Gaming
Techno Gamerz hits 50 million subscribers milestone
Asia’s biggest gamer crosses landmark, journey from borrowed phones to global influence.
MUMBAI: From borrowing his brother’s phone for a quick game to commanding Asia’s largest gaming army, Techno Gamerz just levelled up in spectacular fashion. Ujjwal Chaurasia, the Youtube sensation managed by OpraahFX, has crossed the 50 million subscriber mark on his main channel, cementing his spot as Asia’s biggest gamer and a powerhouse in India’s exploding creator economy.
The milestone isn’t just a number, it’s a full-circle moment for a kid who started in the mid-2010s when India’s gaming content scene was barely a side quest. Back then, Ujjwal borrowed phones and hogged the family PC, eventually turning his skills into tutorial videos for friends who dubbed him the go-to expert. “From childhood, I had a love for gaming. I would borrow my brother’s phone to play and spend hours on our family PC,” he recalls. “Then I realised that people upload their gaming videos online… Encouraged by that, I started making tutorial videos for my friends, to teach them.”
His brother pushed him to launch the Techno Gamerz channel in August 2017, followed by the Ujjwal channel in January 2018. What began as hobbyist tips evolved into immersive, story-driven playthroughs across hits like GTA V, Minecraft, Ranch Simulator, Garena Free Fire, Red Dead Redemption 2 and PUBG. His signature mod-based narratives, distinctive voiceovers and family-friendly vibe built a loyal, cross-generational fanbase that spans India and beyond.
“I am extremely grateful to my audience for helping me reach 50 million subscribers,” Ujjwal said. “This milestone feels surreal and is a reflection of the love and support I have received over the years. My goal has always been to create content that genuinely entertains and connects with people.” He added, “Gaming is my passion, and I want to keep pushing myself creatively… I hope to continue delivering bigger and better experiences to my fans.”
The achievement lands amid explosive growth in Asian gaming. Lumikai’s State of India Interactive Media and Gaming Report FY24 (with Google) projects India’s gaming market alone hitting $9.2 billion by FY29, a boom Techno Gamerz has ridden and helped fuel, proving Indian creators can dominate global screens.
In a space where one viral clip can change everything, Ujjwal’s climb from bedroom tutorials to 50 million-strong community shows consistency beats any cheat code. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or just someone who enjoys watching someone else level up, this milestone is proof that passion, plus persistence, equals one very big win.
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.
