Gaming
Impact of COVID-19 on online gaming industry
The world is grappling with the fear of the global pandemic. With financial markets plummeting, the majority of countries under lockdown and a global recession looming, a wave of fear and anxiety is running through countries across the globe. While the dire consequences are visible, it is still too early to measure the impact of the pandemic. But, if the situation persists, the impact it leaves would be immeasurable and catastrophic.
Of course, the situation remains unpredictable given the current circumstances. But humans have always adapted to whatever situations they are put in and that’s how our race has survived. The very spirit remains undaunted and has to, no matter what. We always found ways to adjust to the harshest of conditions and overcome it all. And as we know, there are people posting hilarious videos of them dancing or singing on social channels while being at home and inspiring millions. The key here is self-motivation and keeping oneself upbeat. You have to go on, live on even if you can’t step out.
The impact
The online gaming industry is no different. In the times of lockdown, many people are spending hours playing their favourite games online not because they are obsessed with it, but gaming helps reduce stress and anxiety, something people need the most right now. For all we know, the mobile gaming industry is only going to see a spike in these unpredictable times and more people are going to play games of skill. Rummy, for instance, is one card game that requires immense focus and uninterrupted attention. A veritable source of entertainment and earning money as well, online rummy has seen a staggering growth in the country.
Every Indian family has a good number of memories of playing traditional card games like rummy with loved ones at family gatherings. Mobile rummy industry tapped into this very cultural relevance and digitisation of rummy further, giving enthusiasts a platform to play their favourite game anytime, anywhere, in addition to earning real cash rewards. The daily tournaments are enough to keep the levels of excitement high for anyone.
What glorifies the online version of rummy is the ease of it as it doesn’t require finding someone to play with. One can find multiple players online and even enjoy a game with friends or family. Card games like online rummy are only going to see more people jumping into the bandwagon and will emerge out to be immensely popular during the present crisis. The idea of being able to play and cheer yourself up while alone at home or enjoy a game with friends and family even if you can’t meet them in person is great.
Let’s explore numbers
With the growing penetration of smartphones and affordable data packs, the number of people playing mobile games is also rising. Thanks to the easy accessibility to low-cost resources, the expansion rate will be even higher in times to come. According to a study by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India and PwC, the number of smartphone users in India is expected to rise to 859 million by 2022, a growth of 84 per cent from 468 million in 2017.
The digital revolution has sure helped pave way for the rapid growth of the online gaming industry. Additionally, the availability of popular traditional games online has contributed to the way players consume their favourite games. The number of online gamers in India is expected to be 310 million by 2021, according to a report by Google-KPMG. One can well imagine the scope of growth, online game developers have in the country.
Summing it all up
With people looking for recreational activities in the times of lockdown, an already existing potential market is further expected to grow exponentially. Owing to a steady rise in consumption volumes, online gaming will witness an ecosystem of engaged gamers, creative designers and developers with a good amount of investments pouring into the industry and production of locally themed games.
(The author is head of marketing, Adda52Rummy. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
