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GoLive Games launches first-ever NFT-based cricket strategy game ‘Cricket Stars’
Mumbai: Enhancing the excitement of the ongoing cricket fever in India, GoLive Games, the country’s mid-core games publisher, has unveiled Cricket Stars, the nation’s first NFT-based cricket strategy esports game powered by Tezos.
Being the only NFT-based multiplayer game with no Pay-to-Play or Play-to-Earn model attached to it in the market, Cricket Stars offers players of all ages the opportunity to experience the thrill of cricket in a virtual format like never before. This game serves as more than just an interface for playing India’s popular sport as it also offers a platform for cricket fanatics to apply their strategic thinking and showcase their in-depth knowledge and passion as they approach this latest esports game.
Cricket Stars is based on a unique concept, presenting players with a range of six batting as well as six bowling card options to select from in each game. By utilizing their extensive knowledge of the game, the player has to pick the right batting card from the multiple options offered to score runs on their opponent’s delivery whilst also selecting the perfect bowling skill to bowl to dismiss their opponent. Moreover, Cricket Stars also provides users with the opportunity to win exclusive cricket bats and other prizes.
Speaking about the unique blend of cricket, Esports and NFTs made possible through cricket stars, GoLive Games founder Ravi Kiran said, ”We’ve poured our heart and soul into creating Cricket Stars, a game that we’re incredibly proud of and one that we believe will resonate with the nation’s gamers. With Cricket being a beloved sport with a global following and the Esports industry in India growing exponentially, we saw the opportunity of merging the two in order to create a truly unique and rewarding gaming experience for cricket aficionados all over the Esports world. Moreover, we believe that the integration of NFTs in our game represents the future of the industry, as it empowers players with true ownership and value in the virtual world. By leveraging the nation’s fiery passion towards cricket as well as gaming, we are confident that the game will become a groundbreaking success in the community and become a significant part of the country’s gaming ecosystem.”
The game not only takes cricket gaming to a whole new level with its engaging gameplay and card mechanics but also stands out as the only NFT-based cricket game in the Esports market that doesn’t require players to invest upfront in NFTs. Players can acquire batting and bowling cards in the form of NFTs at different levels of rarity – Rare, Epic, and Legendary – and utilize their unique features to compete against other players in real time through thrilling matchups, campaigns, or Esports tournaments.
The game’s NFT marketplace is powered by the Tezos Blockchain, allowing users with Tezos wallets to conveniently trade, buy, and sell their cards within the in-game store without the need for any cryptocurrency.
“We are thrilled to partner with GoLive Games to launch Cricket Stars, an exciting cricket strategy game with digital collectibles. This partnership marks an exciting step forward for the gaming industry and for the Tezos blockchain. Cricket fans will enjoy a deeply strategic game that tests their knowledge of the sport while collecting and trading cricket-themed NFTs that add a new dimension to the gameplay experience. We look forward to this partnership being a cornerstone of our shared commitment to make great games even better on Tezos, the best blockchain for games.” said Jeremy Foo, Global Head of Gaming at TriliTech and responsible for game development in Tezos Ecosystem, on their exclusive partnership with GoLive Games.
According to the ‘We, the sports fans of India’ report by Ormax Media, Cricket has more than 124.2m fans in India which is more than any other sport in the country by a considerable margin. Cricket isn’t just a sport in the nation but is considered a religion and people worship this sport.
On the other hand, the ‘India Games Market’ report by Niko Partners states that India had 396.4 million gamers in 2022 which will grow to reach 630 million gamers in 2026.
By merging the mania surrounding cricket with the ever-growing Esports industry of the country, Cricket Stars holds immense potential to cement its position as a leading Esports title in the country. The game is currently available to play on Google Play Store.
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Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
