iWorld
Octro Inc appoints Arup Das as chief technology officer
Kolkata: Mobile gaming company Octro Inc has announced the appointment of Arup Das as chief technology officer. He will be based in its Delhi-NCR office.
Das is a seasoned business leader who brings more than 23 years of experience in areas such as ERP, Data Science / Data Engineering, Cloud Computing, and other digital offerings. He most recently served as chief technology officer (CTO) & chief product officer (CPO) at a fintech company, Goals101. His past professional stints also include Aristocrat Technologies, R&D, Cisco, and Nucleus Software.
Octro Inc CEO Saurabh Aggarwal said, “We are very excited to have Arup on board with us as our CTO. Octro as a company has grown over the last many years and as we embark on our next phase of growth, I am confident that Arup, with his experience and expertise, will be able to contribute to Octro’s growth and enable us to take Octro to the next level. We look forward to working closely with Arup and achieve bigger goals while creating scalable leisure options for the world at large”.
On his joining, Das said, “The online gaming space has always been exciting to me, and with the recent growth it has witnessed in India & globally, I am even more ecstatic to have an opportunity to work with Octro Inc, a pioneer in this space. I am looking forward to adding value to the organization and be an integral part of Octro’s journey in becoming one of the leading gaming companies worldwide”.
Das is an MBA (Palmer Scholar) from the Wharton Business School, MS in Computer Vision / Image Processing from the University of Calgary, and a BE in Computer Science (University Gold Medalist) from Jadavpur University.
iWorld
Netflix launches Playground app to bring games and interactive play for kids
Interactive games, fresh series and returning favourites aim to blend play and learning
MUMBAI: Netflix is doubling down on kids entertainment with a major expansion of its family-friendly slate, anchored by the launch of Netflix Playground, a new interactive app designed to blend play with storytelling.
Aimed at children aged eight and under, the app allows young viewers to engage with familiar characters from shows like Peppa Pig and Sesame Street through games and activities, all within a safe, ad-free environment. The app is already live in select markets and is set for a wider global rollout later this month.
The move signals Netflix’s push to turn passive viewing into a more immersive experience. Alongside the app, the platform has unveiled a mix of new titles and returning favourites, including fresh episodes of Trash Truck and The Creature Cases, as well as a new preschool series, Young MacDonald. Popular titles such as CoComelon Lane and Ms. Rachel are also set to expand with new seasons and episodes.
Speaking about the strategy, Netflix vice president of animation series and kids and family tv John Derderian said, “We’re building a world where kids can not only watch their favourite stories, they can step inside them and interact with their favourite characters. We’re creating a seamless destination for discovery, learning, and play.”
The expanded offering also leans heavily on convenience for parents, with offline access, curated content, and robust parental controls designed to ensure a safe and tailored viewing experience. Features such as profile locks, content filters, and activity tracking aim to give families greater control while allowing children to explore independently.
The timing is strategic. Kids and preschool content has emerged as one of Netflix’s most-watched categories in recent years, making it a key battleground in the streaming wars. By combining games, education, and entertainment, the platform is looking to deepen engagement and build long-term loyalty among younger audiences.
With interactive play now joining its content arsenal, Netflix is not just streaming stories but inviting kids to step inside them, turning screen time into something a little more hands-on.
