News Broadcasting
Level Up to boost online gaming in India
MUMBAI: India is fast catching on to the ‘online gaming’ fever that has swept other parts of the world. Level Up, which positions itself as India’s only publisher of online games is looking to give a further advance community-based gaming.
Level Up has announced tie-ups with over 1500 gaming cafes to promote community-based online gaming across the country. It also unveiled a communication campaign to create awareness about the social aspects of online gaming and grow the online gaming market.
Speaking about the popularity of online gaming Level-Up MD Venkat Mallik said, “The social aspect of online gaming is the reason for its popularity globally. Online games are virtual communities, where players can create an Avatar and make friends with other players from different parts of the country. The community spirit of these games keeps the excitement alive.”
As broadband penetration increases, a larger proportion of Indian youth are slipping into ‘virtual personalities’. This means making online friends in virtual worlds and looking towards online gaming as an avenue for entertainment.
Mallik adds, “In India, we see Internet-cafés transforming into gaming cafes. We have entered into partnerships with all leading Internet-cafe chains in the country. We are already witnessing a number of café owners looking towards gaming as a major revenue earner. Player meets at cafes are another critical element for extending the community experience outside the game.”
Level Up also is looking to educate its target users the youth about the experience that online game environments provide. Currently, the company is creating awareness about online gaming through its game Ragnarok Online. It is positioning the game as ‘The Other World’.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
