Gaming
Nazara’s Fusebox drops Big Brother bombshell in mobile gaming world
MUMBAI: India’s Nazara Technologies has tossed a juicy twist into the global gaming arena. Its UK-based subsidiary, Fusebox Games, has teamed up with Banijay Rights to launch Big Brother: The Game, bringing the drama, deceit and diary room straight to your smartphone.
This mobile game isn’t just another tap-and-swipe time-killer. It’s a choose-your-own-chaos simulator where players enter the infamous Big Brother house, craft their own characters, form alliances, win challenges — and yes, face the agony of eviction. Think Love Island meets Survivor meets screen-time addiction.
Fusebox CEO Terry Lee said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring Big Brother: The Game to players around the
world. This is more than just a mobile game — it’s a reality show experience where players shape the drama, form alliances, and fight for survival in the Big Brother house. The global appeal of the Big Brother franchise, combined with our interactive storytelling expertise, makes this a truly unique release.”
Nazara CEO Nitish Mittersain added: “Fusebox Games has demonstrated exceptional creativity and innovation in bringing popular IPs to the interactive gaming space. The launch of Big Brother: The Game aligns with our vision to expand globally and deliver engaging content that resonates with diverse audiences. We are proud to support Fusebox in this exciting endeavor. “
For Banijay, it’s yet another digital reboot of a format that’s still raking in eyeballs after 600 series across 70 countries.
“Big Brother has captured the hearts of millions of viewers worldwide. Our partnership with Fusebox Games opens exciting new possibilities, creating immersive ways for fans to engage with this iconic brand. We look forward to seeing players around the world experience the drama, strategy, and excitement of the Big Brother house in a whole new way,” said Banijay Rights svp of gaming Mark Woollard.
Available on iOS and Android, the game builds on Fusebox’s hit-making streak, which includes the Love Island game that previously ruled the app charts. With custom narratives and dynamic characters, Big Brother: The Game is designed to stir drama across demographics.
One of the world’s most iconic and successful reality television franchises, Big Brother first hit screens 25 years ago in the Netherlands in 1999. Since its debut, over 600 series of the show have aired around the world in 70 markets. Globally, the format has maintained huge popularity and is one of Banijay Entertainment’s top three formats, airing in 28 territories last year. The format continues to make a splash globally, with prime-time success in the UK, Spain and Brazil, long-running versions airing consistently in the US and Italy since 2000, six regional versions each year in India, and a new adaptation in Malta. Big Brother is a Banijay Entertainment format.
For Nazara, which acquired Fusebox in 2024, it’s one more power play in a global gaming push that’s anything but subtle. The message is clear: if the world’s watching, Nazara’s building.
Gaming
Dream Sports sees 100 plus exits after gaming ban forces overhaul
Company splits into eight units as real money gaming law hits revenue.
MUMBAI: For a company built on fantasy leagues, reality has suddenly rewritten the rulebook. More than 100 employees have exited Dream Sports, the parent of Dream11, after the company reorganised its operations following India’s ban on real money online gaming. The shake up came after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 came into force in August 2025, prohibiting games where users deposit money expecting winnings. The regulation struck at the heart of the fantasy gaming industry and dramatically affected Dream Sports’ core business, wiping out about 95 percent of its revenue and all of its profits.
In response, the Mumbai based company shifted into what chief executive officer Harsh Jain described as “startup mode”, splitting its operations into eight independent business units in December.
Around 700 employees were reassigned across these newly formed ventures based on their experience and interests. However, roughly 15 percent opted to leave the company.
A spokesperson for Dream Sports said many of those who exited were experienced professionals accustomed to running scaled businesses rather than early stage ventures.
“Since some of these employees were experienced with running high scale businesses and not startups, around 15 percent chose to leave and join other scaled companies or start ventures of their own,” the spokesperson said.
Despite the departures, the company noted that the attrition rate is only slightly higher than its earlier level of around 10 percent before the ban. Dream Sports now has close to 950 employees and is not currently hiring, choosing instead to focus on stabilising its existing workforce.
The restructuring has transformed Dream Sports from a fantasy gaming company into a broader sports entertainment platform. The eight units now operate independently, each focusing on different segments of the sports and technology ecosystem.
These include Dream11, sports streaming platform Fancode, sports travel service DreamSetGo, mobile game Dream Cricket and artificial intelligence initiative Dream Sports AI, which includes sports analytics platform Dream Play.
Other ventures include fintech product Dream Money, open source initiative Dream Horizon and the philanthropic arm Dream Sports Foundation.
As part of cost saving efforts, Dream Sports also relocated its headquarters from Bandra Kurla Complex to Worli earlier this year. The new office, called Dream Sports Stadium, brings teams from its various brands together under one roof to improve collaboration and operational efficiency.
Jain had earlier said the company removed bonus lock in timelines for employees hired in recent years, allowing those who wished to leave to exit with pro rata payouts.
“We want people who are fully into the startup mode and willing to work for it, and we will share that reward if it comes,” he said.
Founded in 2008 by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth, Dream Sports was last valued at 8 billion dollars after raising 840 million dollars in 2021 from investors including Falcon Edge Capital, DST Global, D1 Capital Partners, RedBird Capital Partners, Tiger Global Management, TPG and Footpath Ventures.
The new gaming law has forced several companies in the fantasy gaming sector to either shut down or pivot their business models, signalling a significant reset for one of India’s fastest growing digital entertainment industries.
