iWorld
Chimp&z Inc bags digital mandate for ALTBalaji’s Metaverse game ‘Lock Upp’
Mumbai: Chimp&z Inc, from the aegis of Merge Infinity Network has bagged the digital mandate for ALTBalaji’s “Lock Upp,” a first-of-its-kind reality show-based fantasy metaverse game. This establishes a strategic partnership for the game’s launch on seven popular social media platforms.
With this partnership, the agency forays into a metaverse market that offers in-game cards of the celebrity contestants which players can own, buy, sell, and trade and earn points through skilled gameplay and contributions to the ecosystem, said the statement.
As per the mandate, the agency will amplify enrollment in the game with creative communications across social platforms such as Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Telegram. The digital duties further extend to online reputation management and influencer collaborations.
https://www.instagram.com/lockuppgame/
“As we embark on a first-of-its-kind journey for an innovation like the Lock Upp Game, we are delighted to have Chimp&z Inc on board to support us in this unique project which will break barriers and open paths for future content innovation,” commented Balaji Telefilms group COO Zulfiqar Khan.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Zulfiqar and his team on delivering a surreal experience to the audience with a Metaverse-based game,” stated Chimp&z Inc VP- growth and operations Ashish Duggal. “The game plan is to develop identifiable social and digital solutions that will assist in supporting the brand’s thrust area of being the first fantasy game based on a reality show. We put together a team of gaming enthusiasts for this project who formulated a digital strategy that will appeal to the target audience, which includes gamers, metaverse wizards, and NFT buffs. This innovative intellectual property has manifested a bridge between virtual reality and entertainment, making the audience a part of the content they are consuming.”
iWorld
Meta plans 10 per cent workforce cut amid cpush
About 8,000 roles at risk as $145 billion AI spend reshapes costs
MUMBAI: Meta is trimming people to power machines and the trade-off is getting expensive. The tech giant is preparing to lay off around 10 per cent of its workforce, impacting nearly 8,000 employees out of a total headcount of 78,000, as it ramps up spending on artificial intelligence and data centre infrastructure. The move, outlined by chief executive Mark Zuckerberg in a recent internal Q&A, reflects a broader recalibration of costs as the company doubles down on compute-heavy investments.
Zuckerberg pointed to soaring expenses in GPUs, chips and data centres as the primary drivers behind the decision, noting that increased spending in one area inevitably forces cuts in another. In this case, personnel costs are taking the hit. He also signalled a structural shift in how work is done, suggesting that advances in efficiency mean tasks once handled by large teams can now be managed by significantly smaller groups.
The changes come amid signs of internal unease. Employee sentiment has reportedly deteriorated, with data from workplace platform Blind indicating that negative posts about the company have quadrupled since 2024.
Uncertainty is likely to persist. Chief People Officer Janelle Gale has indicated that further layoffs cannot be ruled out, even as the business remains fundamentally strong. The company plans to continue reshaping teams and redeploying talent where possible, though changing priorities and competitive pressures are expected to keep cost controls tight.
Externally, Meta is also navigating macroeconomic headwinds. Zuckerberg flagged the impact of geopolitical tensions, including the US conflict with Iran, noting that rising oil prices could dampen consumer spending and, in turn, affect advertising demand still the company’s core revenue engine.
At the same time, Meta is not pulling back on ambition. The company plans to invest more than $145 billion this year, largely into AI infrastructure, while also expanding its approach to building a broader portfolio of applications rather than relying on a handful of flagship platforms.
The message is clear: as Meta races to build its AI future, it is reshaping its present, one job cut at a time.
