Asia
Nazara Technologies raises INR 100 Cr funding through Hornbill Capital
Nazara Technologies Limited (Nazara), a leading India based diversified gaming and sports media platform, today announced that Nazara has raised an amount of INR 100 Cr from Instant Growth Limited (IGL) which is advised by Hornbill Capital Advisers LLP. IGL is an investment vehicle of the North America based limited partners (LPs) of Hornbill Orchid India Fund.
Hornbill Capital Advisers LLP (Hornbill Capital) is an India based investment advisory firm founded by Manoj Thakur in 2014. Hornbill Capital acts as an advisor to Hornbill Orchid Investment Manager Private Limited which manages Hornbill Orchid India Fund, a Mauritius based hedge fund that invests in India as a Foreign Portfolio Investor.
Commenting on the recent investment made through Hornbill Capital Advisers LLP, Manish Agarwal, CEO, Nazara says, “We welcome Hornbill Capital’s entry into the Indian gaming ecosystem with their investment in Nazara. We are glad that they share our conviction and excitement on the future of the gaming sector in India and the value creation potential which gaming offers to the investors. The leadership team of Hornbill Capital has been part of the growth story of many consumer internet companies and we at Nazara look forward to leveraging their experience of working with some of the smartest tech entrepreneurs across the globe and having an inside view of blitz scaling of their portfolio companies in the last decade.”
Commenting on the Nazara investment, Manoj Thakur, Founder & Managing Partner, Hornbill Capital Advisers LLP said, “We have been closely following Nazara’s journey over several years, as it evolved into a platform for gaming and gamified early learning. The leadership team of Nitish and Manish have built Nazara into an attractive ecosystem for some of the most promising entrepreneurial talent in the Indian gaming and early learning space. Through prudent capital allocation, we believe that the team at Nazara has demonstrated their ability to build a formidable presence in esports, gamified early learning and mobile gaming – some of the most exciting spaces in India over the next decade.”
Earlier this year, Plutus Wealth Management and its associates acquired shares worth over INR 500 Cr in Nazara from WestBridge Ventures II Investment Holdings, marking a complete exit for WestBridge Ventures II Investment Holdings.
Nazara has invested over INR 300 Cr in the last 5 years in the Indian gaming ecosystem. Having consummated multiple transactions over the past few years, Nazara has placed itself in a leading position in esports, interactive gaming and gamified early learning space. Nazara has acquired a majority stake in Nodwin Gaming Pvt. Ltd (57.05%); Next Wave Multimedia Pvt. Ltd. (52.38%), which operates World Cricket Championship (WCC), the largest mobile-based cricket simulation game, in addition to investment in Absolute Sports Private Limited, which operates Sportskeeda (63.90%) and Paper Boat Apps Private Limited (50.91%) – gamified early learning subscription app.
Asia
Natural8 India gives poker enthusiasts across the country a chance to become Asian Poker Tour (APT) champions from the comfort of their homes!
Ever dreamt of testing your skills at poker competitively, against some of the best poker players in Asia? If you have, then let it be a dream no more! Natural8 India is giving poker players across the country, both amateur and professional, a chance to win up to 20 Asian Poker Tour (APT) trophies with the biggest-ever online APT series with millions in prize pools: the APT Online 2024!
Having kicked off on November 10, the APT Online 2024 offers players a chance to win up to 20 APT trophies, including three exclusive and bespoke APT Online Lion Trophies, and millions in prize pools across the Main Event, High Roller, and Super High Roller tables. Natural8 India will also automatically enter all players participating in any APT Trophy events into the Lucky Draw Flipout at no extra charge, giving five top players a chance to win the APT Main Event Live Packages.
Speaking about the event, Kunal Patni, Executive Director and Country Head, Natural8 India, said, “The APT Online 2024 is an unparalleled opportunity for poker enthusiasts in India to experience the thrill of competitive poker on a grand stage. We are thrilled to bring this prestigious series to players across the country, giving them the chance to not only test their skills against the best and compete for APT trophies and massive prize pools. Our goal is to make top-tier poker accessible to everyone, and we hope to inspire a new wave of talent to rise through India’s growing poker community. We are excited with the response so far and are looking forward to even more players, whether seasoned pros or just starting on their poker journeys, to participate in the exciting, thrilling experience that the APT Online 2024 is shaping up to be!”
With all this available with buy-ins as low as INR 1,100 and from the comfort of your home, what are you waiting for? Visit Natural8 India today and sign up for the table right here, and get a chance to compete against other poker enthusiasts and earn glory by becoming an APT Trophy winner!
Asia
Mythpat, GamerFleet, Piyush Joshi Gaming: India’s popular Minecraft Players Gear Up for the Ultimate Battle in Creators Rumble
Get ready to dive into an electrifying, one-of-a-kind gaming spectacle as India’s most talented gamers face off in the much-anticipated Minecraft tournament titled Creators Rumble, an initiative by OP Gaming, a subsidiary of OpraahFx. This event is set to bring together India’s top Minecraft creators, who will challenge each other and display their mastery over the game in a thrilling competition spanning three rounds which includes Parkour, MLG and PvP.
This event marks the first time that India’s top Minecraft influencers and gaming creators unite in an official tournament format, bringing fans and players alike a whole new level of excitement.
Divided into six teams of four members, they will face off across action-packed Minecraft rounds designed to test every skill—from strategy and creativity to adaptability and teamwork.
Mythpat aka Mithilesh Patankar, one of India’s leading Youtuber and gaming influencers, shared his excitement saying, “Creators Rumble will be a chance to bring the Minecraft gaming community closer, strengthening bonds among creators and igniting excitement for both fans and gamers. India has a huge Minecraft fanbase, and this tournament will introduce even more gamers to the fun of Minecraft.”
The inaugural edition of Creators Rumble will tap into Minecraft’s worldwide popularity, which has grown steadily since its release. In October 2023, Mojang Studios, the game’s developer, revealed it has sold over 300 million copies, making Minecraft the best-selling video game in history. Players of all ages continue to be captivated by its open-ended gameplay and limitless creative potential, where they can build worlds and structures limited only by their imagination.
Anticipating the prospects Mansi Gupta, Chief Business Officer at OpraahFx, emphasized on the industry impact saying, “India’s gaming landscape is thriving, and we believe that the nation has the potential to emerge as one of the world’s biggest pools of gaming talent. The Creators Rumble is a platform for growth, not only for seasoned players but for the entire creator economy. We’re here to support these creators as they captivate audiences with their talents in Minecraft.”
The Creator’s Rumble will see iconic players Mythpat (Mithilesh Patankar) and Gamerfleet (Anshu Bisht) showcasing some exhilarating gaming experience joined by popular gaming creators, Piyush Joshi Gaming (younger brother of popular Indian YouTuber, Sourav Joshi), AndreoBee (Naveen Yadav), MC Addon (Dipanshu Prajapati), PSD1 (Prathamesh), Harshita (Harshita Shukla), ShadowShooter (Pankaj Kumar Sahoo), I.M.Kopi (Bibek Jung Kunwar), Proboiz (Paresh Solanki), Mr Lapis (Jitender Kumar), GameBeat (Nitin Tyagi), Risible Twins (Kartik and Kunal), Yug Playz (Yug Thakkar), Agnit Plays (Vinit Aggarwal), GamerJatin (Jatin Makhija), Spunky Insaan (Harshit Nema), Pahadi Gaming (Lokesh Karakoti), DevXD (Pankaj Dev), Ro9nie (Rohan Chhabra), Sidh4rth (Siddharth), CassalFx (Shrey Patel) and Dattrax Gaming (Harvest Dewangan).
With this monumental event, OP Gaming aims to further solidify India’s role in the global gaming landscape and showcase the extraordinary creativity and camaraderie of the Minecraft community.
The tournament is scheduled to take place on November 22 (Friday) and will be streamed live on the OP Gaming YouTube channel. Six teams – Team Redstone, Team Gold, Team Emeralds, Team Shulker, Team Amethyst, and Team Diamonds, will compete in a series of thrilling challenges, vying for the prestigious title and showcasing the finest Minecraft talent in India.
Asia
PAGCOR clarifies view on jurisdiction over Central One Bataan
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) was invited in a briefing held by the Bataan Peace and Order Council on November 13, 2024 regarding the police operations conducted in Central One Bataan.
During the said briefing, PAGCOR’s representative made a remark stating that Central One Bataan is under the jurisdiction of the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), and not of PAGCOR.
PAGCOR seeks to rectify this statement.
Republic Act No. 9728 grants the AFAB the power to oversee certain tourism-related activities within the Freeport Area of Bataan including games, amusements, recreational and sports activities subject to the approval and supervision of PAGCOR.
This underscores the fact that while AFAB may regulate specific activities and exercise authority within its jurisdiction, its power to issue licenses for gaming operations remains conditional and subject to PAGCOR’s oversight and approval.
Following the letter of the law, Central One Bataan’s involvement in online gaming activities clearly subject the same to PAGCOR’s jurisdiction and regulatory authority. However, records show that Central One Bataan is not one of the companies licensed by PAGCOR to legally operate such activities.
PAGCOR shares the perspective that offshore gaming companies misrepresenting themselves as BPOs should be treated as a serious concern.
To effectively address illegal gaming operations, companies that misuse the BPO designation must also be scrutinized and held accountable.
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