompass people, servers, and office infrastructure. He emphasised that in order to ensure survival and maintain business viability, it is imperative to reduce these expenditures.

“Last week, it was confirmed that a 28% GST will be levied on the full deposit value rather than on Gross Gaming Revenue. The new rules will increase our tax burden by as much as 350-400%. As a business, we can prepare for a 50% or even 100% increase, but adjusting to a sudden increase of this magnitude means we need to make some very tough decisions,” In an email addressed to the company’s employees, Srinivas, the founder and CEO of MPL, conveyed his message.

MPL – Future Plans

MPL plans to grow by attracting more users and expanding into new markets. They will add more popular games to attract a wider audience and improve the platform to make it easier to use and more fun to play. They want to build a strong gaming community where players can learn and compete. To go global, they plan to enter new markets and partner with local organizers for events. MPL will also work with game developers to improve the platform and collaborate with sponsors to grow the business. They will invest in research to create new gaming experiences and stay updated with gaming trends.

FAQs

Who is MPL founder?

Galactus Funware Technology Pvt Ltd. is the parent company of MPL. MPL was co-founded by Sai Srinivas Kiran and Shubham Malhotra.

Who is the CEO of MPL?

Sai Srinivas Kiran G is the co-founder and CEO of MPL.

MPL is which country’s app?

Mobile Premier League (also known as MPL) is a mobile e-sports platform based in India. The unicorn startup is headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka.

What is MPL business model?

MPL’s business model is based on real-money gaming, where users pay entry fees to participate in tournaments. It earns through in-app purchases, ads, and partnerships with game developers and sponsors.

How does MPL make money?

MPL makes money through entry fees for tournaments, in-app purchases, ads, and partnerships with game developers and sponsors.

Who is MPL Parent Company?

Galactus Funware Technology Pvt. Ltd. is a private company incorporated on 22 May 2018. It is classified as a ‘subsidiary of foreign company’ and is registered at the Registrar of Companies, Bangalore.

When was the Mobile Premier League founded?

The Mobile Premier League was founded in 2018.

How much money does MPL give?

For a simple game on MPL, the average entry fee is around INR 15 and you can win around INR 200 from it. You can also earn money by referring MPL’s games to your friends.

Is MPL App legal?

MPL app is an e-sports platform and has always been legal in India. However, according to the recent enactment of the state legislation, which banned money wagering and betting, online fantasy gaming apps like MPL, Paytm First Games, RummyCircle, and more was illegalized in the Indian state of Karnataka, as reported on October 5, 2021.

Is MPL KYC Safe?

MPL is certified by Master Card and Visa as a secure platform.

What are the Mobile Premier League games?

The Mobile Premier League games can be categorised into fantasy sports, card games, arcade games, action games and more.

What is MPL valuation?

MPL was valued at $2.3 billion in 2021.

What is MPL launch date?

MPL was founded in 2018.

February 24, 2025

Top 10 Gaming Startups in India | Best Indian Gaming Companies in 2023
The digital revolution has fueled the gaming industry of India tremendously, transforming the nation into a bustling hub for game development and innovation. It was further pushed by the startup culture in which the Indian business world itself thrived. By 2019, the number of people who play online games in India crossed 300 million and it is increasing over the years.

It is expected that by 2025 global gaming market is expected to exceed $256.97 billion. As the internet became cheaper and widely accessible, the number of online gamers increased. A large number of gamers from tier 1 and tier 2 cities were added to it.

Driven by the exponential growth of internet users, increased smartphone penetration, and the rise of esports, the gaming landscape in India has evolved into an enchanting realm of opportunities for both players and entrepreneurs.

As the industry continues to gain momentum, a new generation of visionary startups has emerged, reshaping the gaming landscape and captivating the hearts of millions of gamers across the nation. From mobile gaming sensations to cutting-edge virtual reality experiences, these gaming startups have demonstrated their mettle in the highly competitive arena, setting new benchmarks for creativity, technology, and user engagement.

In this blog, we’ll delve into the captivating narratives of trailblazers who dared to dream big and turned their passion for gaming into thriving ventures. So buckle up, and let’s dive into the exhilarating world of the top gaming startups in India!

Top Gaming Startups in India
Revenue Earnings by Indian Gaming Companies

Dream11

Website www.dream11.com

Headquarters Mumbai, Maharashtra

Founders Harsh Jain, Bhavit Sheth

Founded 2008

Dream 11 – Top gaming startups in India

Established in 2008, Dream11 stands as one of top gaming startups in India, revolutionizing the gaming landscape by introducing sports enthusiasts to a thrilling world of fantasy sports. Catering to a wide array of sports, including cricket, kabaddi, football, basketball, and hockey, the platform has garnered immense popularity among fans looking to immerse themselves in their favorite games.

Dream11 achieved an extraordinary milestone in 2019 by becoming the first gaming startup to attain unicorn status. In a monumental move, Dream11 secured the coveted title sponsorship for the prestigious Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in August 2020. Since its inception, this gaming giant has set unprecedented milestones, establishing itself as the pinnacle of success and influence in India’s gaming landscape.

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Nazara Technologies

Website www.nazara.com

Headquarters Mumbai, Maharashtra

Founders Nitish Mittersain

Founded 1999

Nazara Technologies – Indian gaming company

Founded in 2000, Nazara Technologies has emerged as a leading force in India’s gaming industry, making significant strides in transforming the gaming landscape across the nation. With an unwavering commitment to innovation and a deep understanding of the Indian gaming market, Nazara has captivated the hearts of millions, redefining how players experience and engage with digital entertainment.

It is boasting diverse segments such as subscription, freemium, e-sports, and skill-based gaming. With a global reach spanning over 64 countries, the company has been on a steady trajectory of growth, continuously expanding its influence and services worldwide. Over the years, the company has successfully acquired several prominent entities like NODWIN Gaming and Sportskeeda, solidifying its position as a key player in the gaming ecosystem and broadening its offerings to cater to a vast array of gaming enthusiasts. Today, Nazara Technologies stands tall with an impressive user base of over 100 million, a testament to the immersive and engaging gaming experiences it delivers to players worldwide.

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Paytm First Games

Website www.firstgames.in

Headquarters Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Founders Vijay Shekhar Sharma

Founded 2018

Paytm First Games – Top gaming startups in India

Paytm First Games, a dynamic venture by Paytm, one of India’s leading digital payment platforms, has taken the nation by storm with its captivating and rewarding gaming experience. Launched as a part of Paytm’s ecosystem, this innovative platform brings together entertainment and gaming, offering players an opportunity to indulge in a diverse array of games while earning exciting rewards.

Since its inception, Paytm First Games has emerged as a prominent player in India’s gaming industry, catering to an extensive user base with a wide variety of gaming options. From casual games to esports tournaments, the platform offers something for every gaming enthusiast, making it an all-encompassing destination for players of all ages and interests.

It caters to a wide variety of games and has over 45 million players on board. From their launch in 2018, today they have reached their zenith as e-gaming witnesses its boom in the industry.

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Games2Win

Website www.games2winmedia.com

Headquarters Mumbai, Maharashtra

Founders Alok Kejriwal and Mahesh Khambadkone

Founded 2005

Games2Win – Top gaming startups in India

Since its inception, Games2Win has remained at the forefront of India’s gaming revolution, captivating players worldwide with its innovative and engaging offerings. Established in 2005 by Alok Kejriwal and Mahesh Khambadkone, this dynamic gaming company has become synonymous with top-notch gaming experiences, entertaining millions across the globe. From casual and arcade-style games to simulation and sports titles, the platform caters to a broad spectrum of gaming enthusiasts, ensuring there’s something for everyone.

They offer ads and social networks for games apart from being a traditional gaming platform. They have over 15 million users every month. Their games are available across Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon.

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Moonfrog Labs

Website www.moonfroglabs.com

Headquarters Bangalore, Karnataka

Founders Tanay Tayal, Kumar Puspesh, and Ankit Jain

Founded 2013

Moonfrog Labs – Top gaming startups in India

Moonfrog Labs, an online gaming startup, came into being through the collective efforts of a close-knit group of friends who were once colleagues back in 2013. Their passion and perseverance fueled the creation of a card-based game called “Teen Patti Gold,” which garnered instant acclaim, amassing an impressive 20 million downloads right from its inception.

Building upon this early success, Moonfrog Labs continued to push the boundaries of gaming innovation. Introducing a game centered around the beloved Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt, they marked India’s first-ever narrative adventure gaming experience.

They further expanded their creative repertoire, introducing India’s first war strategy game, inspired by the blockbuster movie “Baahubali.” This strategic masterpiece took players on a thrilling journey through epic battles and commanding armies, allowing them to relive the grandeur of the beloved film. With each new venture, Moonfrog Labs solidified its reputation as an innovative and trendsetting force within the gaming industry.

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99 Games

Website www.99games.in

Headquarters Udupi, Karnataka

Founders Rohith Bhat

Founded 2006

99 Games – Top gaming startups in India

99 Games is a Udupi-based game company that was launched in 2008 by Rohit Bhat. Their first game Wordsworth became a hit with more than 1 million downloads among Apple users. From developing casual games for iOS, today they have expanded to Windows and Android.

In 2013, they came across a great opportunity to develop a game based on a Bollywood movie – Dhoom 3. The success it garnered opened numerous opportunities for 99Games. They subsequently developed 20 more such games. Two of them were based on movies like Fan and Sultan.

Octro

Website www.octro.com

Headquarters New Delhi

Founders Saurabh Agarwal

Founded 2006

Octro – Top gaming startups in India

Octro has emerged as a trailblazing force in India’s gaming industry, captivating players with its innovative and immersive gaming experiences. The mastermind behind the famous games Indian Rummy and Tambola House was launched in the year 2006. They introduced the concept of productivity along with gaming in India. Their games are available in various forms and are tailor-made to fit both mobile phones and tablets. Hailing from Delhi, this gaming company’s innovative approach caught the attention of industry giants, and in 2014, they secured an impressive $15 million in funding from Sequoia Capital.

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JetSynthesys

Website www.jetsynthesys.com

Headquarters Pune, Maharashtra

Founders Rajan Navani

Founded 2014

JetSynthesys – Top gaming startups in India

Established in 2014 by Rajan Navani, JetSynthesys is a prominent game development company, operating under the umbrella of the esteemed Jet Line Group. With a diversified presence in fields like fintech and digital media, the Jet Line Group has earned a reputable brand status across various industries.

JetSynthesys is hailed as a pioneer in the realm of celebrity-based gaming experiences, where they have left an indelible mark. Among their remarkable portfolio, standouts include games like “Sachin Saga Cricket Champions,” “Being Salman,” and “Bajrangi Bhaijaan.” These celebrity-inspired titles have successfully captivated players, offering an immersive and unique gaming journey.

The company has ventured into newer avenues of gaming, including the realm of virtual reality (VR) games. Demonstrating their pioneering spirit, they have already unveiled the VR version of their acclaimed “Sachin Saga Cricket Champions” game, further enriching the gaming experience for players.

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Hashcube

Website www.hashcube.com

Headquarters Bangalore, Karnataka

Founders Ramprasad Rajendran and Deepan Chakravarthy

Founded 2008

Hashcube – Top gaming startups in India

From being a simple website that lets users play sudoku online, Hashcube has developed into one of the top gaming startups in India. Co-founded by Deepan Chakravarthy and Ramprasad Rajendra in 2008, the company’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable.

Today, Hashcube boasts an impressive range of games, accessible through the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, or Facebook, catering to a diverse audience. Among their standout creations are engaging titles such as “Sudoku Quest,” “Gummy Pop,” and “DotGame.” However, it is their “Sudoku Quest” that has garnered widespread acclaim, resonating with over 2 million players, making it one of the most popular game sensations to emerge from India.

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Mech Mocha

Website www.mechmocha.com

Headquarters Bangalore, Karnataka

Founders Arpita Kapoor and Mohit Rangaraju

Founded 2015

Mech Mocha – Top gaming startups in India

Mech Mocha was founded by Arpita Kapoor and Mohit Rangaraju in 2015. Their aim was to make gaming accessible and comprehensible in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

They have a variety of games like Ludo, carrom, cricket and knife rain to their credit. They have created a vernacular gaming platform for their users. Their mobile app is called Hello Play. Their growth has been so commendable that they have attracted investors like Accel, Blume Ventures, Shuwei Capital etc. The Indian Gaming startup was acquired by Flipkart in 2020.

Other Indian Gaming Startups

Some other gaming startups in India are:
- PlaySimple Games
- Rolocule
- Zapak
- Deftouch
- Gameberry Labs
Conclusion

As we conclude our exploration of the top gaming startups in India, one thing becomes abundantly clear – the gaming industry in the country is thriving, and its potential knows no bounds. These visionary startups have harnessed the power of technology, creativity, and passion to craft exceptional gaming experiences that have resonated with players worldwide. Embrace the gaming revolution, and let the joy and excitement of these top gaming startups take you on a thrilling journey like never before!

FAQs

How many gaming companies are there in India?

According to Ambitionbox, there are over 333 gaming companies in India.

Which are the top Gaming Startups in India?

Top Gaming startups in India are:
- Dream 11
- Nazara Technologies
- Paytm First Games
- Games2Win
- Moonfrog Labs
- 99 Games
- Octro
- JetSynthesys
- Hashcube
- Mech Mocha
How are gaming startups contributing to India’s gaming industry?

Gaming startups in India are playing a crucial role in shaping the gaming landscape by introducing unique and culturally relevant gaming experiences. They are fueling innovation, creating employment opportunities, and establishing India as a significant player in the global gaming market.

Which is the leading Game app development company in India?

Hyperlink InfoSystem is a leading game app development company in India.

Which gaming startup in India has achieved unicorn status?

Dream11 is one of the gaming startups in India that achieved unicorn status in 2019.

What are the best game developer company in the world?

Some of the best game developer companies in the world are:
- Nintendo
- Ubisoft
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Activision Blizzard
- Epic Games
How do gaming startups monetize their games?

Gaming startups typically employ various monetization models, including in-app purchases, advertisements, subscriptions, and virtual currency systems. These strategies enable them to generate revenue while offering players free or freemium gaming experiences.

What is the future of the gaming industry in India?

The future for gaming startups in India is promising, with continued growth driven by technology adoption, an expanding user base, and the rise of esports. These startups are poised to explore new genres, embrace emerging technologies, and make India a significant player in the global gaming industry.
July 22, 2023

Website	www.dream11.com
Headquarters	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Founders	Harsh Jain, Bhavit Sheth
Founded	2008

Website	www.nazara.com
Headquarters	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Founders	Nitish Mittersain
Founded	1999

Website	www.firstgames.in
Headquarters	Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Founders	Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Founded	2018

Website	www.games2winmedia.com
Headquarters	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Founders	Alok Kejriwal and Mahesh Khambadkone
Founded	2005

Website	www.moonfroglabs.com
Headquarters	Bangalore, Karnataka
Founders	Tanay Tayal, Kumar Puspesh, and Ankit Jain
Founded	2013

Website	www.99games.in
Headquarters	Udupi, Karnataka
Founders	Rohith Bhat
Founded	2006

Website	www.octro.com
Headquarters	New Delhi
Founders	Saurabh Agarwal
Founded	2006

Website	www.jetsynthesys.com
Headquarters	Pune, Maharashtra
Founders	Rajan Navani
Founded	2014

Website	www.hashcube.com
Headquarters	Bangalore, Karnataka
Founders	Ramprasad Rajendran and Deepan Chakravarthy
Founded	2008

Website	www.mechmocha.com
Headquarters	Bangalore, Karnataka
Founders	Arpita Kapoor and Mohit Rangaraju
Founded	2015

1047 Games – The Studio That’s Changing the Game

Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by 1047 Games.

Gaming also referred to as video games or electronic games, is typically a computer application that is played by users with a certain set of rules. Video or mobile games have entertained children and adults for decades. As technology continued to evolve and improve, so do video games.

In 2022, the global gaming market size was estimated to be $202.7 billion. Looking forward, the market is predicted to reach approximately $343.6 billion by 2028, implying a growth rate (CAGR) of 9.08% during 2023-2028.

Since the computer gaming sector is growing drastically, the industry is providing several companies the opportunity to enter the market and thrive. One such leading company is 1047 Games – an American video game development studio that began with the simple principle that developers should have fun while making games.

Here you will get to know everything about 1047 Games – one of the fastest-growing video gaming companies.

1047 Games – Company Highlights

Company Name	1047 Games
Headquarters	San Francisco, California, United States
Primary Industry	Computer Games
Founders	Ian Proulx, Nicholas Bagamian
Founded In	2017
Website	Splitgate.com

1047 Games – About
1047 Games – Founders and Team
1047 Games – Startup Story
1047 Games – Mission and Vision
1047 Games – Funding and Investors
1047 Games – Patents and Trademarks
1047 Games – Mergers and Acquisitions
1047 Games – Growth
1047 Games – Competitors
1047 Games – Future

1047 Games – About

Set up in 2017, 1047 Games is a US-based video gaming company. It is building the next great AAA studio for creating a new gaming generation that can offer amazing experiences. The company is popular in the world for designing and launching the first-person sci-fi shooter video game– Splitgate.

1047 Games – Founders and Team

The San Francisco-based company – 1047 Games was founded by Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian.

Ian Proulx

Ian Proulx is the CEO of the 1047 Games. He graduated from Stanford University and earned a degree in Computer Science. Before commencing his own company, he held the role of video game tester and worked as a game technologies software engineering intern.

Nicholas Bagamian

Nicholas Bagamian graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Computer Science. He held the role of web designer and software engineering intern before co-founding and working as the CTO of 1047 Games.

1047 Games is a fully remote studio allowing the company to tap talent from anywhere in the world. When it comes to the company size, there are approximately 150 employees.

1047 Games – Startup Story

Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian came up with the idea of starting their own gaming company during their graduation. They started 1047 Games in their dorm room at Stanford and named the company after the building’s address.

The co-founders were supposed to work on the game as a school project and within 6 months, they came up with the sci-fi first-person shooter game ‘Splitgate.’ The game turned out to be a success as it drew 600,000 downloads in the first month after its demo release. It is on May 24, 2019, that it was officially launched as a free-to-play time on Steam.

1047 Games have come a long way – what commenced as two computer science majors putting portals into a first-person shooter (FPS) game for a demo project, has now evolved into a VC-backed company.

1047 Games – Mission and Vision

1047 Games is established for creating a new generation world where developers can have fun while creating games and users can get amazing experiences while playing games. The privately held company is working to bring together a young, talented core development team with seasoned veterans across the industry to create high-end computer games.

1047 Games – Funding and Investors

1047 Game has raised a total of 116.5 million in funding all over 4 rounds with the valuation at $1.5 billion (September 2021).

The latest funding round was held on 14 September 2021 – Series B funding in which 1047 Games raised $100 million with the participation of around 10 investors.

Date	Round	Number of Investors	Money Raised	Lead Investor
September 14, 2021	Venture Round	10	$100 million	Lightspeed Venture Partners
July 26, 2021	Venture Round	1	$10 million	Human Capital
March 11, 2019	Venture Round	4	$6.5 million	Galaxy Interactive
December 1, 2018	Pre-Seed Round	1	–	–

1047 Games – Patents and Trademarks

Presently, the company has registered 3 trademarks with the world popular class being ‘Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments.’

1047 Games – Mergers and Acquisitions

The company acquired EQU8 Anti-Cheat on November 1, 2022, with the plan to utilize it for its next game. It has been using EQU8’s anti-cheat since August 2020, so the company decided to buy the service for itself. Not only 1047 Games acquired the EQU8, but also its talented engineers, Andreas Hannson and Pierre Lindblad who focus on building the anti-cheat platform to create a new game.

1047 Games – Growth

In 2022, the estimated annual revenue of 1047 Games is reported to be $12.5 million per year ($181,800 per employee). Furthermore, the monthly visits growth rate of the company’s website is 62.41%.

1047 Games – Competitors

Now that the computer gaming industry is growing at a faster pace, the competition is only going to expand. 1047 Games is one of the leading companies in the US that faces competition from several enterprises. The top competitors are:

Casual Distraction Games
Tom Vine
Hardmode Games
Sploder
Absolute Games

1047 Games – Future

In September 2022, the company announced that it had ceased the feature development of its first-person shooter game (Splitgate). Instead, it is going to focus on a sequel created using Unreal Engine. With the company’s hit game, growing team, and the best investors backing it, its future is potentially bright.

When One Portal Closes Another Opens – A Splitgate Special

FAQs

What inspired the creation of the 1047 Games?

1047 Games was founded by a group of passionate gamers and game developers who wanted to create a studio that prioritized creativity, innovation, and fun.

Who is the CEO of 1047 Games?

Ian Proulx is the CEO and co-founder of 1047 Games.

What is the vision of the 1047 Games?

1047 Games is established for creating a new generation world where developers can have fun while creating games and users can get amazing experiences while playing games.

Who are the competitors of the 1047 Games?

1047 Games is one of the leading companies in the US that faces competition from several gaming enterprises. The top competitors are:

Casual Distraction Games
Tom Vine
Hardmode Games
Sploder
Absolute Games

March 9, 2023

Discord – Bringing People Together Around Games

Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Discord.

People love to stay in touch whether it’s by talking to friends and family through video calls, messaging through apps, or touching base working remotely. Gamers are no different. That’s why online gaming and chatting go together like Han and Chewy.

Gamers have always faced two problems, how to talk to one another and how to organize people to get an online game going. Discord is one such app that was created by the gamers for gamers to solve such problems. But outside of the gamer’s realm, what is discord all about?

Discord – Company Highlights

Startup Name	Discord
Developer	Discord Inc.
Headquarters	San Francisco, CA
Industry	Social Media, Gaming
Founded	May 13, 2015
Founders	Jason Citron and Stan Vishnevskiy
CEO	Jason Citron
Area Served	Worldwide
Website	www.discord.com

About Discord And How it Works?
Discord – Target Market Size
Discord – Name, Logo, and Tagline
Discord – Founder and History
Discord – Vision and Mission
Discord – Business Model
Discord – Revenue Growth
Discord – Funding and Investors
Discord – Acquisitions
Discord – Partnership
Discord – Competitors
Discord – Challenges Faced
Discord – Future Plans

About Discord And How it Works?

Discord is an easy-to-use free communication app, similar to apps like Skype or Slack but aimed mainly at gamers with a lot more features. Discord lets friends chat with each other at one to one or as a group via a server.

It provides user-friendly text, voice, screen-sharing, and video chat services through public or private servers that can be set up pretty quickly and easily. No doubt Discord started as a gamers’ chat app and became quite famous for it. But its users started finding non-gaming ways of using this platform which inspired Discord to make a few changes.

Discord specializes in text, image, video, and audio communication between users in a chat channel. Discord runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and in web browsers. One of the most critical differentiators that makes Discord the go-to app for video gamers is its open-bot-friendly ecosystem.

COVID forced everybody to social distance and communicate via chat platforms. So, because of its users and the pandemic Discord thought about growing beyond its only for-gamers image, and now it wants to be seen as a general-purpose chat app for everyone with even non-gaming needs and wants, to go mainstream all over the world, just like Zoom. Discord is for anyone who could use a place to talk with their friends and communities.

Discord – Target Market Size

Founded in 2015, Discord successfully identified who the early adopters of their platform would be, the gamers.

Leading Countries for Monthly Traffic to discord.com in July 2022

However, in recent years, as the company continues its expansion, the target market size has also been growing hand in hand with the same. The vicinity of their platform’s services is gradually starting to attract more users outside of the gaming community.

From large corporate meetings to job recruitments, from live karaoke nights to virtual wedding parties, the possibilities are pretty endless. That’s why they have changed the branding and introduced the new tagline which specifically says, “Your Place to Talk and Hang Out”.

In short, Discord is projecting itself because of the way forward for platforms where you’ll chat with friends, learn something online, or simply share ideas albeit you are not into gaming. They have successfully gained a sustainable advantage above their competition within the gaming sector and now the company appears to have shifted its focus to target users from various industries.

Discord – Name, Logo, and Tagline

Discord Logo

Whether you’re a part of a faculty club, gaming group, worldwide art community, or simply a couple of friends that want to spend time together, Discord makes it easy to speak a day and hang around more often.

About Discord’s logo, the most popular theory is that the discord logo is a game controller, with a face. But according to its Twitter account, it’s a friendly bot named Clyde.

Discord’s tagline says, “Your Place to Talk and Hang Out”. Whether you’re a part of a faculty club, gaming group, worldwide art community, or simply a couple of friends that want to spend time together, Discord makes it easy to speak a day and hang around more often. Discord is not just for people with gaming requirements, but for everyone to communicate.

Discord – Founder and History

Founded in May 2015 by Jason Citron and Stan Vishnevskiy, Discord continues to be the most preferred app for gamers for communicating while gaming.

The idea of Discord came into Jason Citron’s mind when he noticed how difficult it was for his team to work out tactics in games like Final Fantasy XIV and League of Legends using available voice-over IP (VoIP) software. He founded OpenFeint, a social mobile gaming platform that got sold in 2011 for $104 million.

Founders of Discord - Jason Citron and Stan Vishnevskiy — Founders of Discord – Jason Citron and Stan Vishnevskiy

He founded a game development studio, Hammer & Chisel in 2012. Their first product was Fates Forever, released in 2014, which Citron anticipated being the primary MOBA game on mobile platforms, but it didn’t become commercially successful. He then noticed the glitches and issues faced by gamers all over the world while gaming which was communication. He also found that some VoIP options required players to type in IP addresses just to connect, while others were resource-heavy and had known security problems. This led the developers to develop a chat service that was much friendlier to use and based on more modern technologies.

Discord addressed all of the issues of its predecessors. It was free to use. It had a remarkable product design. It had a desktop client, but it also had an internet app. Users could invite friends with a link and start conversing through the browser without downloading anything.

Discord was publicly released in May 2015 under the URL discordapp.com. consistent with Citron, the sole area that they pushed Discord into was for the Reddit communities, finding that a lot of subreddit forums were replacing IRC servers with Discord ones. Discord became a known name among Esports and LAN tournament gamers, and other Twitch streamers.

Discord – Vision and Mission

“Discord wants you to build genuine relationships with your friends and communities close to home or around the world. Original, reliable, playful, and relatable. These are the values that connect our users and our employees at Discord.”

Discord’s mission is closely associated with its vision. Its mission is to bring people together around games. That’s why most of the app’s features consider meeting the requirements of gamers. For Discord, diversity and inclusiveness are critical a part of how it intends to succeed in its mission.

“It’s where your world talks. Discord is a voice, video and text communication service used by over a hundred million people to hang out and talk with their friends and communities.”

Discord – Business Model

Discord is against advertisements and the selling of user data. It has been relying on funding money till recently and has no intentions to make users pay to use the application in the future.

Discord’s basic service is free. But there’s also a premium version called Nitro that comes with added features—custom emojis, higher-quality video for sharing gaming screens, and higher file-upload limits—starting from $2.99 monthly.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Citron said,

“I didn’t want to sell ads because I felt like selling ads would require us to spend a tremendous amount of energy investing in building ad technology that doesn’t make the end user experience better. It actually subtracts from the end user experience. So, we would be spending a ton of energy taking value away from our users so that we could make money. And I wanted to build a business where the incentives of our team and our user base were directly aligned. And that is why, at that moment, I said let’s not do the easy thing and slap ads on this. Let’s double down on Discord Nitro, which is all about making it more fun to talk and hang out, and see if we can build a real business around that.”

Discord – Revenue Growth

In Q2 2022, Discord reported $28.72 million in revenues, an increase of over $5 million compared to Q2 2021.
Almost all of Discord’s revenue comes from its Nitro, its premium enhancement bundle.
Discord has over 150 million active monthly users and over 300 million registered accounts.
In 2021, it was valued at $7 billion, doubling its value in under a year. In 2022 it was valued at $15 billion.

In-App Purchase Revenues of Discord Mobile App Worldwide

Discord – Funding and Investors

Discord has raised a total of $995.4M in funding over 16 rounds. Their latest funding was raised on March 12, 2022, from a Secondary Market round. Discord is funded by 31 investors. Arcane Group and Flat Capital are the most recent investors.

Date	Round	Amount	Lead Investors
Mar 12, 2022	Secondary Market	–	–
Mar 3, 2022	Secondary Market	–	–
Sep 15, 2021	Series H	$500M	Dragoneer Investment Group
Dec 17, 2020	Series H	$100M	Greenoaks Capital
Sep 29, 2020	Secondary Market	–	–
Jun 30, 2020	Series G	$100M	Index Ventures
Dec 21, 2018	Series F	$150M	Greemoaks Capital
Apr 19, 2018	Series E	$50M	–
Jan 1, 2017	Series D	$50M	Index Ventures
Jan 26, 2016	Series C	$20M	Greylock, Spark Capital
Feb 10, 2015	Series B	–	9+ Program, Benchmark, Tencent
Nov 21, 2013	Series A	$8.2M	Benchmark
Jul 11, 2012	Seed Round	$1.1M	–

Discord – Acquisitions

Discord acquired Blitz App on Nov 6, 2018. The gaming chat app giant acquires augmented reality startup Ubiquity6 in 2021. The latter was experiencing problems in finding audiences for its products, as per reports.

Acquiree Name	Date	Amount	About Acquiree
Blitz App	Nov 6, 2018	–	Your gaming coach for League of Legends, Valorant, CSGO, Fortnite, and more— powered by AI and built with professional players.
Ubiquity6	June 2021	–	An augmented reality startup founded in 2017 aimed to bring augmented reality experience to mobile users.

Discord – Partnership

After the initial growth spurt, Jason’s team had to come up with a strategy to reach out to a larger target audience for which they partnered with video game streamers such as Twitch. This partnership did result in more visibility, allowing more gamers to adopt as well as invite others to join the discord users’ community.

Discord – Competitors

The top 10 competitors of Discord are:

TeamSpeak
Troop Messenger
HeySpace
Slack
Mumble
Flock
Overtone
Hangouts chat
Microsoft Teams
Steam Chat

Discord – Challenges Faced

But obviously, Discord also faces several challenges. The principal among them is that it allows users anonymity that creates an “anything goes” environment. Anybody from anywhere can technically create “servers,” which are chat groups. This could also lead to younger users being exposed to adult content or bullying. For his part, Citron defended Discord by saying it kicks out users who are younger than 13 if they’re found, but verifying ages on the service is almost impossible.

“For teenagers, you know, obviously, it’s still important that parents are aware of apps that their kids are using, and sort of who they’re talking to on the internet,” says Citron.

During Q2 2022, over 27.7 million Discord accounts were deleted due to spam activity, and approx. 532,000 accounts were banned due to child safety concerns. Similarly, 106,00 accounts received a ban due to exploitative and unsolicited content approximately. Additionally, the platform permanently deleted nearly 27,500 accounts following reports of regulated or illegal activities.

Number of Banned Discord Accounts in Q2 2022

“The truth is that yes, I am [frustrated],” says Citron about the abuse. “We built Discord to be a way for people to be together with their friends and, as a parent, it’s important to me for that to be safe for everyone. Ensuring Discord is an inclusive and welcoming place for our users is our highest priority.”

Discord – Future Plans

Discord leveraged heavily on the essential human need for communicating. The strength of Discord lies in its ability to cater to the growing needs of huge web-based communities.

Discord continues to refresh and refine its services by creating perks like a guided bot, meme bots, bots that could fetch player stats, and many more which makes discord a fun platform for users to interact via. All of this could happen only because of the founding team’s in-depth knowledge of the gamer’s mindset and insight into industry trends.

It’s pushing to show the platform as a communication tool not only for gamers but for everyone from study groups to sneakerheads to gardening enthusiasts. At the top of June, Discord’s rebrand was complete. Its new tagline was “Your place to speak,” which cleared the misunderstanding of many folks that the app is simply for gamers.

In the coming years, according to Citron, Discord has many works to do including improving moderation tools and making sure the communities on its platform operate the way the company hopes is not being just confined to a group of people with gaming interests.

Conclusion

Discord is a popular communication platform that allows users to create and join virtual “servers” to chat and collaborate with others. It offers features such as text and voice chat, file sharing, and integration with other apps and services. It is widely used by gamers but has also gained popularity among other communities such as artists and educators. Overall, Discord is a versatile and user-friendly tool for online communication and collaboration.

FAQs

What kind of company is Discord Inc.?

Who founded Discord?

Discord was founded in May 2015 by Jason Citron and Stan Vishnevskiy.

How does Discord make money?

Discord is against advertisements and the selling of user data. Its basic service is free. But there’s also a premium version called Nitro that comes with added features.

What is Discord used for?

Discord is used for voice calls, video calls, text messaging, media, and sharing files in private chats. It continues to be the most preferred app for gamers for communicating while gaming.

What is Discord’s initial release date?

Discord was initially released on May 13, 2015.

February 28, 2023

Software Giant Playtech Takes Center Stage

Gaming software providers play a vital role in the online gambling industry, powering some of the most popular online casinos and game platforms. One such provider is Playtech, a company that has established itself as a leader in the field through its innovative technology and wide range of games.

Founded in 1999, Playtech has grown to become one of the world’s largest publicly traded gaming software providers. The company has a diverse portfolio of products and services, including casino, poker, bingo, and sports betting software, live dealer games, and mobile gaming solutions.

One of the key strengths of the company is its ability to deliver high-quality Playtech gaming content consistently. Its portfolio of games includes hundreds of titles, ranging from classic slots and table games to more modern and innovative offerings.

Its most popular games include Marvel-branded slot titles, such as The Avengers, Iron Man, and Thor, and progressive jackpot slots, like Jackpot Giant and Beach Life. Playtech is also known for its live casino games, which feature real dealers and offer a truly authentic gaming experience.

Features of Playtech Casino Games

Playtech-powered casino games are known for their impressive features and high-quality graphics. One of the most notable features is the animation, which brings pulse-pounding entertainment direct to your screen, and adds realism and immersion to the player experience. Playtech’s games feature smooth and fluid animations designed to capture the player’s attention and keep them engaged.

Another critical feature of Playtech’s games is their use of 3D graphics. The 3D elements add a surreal visual component to the gameplay and also enhance the overall player experience. For example, in slot games, the reels and symbols are rendered in 3D, giving the games a more realistic and aesthetically-appealing look.

Playtech’s games also use overlays, graphics or animations that appear on top of the game’s main interface. These overlays can be used to highlight special symbols or indicate winning combinations. In addition, they can add an extra level of excitement and engagement to the action. Playtech games also include a variety of special symbols that are commonly found in slot games.

These symbols include wilds, which can substitute for other symbols to create winning combinations, and scatters, which can trigger bonus rounds or free spins. For example, the wild symbol can substitute for other symbols to create winning combinations and scatters that trigger the bonus rounds or free spins and give the player an extra chance to win big.

Free spins are also a common feature in Playtech-powered slot games, allowing players to spin the reels for free. They can be triggered by special symbols, such as scatters, or through a bonus round. In addition, free spins usually have extra benefits like higher payout multipliers, sticky wilds or special symbols.

In addition to these features, Playtech’s games include a range of bonuses and unique features that can increase the player’s chances of winning. These encompass multiplier symbols, bonus rounds, and gamble features, which allow players to double or even quadruple their winnings. These features can increase players’ winnings, making the gaming experience more exciting and rewarding.

A Powerful Gaming Platform

In addition to its gaming content, Playtech is also known for its powerful platform technology, and its stock exchange listing. Its software is built on a flexible and modular architecture, allowing easy integration with other systems and enabling operators to customize the platform to meet their specific needs. The company’s platform also features advanced security measures and full compliance with industry regulations.

Playtech’s commitment to innovation and technology is evident in its investment in research and development. It has a dedicated team of developers and engineers who work to improve and update the platform and constantly add new features. In recent years the company has also expanded to providing services beyond gaming, such as financials, retail and entertainment.

Another essential aspect of Playtech is its focus on partnership and collaboration. The company works closely with various partners, including operators, suppliers, and industry organizations, to drive innovation and growth in the online gambling industry. Its business model is centred on being a B2B provider that helps its customers grow.

Leading the Way: Innovation Par Excellence

In conclusion, Playtech is a clear leader in the gaming software provider industry. With a wealth of experience, a diverse portfolio of products and services, and a commitment to innovation and technology, the company has established itself as a reliable and trusted partner for operators looking to power their online gambling platforms.

February 16, 2023
Rooter Success Story: India’s Number One Live Gaming & Esports Streaming Platform
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Rooter.

Live streaming platforms have seen a significant surge in their usage for the last few years. Be it reels or live game streaming, each of these categories has its own desired amount of audience. One such platform is Rooter.

Rooter is a gaming app and also a game streaming app. It is counted as the largest esports and game streaming platform in India. Read further to know more about Rooter like business mode, startup story, founders and team, story behind the name, and many other aspects concerning the startup.

Rooter – Company Highlights

Company Name Rooter

Founded 20 May 2016

Founders Mr. Piyush Kumar and Mr. Dipesh Agarwal

Headquarters New Delhi, India

Industry Esports and Gaming

Website www.web.rooter.gg

Rooter – About
Rooter – Industry
Rooter – Founders and Team
Rooter – Startup Story
Rooter – Mission and Vision
Rooter – Name, Tagline, and Logo
Rooter – Business and Revenue Model
Rooter – Products and Services
Rooter – Challenges Faced
Rooter – Customer Acquisition and Growth
Rooter – Funding
Rooter – Competitors
Rooter – Recognition, and Achievements
Rooter – Future Plans

Rooter – About

Rooter is the leading game streaming and esports player in India built for the global mobile gaming market. They are one of the largest esports and games streaming companies in India with more than 16 Million monthly active users.

Today, India is home to nearly 450 Mn gamers spread across Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities. Also, close to 100 million people actively enjoy viewing gaming content. Seeing these trend markers, the Rooter team believes that the future of social media is in gaming.

People from diverse age groups will connect and engage over playing games, more than any other content consumption category. Rooter aims to be the platform that makes this happen.

Rooter – Industry

The online gaming industry is projected to grow at 18% CAGR to surpass $182 billion in 2025 from its current market size of $79 billion. Esports too is on the rise in India with prize pools expected to reach INR 1 billion by FY 2025.

The rapid growth in the space is being accelerated due to a series of factors like a widening younger population base, higher purchase propensity of gaming consumers, the introduction of new gaming genres, an increasing number of smartphone users, and a high internet penetration rate. Apart from these factors, there are also some clear trends that are expected to shape the future of the space, like:
- Coming of Web 3.0: The decentralized, interoperable gameplay experience underpinned by blockchain technology is expected to not only scale engagement but also facilitate asset building and earnings for gamers in the form of digital tokens, NFTs, cryptocurrencies, and more.
- Launch of 5G networks and supportive infrastructure: 5G services are expected to deliver low latency, superfast throughput speeds, and extra bandwidth, which would be ideal for future gaming including cloud-based games, easier concurrent play for esports, and more accessible VR experiences with limited set-up infrastructure.
Rooter – Founders and Team

Rooter was founded through the joint efforts of Mr. Piyush Kumar and Mr. Dipesh Aggarwal.

Mr. Piyush Kumar

Mr. Piyush Kumar – Founder and CEO of Rooter

Mr. Piyush Kumar is a Computer Science graduate from Delhi University. After graduation, Mr. Piyush Kumar spent 14 years in key marketing and strategic brand-building roles with a diverse portfolio of companies cutting across Media and Entertainment, F&B, and Consumer technology like Dish TV, ITC, HCL, AB-InBev and Rado (Swatch Group).

During this time period, he was responsible for developing Go-to-Market strategies, driving sales footprint, and building brand voice across a cross-section of marketing channels. As for his role with Rooter, he is the CEO of the country’s biggest esports and game streaming platform and holds responsibility for the P&L. Maintaining investor relations and driving revenue generation as some of his key focus areas.

Mr. Dipesh Agarwal

Dipesh Aggarwal is the COO of Rooter and is responsible for product growth, focusing on building the Rooter content platform and creating a strong community. He works closely with the technology head to build this out. He met Piyush Kumar on Twitter in a very unusual way. From there on, his prime focus is on making the platform Rooter better.

Mr. Dipesh earned his engineering degree from Jadavpur University. He is also a huge football (and Liverpool) fan and always desired to make a career in sports-related businesses. He also used to write for some leading sports media houses in the UK before meeting with Piyush Kumar.

What started with 2 people is currently a team of 100+ passionate people, building the biggest eSports and game streaming platform out of India with global aspirations.

Rooter – Startup Story

Rooter Desktop Live Streaming

Mr. Piyush Kumar is someone who was adapted to social media very early in his life. He used to find social media to be one of the best channels to meet new people and observe how they connect with each other. He believes that social networks have helped people to become part of communities and engage on topics of common interest.

When it comes to sports, in particular, it is incredible to see how strangers bond over discussions around a football match, a cricket series, or any other gaming or sports tournament.

With the same thought, Both the founders of Rooter started thinking about creating a technology-enabled fan engagement platform built around live-action sports, where users could enjoy match prediction games, real-time commentary, participate in chat forums, share trivia, and other multimedia content around the event. That’s how Rooter was born in 2016.

That was the story of how Rooter was born. But before that, finding the co-founder is also an exciting story shared by Mr. Piyush Kumar. Mr. Piyush Kumar believed that finding the right co-founder is as important as the idea or the investor partner. After all, when one is building a startup one needs to be ready for the ups and downs of the journey, and having someone you can trust is non-negotiable

He found Mr. Dipesh Agrwal on Twitter back in February 2016 in a very interesting way. Their meet was the result of a tweet posted by Mr. Piyush Kumar looking for a football fan who can also head the content team for a startup. Among the responses present over there, the profile of Mr. Dipesh Agarwal stood out.

From his profile, Piyush Kumar got the idea of his knowledge and expertise in the sports and technology field. He also noticed that Mr. Dipesh Agarwal has a good understanding of the pulse of sports fans, and the kind of content they would love to engage with.

This understanding led to virtual and offline meetings between both them in Kolkata and Delhi to affirm their vision as one. Not only they had cracked the product to build, but with Mr. Dipesh Agarwal’s technology and content expertise and Mr. Piyush Kumar’s experience with building and scaling consumer products, they made a great team for this business.

Together they worked out on partnership roadmap that was based on complete honesty and transparency in their engagements, strong integrity in their actions, and deep respect for each other’s perspectives.

Between 2016 and 2019, they tested and built multiple features to become the one-stop destination for live sports-related content. But soon realized that they were able to have high engagement peaks only during the live events. Apart from that, their retention rates had started to plateau.

To overcome this, they needed to work with a content stream that was equally engaging, self-sustaining, and round-the-clock – which is what gaming turned out to be.

The pandemic and halting of sporting events became the moment of truth that led them to plunge full steam into game streaming. It’s a far bigger market, but the thesis remains the same – there are multiple things that can bring unknown people together to share some of the most enjoyable experiences of their lives and this is what they wanted to make happen.

Within the first three to four months Rooter team started getting strong signals that pivoting was the right thing for their business. This pivot not only helped them crack the right product-market fit but attracted marquee investors to the story.

Rooter – Mission and Vision

The company was launched with the mission to provide a fair and inspiring platform to gaming content creators, equipping them with tools to produce entertaining content that is unique to their personas, while benefiting from monetizable opportunities for their efforts.

At the same time, by building a rich and diverse content repository, driving effortless discovery, personalized recommendations, and convenient share-ability, the platform offers immersive community experiences for gaming enthusiasts to connect and bond over

Rooter – Name, Tagline, and Logo

Being a sports-related business, the Rooter founders didn’t want to use common terminologies like ‘sport’ or ‘fan’, because it would have gotten lost in the deluge of already available apps in the space.

At the same time, they wanted to find a word that represented the community of fans they were catering to and their passion for sports. Mr. Piyush Kumar was inspired by how Twitter got its name, and how the word represents both a noun and a verb.

So the Rooter team wanted the name to pack the same punch and found Rooter, which means supporter or fan of a sports team or player, as the perfect name for the firm.

Rooter – Business and Revenue Model

Rooter is the only player in the game-streaming category to have built monetization capabilities. They have multiple revenue streams, which include advertising, performance marketing, in-app purchases, sponsored events, and creator subscriptions.

In fact, over the span of Q1 2022 to Q2 2022, they achieved 83% growth in revenue and a 59% spike in MAUs (monthly active users) to reach 15.2mn MAUs. Rooter has also even witnessed a 92% increase in gifting value over six months through their dedicated commerce store, Rooter Shop, where people can make in-app purchases like buying our virtual currencies (Rooter Diamonds and Rooter Gems) for fan-gifting purposes, earn engagement-based rewards and more.

Rooter is now on track to hit $10mn ARR by Dec 2022. They have already partnered with 100+ top brands like Flipkart, Amazon, Intel, HP, Pizza Hut, Godrej, PhonePe, CoinDCX, Unacademy, Byju’s, Chingari, Josh and more, helping them target a wide and highly-engaged demographic of youth consumers.

They’ve always believed monetization is critical to tech-driven, community-building efforts. Becoming the only Indian player to launch and build these channels has given them the confidence to explore more such opportunities for the associated creators.

Rooter – Products and Services

Rooter Mobile App Home Screen

Rooter has built one of the most user-friendly tech interfaces on their mobile app and website which allows everyone from professional gamers to newly minted content creators to stream without a hitch and get the opportunity to monetize from their content.

At the same time, consumers can access highly personalized content recommendations, engage with fellow fans and streamers, and explore gifting and earning options. Some of their product features are:
- Enhanced User experience: The platform has deployed a Machine Learning model which helps the platform in tailoring content feeds for the users as per their watch history and preferences.
- Enabling content-creation tools: Rooter is the only app in the country that allows gamers to stream content directly using its in-built features, while the fans can enjoy a live streaming experience smoothly on the same app.
- Gamified engagements: Gaming fans can gift Rooter Diamonds, a native currency on the Rooter platform, to their favorite creators. This in-app gifting allows them to show their support for their favorite streamer while they in turn get to engage and bond with their fans. Rooter has also introduced Rooter Coins which can be unlocked through watch-to-earn and create-to-earn models, enabling creators and users alike to earn from their experience. These Coins can be further redeemed for exciting gaming coupons and gift vouchers, allowing them to continue engaging and growing on the platform.
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Rooter – Challenges Faced

When Rooter was started as a sports engagement platform, they were able to attract a huge number of sports fans, however, despite positive feedback on the product, scalability after a point plateaued as it became dependent on physical matches and sports events when fan engagement numbers would peak.

With the pandemic, they found a stronger market in gaming-related content which was round-the-clock, had a growing user base cutting across age groups, and has extremely high engagement rates. Hence in 2020, Rooter pivoted to a full-fledged esports and game-streaming platform, and today they have a 30% market share in the category.

Rooter – Customer Acquisition and Growth

Rooter – Reel

Rooter currently has over 16 Mn monthly active users (MAUs) and is expected to have a 138% rise in its user base by mid-next year to 38 Mn MAUs. Starting with 50,000 content creators at the beginning of 2021, they now have close to 10 lakh exclusive content creators on the platform.

While an enormous credit for this rise goes to the fact that the gaming market has matured, the Rooter team has also managed to identify the right product-market fix.

Their differentiators are:
- Our tech-first approach: They have built one of the most user-friendly tech interfaces across their mobile app and website which allows everyone from professional gamers to newly-minted content creators to stream without a hitch
- Our sharp focus on community building: From providing hands-on support to their creators to leveraging data science and machine learning to deliver personalized gaming content to millions of users – they are creating a rich community experience for everyone
- Our Content supply is the best in the market- Having the top 12 esports teams and the next 30 upcoming teams along with multiple Tier 1 creators like Yuzi Chahal and Riyan Parag cricketers is a reflection of how Rooter has become the most preferred platform for gamers. This, alongside its strong community program that creates thousands of upcoming streamers every month, and the users who are becoming content creators in gaming through streams and reels has helped them create a rich repository of gaming entertainment.
These have all contributed to making them the most preferred platform in the country, attracting some of the biggest brand sponsors and simultaneously increasing the user’s trust in them.

Having the first few consumers is really a big task. Rooter accomplished that easily. Its first 10,000 consumers for the platform came through organic channels. As they were building a sports community engagement platform, word of mouth is how their initial audiences were attracted to the platform.

Rooter – Funding

Rooter has raised $30 mn so far, including their most recent Series A round in January this year. The round saw some of the leading blue-chip funds like Lightbox Ventures, March Gaming, and Duane Park Ventures join their cap table, which also includes marquee investors like 9Unicorns, ADvantage, Capital-A, Goal Ventures, IeAD Sports, and Health Tech Partners.

They’ve been deploying the investments to scale user growth, create a robust content creator ecosystem, and build a marketplace for the gaming community. Over the last eight months, they have crossed 50 Mn app downloads and over 16 Mn MAUs. The top 12 Esports teams in the country and over 1.2 Mn unique creators every month, stream on Rooter.

Also, they’ve become the first game streaming and esports platform to introduce monetization channels and are sharply aiming for revenue growth from $5mn ARR right now to $10mn before the end of 2022. With all these developments, Rooter is focused on becoming the leading player in the country to drive the gaming creator economy.

Rooter – Competitors

The two biggest competitors of Rooter are Twitch and Loco.

Rooter – Recognition, and Achievements
- Economic Times Brand Equity SPOTT Awards 2022: Gamechanger of the Year in streaming category: Rooter
- Business World 40 under 40 Entrepreneurs of 2017 for Piyush Kumar, Founder and CEO of Rooter
Rooter – Future Plans

Rooter is already the largest esports and game-streaming platform in the country today and is now focused on strengthening its category leadership substantially. They expect to reach 38 Mn+ MAUs by June 2023 and clock 4x growth in ARR by the end of next year.

They are also targeting a business expansion to 45% market share. Rooter is also the only platform to have successfully developed a wide array of monetization opportunities over the last year. They will continue to build these out as strong revenue channels for the business.

Moreover, being the leader in content partnerships while working with some of the country’s largest publishers, teams, and creators, their focus over the next year will be on consistently growing the talent and partnership pool.

Conclusion

Rooter is an esports and game streaming platform that is used by 16 million monthly active users. It was developed by two sports lovers named Mr. Piyush Kumar and Mr. Dipesh Agarwal.

It was created with the aim of providing a fair platform for gaming content creators which is in much demand nowadays. The above article contains more details on Rooter and its journey to becoming the number one game streaming platform in India.

FAQs

Is Rooter an Indian app?

Yes, Rooter is an Indian app with its headquarters located in New Delhi.

Is Rooter good for streaming?

Yes, Rooter is considered a good platform for streaming based on the platform being accepted as the number one game streaming platform in India.

What is meant by Rooter streaming?

Rooter gaming app or a Rooter streaming app is a live streaming app that allows its users the option of providing an e-sport streaming as a good quality video.
January 4, 2023
Games24x7 Success Story: How this company leads the gaming world in India
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations.

Who does not loves to play games, especially online or pc games? Who says only kids can play games? Adults can equally indulge in games to give themselves a break from work.

Playing games is a great way to deal with boredom. It also acts as a stress-buster, when one has to take a minute to engage in the world of fun and fantasy and escape ordinary life. If we talk about the history of video games, then that dates back to somewhere in the 1950s to 1960s.

So far, with the rise of new technology, the gaming world has also evolved. Today, we have dedicated websites where we can play games directly through the internet without downloading them or using CDs or other mediums.

Games24x7 is one of the leading Indian online gaming startups which was founded in 2006 that offers various skill games like RummyCircle and My11Circle in a hyper-personalized gaming experience.

Read the article further to know more about Games24x7’s success story, how it functions, its founders, business & revenue model, growth, funding and investors, and so on.

Games24x7 – Company Highlights

Headquarters Mumbai, India

Sector Technology, Information and Internet

Founder Bhavin Pandya and Trivikraman Thampy

Founded 2006

Valuation $2.5 billion

Website www.games24x7.com

The Story of Games24x7 & how does it work
Games24x7 – Industry
Games24x7 – Founders
Games24x7 – Mission and Vision
Games24x7 – Name, Tagline, and Logo
Games24x7 – Business & Revenue Model
Games24x7 – Funding and Investors
Games24x7 – Investments
Games24x7 – Advertisements and Social Media
Games24x7 – Awards and Achievements
Games24x7 – Competitors
Games24x7 – Future Plans

The Story of Games24x7 & how does it work

The idea of Games24x7 came in a lab at New York University by two friends – Bhavin Pandya and Trivikraman Thampy. The duo shared common interests in online games, which eventually gave birth to Games24x7 in 2006.

It started its journey by launching its first online game RummyCircle. Rummy is a kind of card game played with two decks of cards and a total of two Jokers. The platform offers online rummy. Later in 2015, Ultimate Games (U Games), the company’s casual games studio, was established to develop new games for the worldwide market.

Around 2019, Games24x7 launched My11Cricle, which is one of the country’s top fantasy sports platforms. This platform includes sports like Cricket and Football.

In 2021, Games24x7 expanded its gaming platform by adding carrom, and kabaddi to its My11Cricle portfolio.

RummyCircle and My11Cricle involve real money as the prize. The Games24x7 crew is varied, skilled, and dedicated, with offices in Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Kyiv, Philadelphia, and Miami. The firm focuses on providing amazing gaming experiences across multiple platforms by leveraging behavioral research, technology, and artificial intelligence.

Other than online gaming, Games24x7 has specialties in Game AI, Data Science, Skill Games, Content AI, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Supervised Learning, Mobile Games, Process AI, and Data Analytics.

Games24x7 now utilizes Amazon CloudWatch to survey its applications, which consistently delivers notifications that assist engineers to detect and act on likely problems before they arise, preventing an interruption in the user experience. In addition, since there is real money involved in their RummyCircle, it takes the help of the Amazon Neptune graph database to determine whether two players in a game are conspiring to outwit the other four players. This allows the company to stay alert and prevent any sort of fraudulent activities.

Games24x7 was highlighted as one of eight innovative startups using the potential of new-age innovation to develop a new-age India on Discovery Channel’s TV series, India Startup Stories. It is also India’s 99th unicorn company.

Games24x7 – Industry

As per a report, there are about five billion internet users around the world, accounting for 63% of the world’s population. Experts predict that the tech industry will have a growth rate of 104% between 2018 and 2023.

Games24x7 – Founders

Bhavin Pandya and Trivikraman Thampy founded Games24x7 in 2006.

Bhavin Pandya

Bhavin Pandya is also the CEO of Games24x7. His responsibilities involve looking into the company’s operations and game development. Bhavin graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He likes to make sure to achieve the company’s strategic goals and ensures that the correct culture is established and maintained. One of the most challenging things for Bhavin was to leave a fully-funded Economics Ph.D. program at New York University to go after his passion and launch Games24x7. He has interned at General Electric Healthcare for almost a year.

Trivikraman Thampy

Trivikraman Thampy likes to be called Vikram by his teammates. He lives in Miami and has led the firm through multiple successful product launches, marketing campaigns, and investment rounds. Trivikraman has a Ph.D. in Economics from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. He has a total of 14 years of experience in handling the analytical abilities and strategic judgments of the company ever since its beginning.

Games24x7 – Mission and Vision

The vision statement of Games24x7 is, “To nurture people to develop the core values and traits that we believe are the key to any organization’s success.”

The Core Values of Games24x7 are:
- Honesty
- Humility
- Genuineness
- Decency
- Fairness
Games24x7 – Name, Tagline, and Logo

Over 14 years, Games24x7 has been transformed many times and has experimented with multiple logos and concepts.

The current logo of the company was revealed in January 2020. The new logo of the company demonstrates the importance of its mission.

The new logo shows a tech stack with coding symbols to give a form of a cube with the alphabet ‘G’ on top of the cube symbol. The logo mirrors Games24x7’s brand identity, bringing in aspects of imagination, ideation, and intelligence. It is led by a bold and steady blue with a flash of lively orange color, accompanied by tranquil teal and aqua accents.

The tagline of Games24x7 is, “The Science of Gaming”, which truly defines its creativity and as the technology leader in today’s gaming market.

Games24x7 – Business & Revenue Model

The business model of Games24x7 can be defined as having an online model where it offers a hyper-personalized gaming experience to its customers. The company works on a model-driven rather than a data-driven one, with machine learning (ML) models directing essential business logic across the operation. By leveraging technologies such as AI, ML, Data Science, and so on, the company is now offering these services as B2B products for other firms.

The three major gaming platforms of Games24x7 are:
- RummyCircle
- My11Circle
- U Games
Games24x7 gets its major chunk of revenue through RummyCircle and My11Circle gaming platforms.

Games24x7 – Funding and Investors

Games24x7 has raised $75 million in fundraising across two waves. Their most recent fundraising came on March 30, 2022, in the form of a Venture-Series Unknown round. Four investors support Games24x7. The most recent investors are Malabar Investment Advisors and Tiger Global Management. The other two investors of Games24x7 are The Raine Group and Das & Co.

Date Funding Round Fund Amount Investors

March 30, 2022 Venture Round $75 million Malabar Investment

Jun 5, 2006 Seed Round – –

Games24x7 – Investments

Games24x7 has made only one investment as of now. On August 18, 2021, Games24x7 invested in Cricheroes, a web portal aimed at the grassroots cricket ecosystem.

Games24x7 – Advertisements and Social Media

Games24x7 had rolled out a campaign for its sports fantasy platform by featuring Sourav Ganguly, who also happens to be the brand ambassador of My11Circle. The company launched a campaign ahead of IPL 2022. The idea of the ad is crafted by the Script Room. With the #IndiakaSabseBada1stPrize, which was a giveaway prize meant for the games on the My11Cricle platform.

Previously, in 2020, Games24x7 launched a campaign for its RummyCircle platform to bring out the light-hearted competitiveness of the gaming platform among the players. With the title “Apna Game Dikhao” the ad targeted the gaming spirit of rummy offers its players, which is a blend of multiple emotions. The campaign was unveiled on various media including OTT platforms and YouTube.

Recently, Games24x7 has roped in Bollywood Actor, Hrithik Roshan as its RummyCircle’s brand ambassador.

Games24x7 – Awards and Achievements

In May 2022, BCCI awarded the title sponsorship rights of the Women’s T20 Challenge 2022 to My11Circle.

The Indian Digital Marketing Awards (IDMA) 2021 was presented to RummyCircle by teaming with Affle’s MAAS platform for a campaign. The unified platform won eight awards. This was Games24x7’s first-ever mobile-user acquisition campaign with MAAS.

The awards are:
- Best use of Mobile to Drive Sales
- Cross Mobile Integration
- Most Effective App for Consumer
- Best Data-Driven Strategy
- Best Omni-Channel Campaign Management & Marketing Automation
- Most Effective Use of Digital Analytics
- Best Multi-Mobile Channel Campaign
Games24x7 – Competitors

Some of the top competitors of Games24x7 are:
1. Dream11
2. FanFight
3. Daily Fantasy Cricket
4. Classic Rummy
5. Junglee Rummy
6. Octro Inc
7. Sachar Gaming Pvt. Ltd.
8. Adda52.com
Games24x7 – Future Plans

The company plans to use its funds to invest more in technology, which is its main platform to diversify its content and aims to remain the market leader. It is also aiming to team with other content creators across international boundaries to bring more gaming content to India.

FAQs

Who is the CEO of Games24x7?

Bhavin Pandya is the CEO of Games24x7.

Who is the Brand Ambassador of Games24x7?

Games24x7 has onboarded Hrithik Roshan as it’s Brand Ambassador.

Where is the head office of Games24x7?

The Head office of Games24x7 is in Mumbai.

Is Games24x7 a Unicorn?

Yes, Games24x7 is a Unicorn.
October 28, 2022
Why Did Google Stadia Fail to Impress Gamers?

If you are someone who loves gaming, Google’s Stadia is perfect for your games and entertainment purposes. Launched in November 2019, Stadia make your favourite games instantly accessible no matter where you are.

It’s apparent that Stadia’s technology has been proven and works at scale, as evidenced by the recent successful launch of Cyberpunk 2077 on Stadia, gameplay on all types of platforms, including iOS, extending our slate of YouTube integrations, and our global expansions.

It was an attempt by Google to join the video games and entertainment industry by creating this platform. Unlike Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, Google’s focus was on cloud-based streaming, which means that instead of purchasing real gear like the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, consumers only need a compatible device, such as a phone or tablet, and they can play from anywhere.

Unsuccessful Launch
Poor Advertising Plan
Falling Back in Delivering Better Service
Misconceptions About the Gaming Market
Stadia Was Like a Stranded Product on Google’s Platform

What Is Google Stadia?

Stadia is a cloud gaming service introduced by Google. It was a new type of gaming platform that does not involve any console requirement to gain gaming experience. Instead, Google Stadia allows the users to play their games on any available screen over the internet.

Google Stadia

Google Stadia was introduced on 19th November 2019 and discontinued on 1st February 2021. Even after being a Google product with a great concept, Stadia failed to create its place in the market.

There can be many reasons for the failure of the Stadia such as:

Unsuccessful Launch

Unfortunately for Google, the program received backlash when it first launched about a year and a half ago. The reviews suggested that the management could have devoted more effort to working out Stadia’s faults. From there, things only seemed to become worse, culminating in the latest studio shutdown and discoveries that made social media news.

Google Stadia Reviews

Whenever one adds in claims of odd money management and an apparent misunderstanding of how the games industry works whenever it comes to AAA ports, the streaming service has had a hard go of it recently. Stadia’s potential employers dropped 68% lower according to the business reports, a year after its unsuccessful launch.

Critics instantly warned users against using the service because of its limited game catalogue and several technical concerns. It has also failed to acquire traction, even though COVID-19 was witnessing one of the most significant increases in gaming popularity in the medium’s history. So, when other gaming platforms gained popularity Stadia was losing its day by day. Which was strange because Google had Stadia’s back.

Google Stadia Active User Count Of The Year 2019-2020.

Poor Advertising Plan

Now, in circumstances like these, at least the advertisements and brand awareness go up. Since this was a gaming platform the creators did try and reach out to its audience (Gen Z) but, Stadia had received its fair share of setbacks on social media. On February 26, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier published an article explaining, Google’s Stadia strategy and also tweeted about it.

Jason Schreier on Google Stadia

The article gave details outlining the platform’s growth from inception to debut in November 2019, “although Schreier claimed that the corporation was spending tens of millions of dollars on each Stadia port that went viral on social media.

Essentially, instead of investing those resources toward independent developers or Stadia’s studios to create unique content for the service, Google was paying Ubisoft and other AAA video game developers ridiculous sums to bring their latest titles to Stadia.”

Paying millions of dollars for games that had already been launched was even more distressing news, given that Google had only announced the closing of its in-house studios a few weeks previously. Instead of being developed by Google, all original content created solely for Stadia will have to come through partnerships with other studios.

Overall, Google STADIA has failed to live up to its creator’s expectations of being a game-changing platform. It doesn’t appear to be getting any better, either, given its bumpy history.

List of Subsidiaries and Acquisitions of Ubisoft

Ubisoft is one of the top gaming companies in the world headquartered in Montreuil. Take a look at the subsidiaries of Ubisoft.

StartupTalkyRoshni Tamta

Falling Back in Delivering Better Service

During the launch event of Stadia, There were many promises done by the speaker.

Google Stadia Launch

Stadia is not constrained by the limitation of traditional console systems. Instead, we have built a truly flexible, scalable, and modern platform that allows us to push performance beyond what was previously considered possible. This architecture gives us even more flexibility to scale. And thanks to fast transfer speeds between the Stadia instances in our data center, our platform can connect instances to dynamically expand the capabilities, along with the need of your games. As a developer, you’re used to being forced to tone down your creative ambition, [which is] limited by the hardware. But our vision with Stadia is that the processing resources available will scale up to match your imagination. In this new generation, the data center is your platform. Revealed by Stadia Head of Engineering Majd Bakar during the launch event.

However, when the product was made in use, the reality found was quite different from the explanation. Stadia failed to survive users test and create a place in the market. Many users report claiming Stadia slow servers with poor resolution. Hence, this also added to the list of “drawbacks of Stadia”.

Growth Of Indian Gaming Industry During Pandemic

The Indian Online Gaming Industry is growing exponentially fast and is expected to be worth $1.1 billion by 2021, this is because of the Covid 19 pandemic.

StartupTalkyPV Vyshnavi

Misconceptions About the Gaming Market

Google is a big name in the market. However, this name is majorly applied in cloud services only. It was the first time creation of a gaming product by Google. Hence, it can be assumed that Google was not aware of the trends going on in the market and might have a misconception about it.

The gaming market no longer lacks any technology-related limits. Instead, it is the place where much new technology takes part as the first trial. Google might have taken the gaming market still as a newbie and didn’t minded to work more on the project.

Stadia’s Game and Entertainment was the first in-house gaming studio developed by Stadia. It was pulled off after one year of discontinuing Stadia. The gaming studio was given the charge of creating exclusive games. However, the decision of pulling it off caused others a hazy impression of Google.

Creating games takes time and the decision of closing the Studio within one year of stadia affected the employees working in the studio with multi-year reassurance. All these indicate the misconception that Google has related to the gaming industry and indirectly caused the failure of the platform as a whole.

Stadia Was Like a Stranded Product on Google’s Platform

The sentence stranded in a place might seem like an exaggeration to use for Stadia. However, in reality, the only connection between Stadia and other Google platforms was from 4K live on YouTube.

These factors can indirectly affect the popularity of newly introduced products. Stadia was too late to realize this. It took the whole year for Stadia to be included in the 2020’s Chromecast with Google TV.

For the initial months, Stadia was known to work with Pixel phones only. However, with the launch of Pixel 6, Stadia was nowhere to be seen in its bundle. Whereas, Stadia was marketed as a major point in the selling of Pixel phone.

Stadia was forgotten by Google at such limits that Xbox provides YouTube premium as its perk. However, Google didn’t consider using the same tactic for its brand. With all these points, it can be assumed that Stadia was long forgotten even before its discontinuation causing a few percent of damage to its popularity which led to its failure.

Conclusion

Google Stadia was created with much hope and as a Google-backed product. Yet, at many points, Google failed to impress the gamers with Stadia causing an ultimate decision of discontinuing the service. Stadia was created as a gaming platform that can be used on any normal screen rather than using the console. However, due to many issues, it was pulled off in 2021 by Google. Some of the estimated reasons behind the failure of Stadia are shared above.

FAQs

What is Google Stadia?

Google Stadia is a gaming platform developed by Google that allows its users to play games on a single platform using the same screen. It is a cloud video gaming platform that does not require any additional hardware to play games in it.

Why did Google Stadia fail?

Google Stadia failed due to many reasons. Some of them are poor advertising plans, improper implementation of strategies, bugs in the service, etc.

Are games on Stadia Free?

The games available on Stadia fall into different categories. One is free and the other requires a subscription. Few games are free on the Stadia to play.

What happened to Google Stadia?

Google Stadia stagnated on 1st February 2021 after its unfortunate failure in creating a name and meeting the user target.

June 8, 2022