MAM
Gaming major IGN Ent. retains Creative Artists Agency to develop TV projects
MUMBAI: IGN Entertainment, the gaming information network and provider of file distribution, digital retail and in-game technology, has retained Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the entertainment agency to facilitate the development of television projects based on IGN’s brand and gamer lifestyle content.
In addition to broadening IGN’s own audience base, this effort would be to provide television networks new, engaging programming for the young male demographic. IGN Entertainment’s flagship website, IGN.com, reaches the highest concentration of 18-34 year old males online, according to Nielsen//NetRatings @Plan Spring 2005 release.
“IGN is one of the biggest names in video gaming,” said CAA’s Games department co-head Larry Shapiro. “The unique combination of their brand within gaming, their gaming and entertainment content, and the size of their audience will create opportunities in television, music, live events, and other areas.”
“IGN is broadening its reach beyond the Internet and into new media and entertainment channels,” said business and corporate Development Richard Jalichandra, of . “CAA’s expertise and leadership in the industry will provide invaluable guidance as we expand into mainstream entertainment.”
IGN Entertainment operates many of the Internet’s destinations for video gaming, entertainment and community targeted at teens and 18-34 year-old males. The company’s properties include IGN.com, GameSpy, Rotten Tomatoes, FilePlanet, GameSpy Arcade, GameSpy Arena, Direct2Drive, TeamXbox, 3D Gamers, more than 70 community sites and a vast array of online forums. Collectively, these properties reached 24 million users worldwide(a) in the month of March 2005, according to Internet audience measurement firm comScore Media Metrix. The privately held company has its headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices throughout the US.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
