Asia
Nazara acquires skill gaming platform OpenPlay
Nazara Technologies Limited an India based, diversified gaming and sports media platform announced that it has acquired 100% stake in Hyderabad based skill gaming company OpenPlay for a total consideration of INR 186.4 crores.
OpenPlay operates a multi-game consumer gaming platform under the “Classic Games” brand which hosts popular skill based games and operates highest standards of technology, game fairness, advance player protection, security, AML and advertising standards.
OpenPlay currently has an annualised gross gaming revenue runrate of INR 80 Cr and is operating on ebidta positive margins. With its recent launch of influencers hosted skill gaming tournaments, the company is poised to grow its user base at rapid pace in coming quarters.
Says Nazara CEO Manish Agarwal, “The OpenPlay acquisition offers an opportunity for Nazara to build a network of skill gaming destinations operating on one common tech platform under the proven leadership of Sreeram and his team at OpenPlay. Sreeram is a successful entrepreneur globally in online real money gaming and we are excited that he will be leading Nazara’s growth in this sector.”
OpenPlay is led by Sreeram Reddy Vanga who is a serial entrepreneur in the global online gaming industry. In his previous avatar, he founded and led CozyGames to become the second largest Bingo network in the UK before being acquired. Sreeram was also part of the early team at PartyGaming which went IPO on London Stock Exchange in 2005.Sreeram Reddy Vanga says, “I’m excited to join the ‘Friends of Nazara Network’ and look forward to working closely with Nazara leadership and the Network to build India’s largest vernacular social gaming and entertainment platform. Our technology complemented by Nazara’s positioning in the gaming industry in India is the perfect combination for this endeavour.”
The “Friends of Nazara” network comprises of established gaming companies in which Nazara holds majority stakes and works actively with existing founders and management teams to rapidly achieve scale. These companies include Nodwin Gaming and Sportskeeda in Esports Next Wave Multimedia, developer of World Cricket Championship (WCC), the largest mobile-based cricket simulation game and Paper Boat Apps, developers of popular gamified early learning app Kiddopia.
Asia
MelBet Appoints Bollywood Actress Sherlyn Chopra as its New Brand Ambassador
International iGaming company MelBet has appointed Sherlyn Chopra, one of India’s famous and glamorous actresses, as its new brand ambassador.
As a brand ambassador, Sherlyn would be involved in creating exclusive content and promoting MelBet in international markets.
Sherlyn Chopra is known for her significant success in the film and television industry. Her work, including her role in the psychological thriller, Red Swastik, made her popular in India. Sherlyn is actively involved in showbiz and continues to expand her horizons by doing popular web-series, music albums, short films, launching glamour and style apps and other creative projects.
“I am incredibly excited to become a part of the MelBet family. Sports are more than just games or competitions as they unequivocally bring people together. I am proud to contribute to its popularisation with such a reliable partner. MelBet is not just about gaming, casinos, or sports. It is about team spirit towards involvement in the games, followed by highs and lows which are inevitable in the pursuit of success and victory. MelBet is an experience that brings us closer as a community and in setting our goals and achieving them. I am looking forward to starting our collaborative journey and the opportunities that we can create and explore for our growing game lovers,” Sherlyn Chopra said.
With this appointment, Sheryln joins other leading names, who represent MelBet in India and globally. MelBet believes that with her fearless approach to pushing boundaries, she embodies the innovative spirit that MelBet values – which led to her appointment. This partnership is expected to strengthen MelBet’s connection with sports enthusiasts, gamers and those passionate about the game, opening up new opportunities for clients and helping to further expand the brand’s reach across South Asia.
Asia
Savvy Games Delegation Joins More Than 30,000 Fans for Tencent and Hero Esports’ Honor of Kings Grand Finals in Beijing
The inaugural King Pro League Grand Finals 2024, the biggest esports event in China, drew more than 30,000 fans to a sold-out Beijing Workers’ Stadium on Nov 16. A delegation from Savvy Games and the Esports World Cup Foundation also joined the iconic event hosted by Chinese tech giant Tencent and the largest esports company in Asia, Hero Esports (formerly known as VSPO).
HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Vice Chairman of Savvy Games Group (Savvy); Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy; and Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, attended the tournament where two top Chinese esports teams competed for the inaugural Holy Dragon Cup and a record prize pool.
A total of 70 million rmb ($9.8 million) was awarded to the top 12 teams who advanced through the rounds of the six-week-long tournament. The final showdown was between Chengdu All Gamers and Chongqing Wolves, where Chengdu All Gamers emerged victorious in a best-of-seven series and took home 22 million rmb ($3.1 million) in prize money.
King Pro League, the premier esports league for Tencent’s hit game Honor of Kings, is the biggest esports league in Asia. Honor of Kings is the world’s most popular mobile game with more than 100 million daily players. Hero Esports has been the organizer of KPL tournaments since the league was first launched in 2016.
This year marks the inaugural KPL Grand Finals, which replaces the Honor of Kings International Championship for Chinese Honor of Kings competitors and features the top teams from across China, one of the biggest esports markets in the world with the most players. Events were held at arenas in Chengdu, Hangzhou and Changsha, with the Grand Finals event being held in Beijing.
The popularity of esports is growing rapidly around the world, encouraged by government support in a number of countries and new products and technology. According to a Frost & Sullivan Report, the market size of the esports gaming industry has experienced a significant increase at a CAGR of 15.2% from US$29.8 billion in 2017 to US$52.6 billion in 2021, and is expected to increase further at a CAGR of 12.1% from US$57.9 billion in 2022 to US$102.4 billion in 2027.
The report also shows that the number of gamers globally has experienced a significant increase at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2.3 billion in 2017 to 3.1 billion in 2021, and is expected to further increase at a CAGR of 5.5% from 3.3 billion in 2022 to 4.3 billion in 2027.
Danny Tang, CEO and Co-Founder of Hero Esports, commented: “Hero Esports is proud to have been a part of the first King Pro League Grand Finals, which is an example of the high calibre esports tournaments that fans and players everywhere deserve. The strong enthusiasm we’ve seen for this event in its first year is a testament to the significant growth of interest in this sport and the support of our high-profile sponsors. The atmosphere in the arena was electric and we congratulate the Chengdu All Gamers in winning the inaugural Holy Dragon Cup.”
Hero Esports, formerly known as VSPO, is a leading player in the global esports industry, collaborating with major game developers and global brands and organizing tournaments for players and fans across the world. It is the biggest esports tournament operator in Asia, having hosted 86 tournaments in the region in 2023, of which 62 were in China, compared with a total of 77 tournaments in 2020, of which three were overseas. The company recently announced the Esports Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s new premier international esports tournament featuring multiple titles.
Sponsors of the King Pro League Grand Finals 2024 include Meituan, Snapdragon and SAIC Volkswagen and iQOO.
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!
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