eNews
Hefty Games enters metaverse with leading influencers
Mumbai: Hefty Games has announced a partnership with leading influencers to kickstart its gaming & NFT ecosystem, and blockchain gaming in India with exclusive P2E (Play to Earn) games and a plethora of unique utilities.
To leverage the popularity of interactive gaming and its acceptance as an emerging cultural phenomenon, the company is partnering with influencers ‘Lokesh Gamer,’ ‘Gyan Gaming,’ and ‘Two Side Gamers’ who have a combined following of close to 50 million. Through this association, Hefty Games is set to launch trading cards that will allow gaming aficionados to own a collectible from their favourite gamer.
Hefty Games is a collaboration between new-age tech company House of Gaming, Ethereum scaling and infrastructure development platform Polygon, Hindustan Talkies – a media content conglomerate transforming entertainment across e-sports, games and blockchain technology, and Hungama – one of the largest digital media entertainment companies in South Asia.
“With this joining of hands between the three forerunners of the gaming fraternity and Hefty Games, we are ready to lead this innovation into Web 3.0 and the metaverse,” said House of Gaming co-founder and CEO Yash Pariani. “This much-awaited drop of India’s inaugural digital collectibles in the gaming zone would set in motion a series of drops by other gaming superstars who would feature in the Hefty Metaverse.”
As the owner of intellectual property rights of the first set of influencers, the company will soon be announcing its first drop of NFTs. The auction will be followed by the foray of other gaming superstars into the Hefty Metaverse. Via this association, Hefty Games aims to establish itself as a one-stop destination that facilitates the movement of all forms of digital art in the gaming realm onto the blockchain.
“2022 has opened an eventful slate for us, and we are excited about launching Hefty Games for the burgeoning tribe of Metaverse enthusiasts,” shared Hungama Digital Media CEO Siddhartha Roy. “With pioneers of the YouTube gaming community – Lokesh Gamer, Gyan Gaming & Two Side Gamers – on board, we are confident of revolutionising Web 3.0 in the country.”
Taking the association forward, the gamers will join the e-sports platform Indian Gaming League to host an on-ground, open-for-all tournament. Winners will be awarded exclusive prizes and a chance to be whitelisted for the exclusive NFT drop, said the statement.
In addition to the above, Hefty’s collaboration with eDAO, an entertainment and creator-focused entity, will support the growth of the Hefty ecosystem enabling users to interact and engage with their favourite gamers and artists. With more high-end creations in the pipeline, Hefty Gaming looks to enable users with access to the metaverse which is a perfect synergy of all things gaming and entertainment.
“With today’s announcement, we have been able to expand the horizon for the gaming community of India. Through Hefty Games, we have enabled gamers to monetise their worth further, and engage their followers better,” commented Polygon’s Sandeep Nailwal.
“With Hefty Games, we are now enabling gamers to create value –. After the phenomenal response we received to Hefty Entertainment and Hefty Art, we are confident about the success that awaits Hefty Games,” said Hindustan Talkies co-founder Ashish Chowdhry.
eNews
Swiggy sees record orders during India vs New Zealand T20 final
Chicken biryani tops match-day menu as fans order 7,500 times per minute at peak.
MUMBAI: India’s T20 final didn’t just break stumps, it broke Swiggy’s delivery records, proving cricket fans celebrate victories with plates, not just flags. Swiggy, India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, reported a sharp spike in food orders during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand. On 8 March 2026, overall orders rose 23.2 per cent year-on-year compared with the same date in 2025, driven by fans turning living rooms into mini stadiums complete with match-day feasts.
Key highlights from the evening:
- Orders during peak match hours (7–10 pm) were 2.1 times higher than pre-match levels.
- The highest order rate hit 7,500 orders per minute at 19:45.
- Chicken biryani reigned supreme as the most-ordered dish, followed by masala dosa, chicken fried rice, garlic breadsticks and paneer butter masala.
While metros such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad led volumes, the cricketing fever spread nationwide. Among emerging cities, Thiruvananthapuram, Surat and Rajkot recorded the strongest order growth. Smaller markets including Shillong, Agartala and Port Blair also showed significant appetite, underlining the expanding footprint of quick-commerce food delivery across India.
The surge reflects a growing trend of pairing major sporting events with doorstep delivery, turning big matches into shared, convenient celebrations. In a night where every boundary mattered, Swiggy proved the real MVP might just be the delivery partner who kept the snacks and the vibes flowing without missing a single wicket.
