Rotten tables with nails protruding, electrical issues, no internet connectivity—conditions that would make it impossible for any esports athlete to compete effectively. Such dismal settings harken back to the infamous India Gaming Carnival of 2012, a debacle still etched in the collective memory of the Indian gaming community ..read more

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is swiftly becoming a cornerstone across various applications, from food delivery platforms like Zomato to messaging services such as WhatsApp integrating AI into their essential functions. The gaming industry is no exception. At the Game Developers Conference 2024 in San Francisco, numerous companies showcased their latest AI tools designed for integration into forthcoming games. A survey conducted during the event revealed that 31% of the over 3,000 game developers in attendance are already utilizing generative AI tools in their projects, with an addit ..read more

What does it take to develop something revolutionary in the crowded first-person shooter (FPS) market, experimented with in countless ways, and starved of innovation over the last several years—Money? Innovation? Technology? Creativity? The Finals by Nexon subsidiary Embark Studios, born in December 2023, might provide the answer. Backed by a substantial funding of about $300 Million, before starting work on the game the developers diverted time and investment to use advanced artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, and even proprietary technology such as advanced server-sid ..read more

As the sun slowly peers through the window, 22-year-old Akash prepares for another day at university. Assignments aside, he is extremely enthused to talk to his mates about the new easter eggs he found about an upcoming agent in Valorant. As soon as he boards his metro, he wastes no time loading up a BGMI game. A glance at the number of stations to go, and his eyes are glued back on his phone as he bulldozes through the battlefield. He reaches into his bag to grab his favorite aerated drink and chugs it as he waits for his stop. Time then flies by as he speedruns his classes, and finally, afte ..read more

It’s Wednesday, July 10. In today’s feature story, we delve into the ten recommendations Indian video game companies have presented to the government for the National AVGC-XR Policy. Additionally, we cover Saudi Arabia’s ambitious initiative for its Qiddiya esports city. We also highlight Felicity Games securing $700,000 in funding from top tech entrepreneurs, including Swiggy's Sriharsha Majety, Cred's Kunal Shah, and Nazara Games' Manish Agarwal, among other updates. If this is your first time reading this, sign up here Indian Gaming Giants Urge Government to Draw Clear Line Between Video Ga ..read more

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, July 9. In today’s feature story, we explore why FIFA needed a video game to stay relevant and examine its surprising new partnerships. We also cover Singapore's new circular warning about the "dangers" of gaming, highlight Genshin Impact's partnership with a Singaporean aquarium, and more. If this is your first time reading this, sign up here Reinventing FIFA: The Path Forward After EA In 2022, after nearly three decades, Electronic Arts (EA) ended its iconic partnership with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The split wasn't just surpri ..read more

In 2019, Jio made ambitious promises with the launch of JioFiber and its Set Top Box, touting a revolutionary gaming experience. The company assured consumers of 4k gaming capabilities accessible through “almost all gaming controllers” and even smartphones as soft controllers. Akash Ambani, now the company’s chairman, demonstrated this by playing FIFA 19 (allegedly with his friend online) during the unveiling, claiming seamless connectivity through Jio’s network. The platform also stated that it would feature games from industry giants like Tencent, Microsoft, Riot Games, Milestone and Gamelof ..read more

Good morning. It’s Friday, July 5. We’re holding off on today’s feature story as we await key responses on the state of cloud gaming in India. In the meantime, we recommend reading about the launch of the ‘WTF Gaming Fund,’ aimed at supporting aspiring game developers and entrepreneurs. Additionally, we delve into a new report revealing that Telangana is actively engaging with esports industry stakeholders to formulate comprehensive gaming policies. We cover these topics and other developments in gaming, esports, and more. If this is your first time reading this, sign up here. Zerodha’s Nikhil ..read more

In our series so far, we have examined the regulation of real money games in India, while video games remain unregulated by the government. But why is this lack of regulation beneficial? Why should the government be concerned about video games, and what support structures could be implemented to foster their growth?  These are the questions that this final article in this series aims to address.  ..read more

Nazara, already partnered with Sportskeeda for a content syndication venture, bought a 67% stake in the sports news website in 2019, valuing the company at INR 44 Crore ($5.26M USD). This acquisition provided an expedited exit for SeedFund — Sportskeeda’s early investor. While Nazara did not disclose Sportskeeda’s turnover for that year, the company highlighted that its latest investment would add almost 25 Million monthly active users (MAUs) to its network, a green signal for what’s more to come.  ..read more