Gaming
BGMI’s Wow Wakao: A new era of gaming and influencer storytelling
MUMBAI: In an unprecedented collaboration, Krafton India has partnered with Collective Creative Labs, the creative division of Collective Artists Network, and Bake A Film to launch Wow Wakao, a six-episode gaming content series exclusively for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). This initiative marks a significant milestone in India’s gaming culture, blending immersive storytelling with influencer-driven content.
As gaming cements its place in India’s entertainment industry, Wow Wakao introduces a fresh, engaging approach to content creation. The series stars rising content creator Naman Arora, represented by Collective Artists Network, who navigates BGMI’s new ‘Wow Mode’ in an entertaining and dynamic style. The initiative aims to set a new benchmark for gaming content in India.
Speaking on the collaboration, Naman Arora said, “Gaming has always been my passion, and Wow Wakao is a dream come true. This series brings a new level of excitement, allowing me to showcase BGMI’s Wow Mode in a fun and engaging way for fans. I can’t wait for everyone to experience it!”
Krafton India associate director of marketing Srinjoy Das added, “BGMI has always led the way in innovative gameplay experiences, and Wow Wakao aligns perfectly with our vision of engaging and entertaining our community. By collaborating with Naman Arora and our talented content partners, we aim to make gaming content more immersive and accessible.”
Collective Creative Labs chief creative officer Dhruv Sheth noted, “BGMI consistently pushes the boundaries of gameplay innovation. We are thrilled to collaborate on Wow Wakao, which leverages trending content, influencer engagement, and the diversity of WOW Mode to connect with audiences in a relatable and entertaining manner.”
Bake A Film co-founder Mrinal Chawla highlighted, “By tapping into current trends, Naman Arora’s popularity, and the diverse offerings of WOW Mode, we have crafted Wow Wakao! This series places BGMI’s Wow Mode front and centre, reaching audiences through trending social media personalities and engaging storytelling.”
Creative director Parikshit Singh added, ‘We set out to create an engaging series that captures the madness of WOW Mode. Thanks to the combined efforts of all teams and Naman Arora’s hilarious performance, the final product matches the vision we had when it was just a concept.’
With digital entertainment evolving rapidly, gaming has emerged as a dominant force. Wow Wakao aims to captivate a new generation of gamers and content enthusiasts, reinforcing Krafton’s commitment to innovative storytelling. The series will be available for streaming on YouTube and Instagram from 11th February 2025, delivering a thrilling mix of action, entertainment, and influencer-driven narratives.
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.
