iWorld
Chimp&z Inc wins digital mandate for Hashtag Poker & Poker Sports League
Mumbai: Digital advertising agency from the house of Merge Infinity Global, Chimp&z Inc has won digital mandate for video poker app Hashtag Poker and Poker Sports League, affiliated with Mind Sports League. The accounts were won after a multi-agency pitch.
Along with social media and influencer management, the agency will also oversee its production and performance campaigns. It will also drive its efforts towards creating the world’s largest poker community with the brands, stated the agency.
“We are intrigued to work on creating powerful communications for Hashtag Poker & Poker Sports League who believe in shattering stereotypes and the team at the brand believes in the same,” stated Chimp&z Inc CEO & co-founder Angad Singh Manchanda. “Over the next quarter, you will be seeing a lot of work on social media, digital performance, and the video production front. Chimp&z Inc and Hashtag poker both share extremely high aspirations and that common value and vision will make this partnership favorable for us and a treat for our audiences.”
Hashtag Poker and Poker Sports League aim to sportify the game of poker through a unique, team-based format. Chimp&z Inc plans to articulate its vision and USP’s using a wide array of strategies to position them as the one-stop-shop for all the poker fans.
“The game of poker is assumed to be a tedious task and to break that glass between the truth and assumption, we have joined forces with Chimp&z Inc to help us communicate our vision and establish poker as a fun mind sport,” commented Mind Sports League founder & CEO Pranav Bagai. “After scouting across various agencies, we have now found the right ROI-driven agency that understands our long-term goals and can amplify our voice on social media through campaigns and creative strategies.”
“It’s time for us to enhance our reach and spread the word that poker is more of a lifestyle that aids in the development of life skills such as decision making, recruiting, financial planning, interview skills, and risk appetite,” said Mind Sports League co-founder & CFO Akshay Chachra. “Since poker is a relatively new game in India, its acceptance and development potential are enormous. We believe in the dedicated team of Chimp&z Inc and are thrilled to embark on this new journey with them.”
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
