iWorld
VerSe Innovation expands its operations into global markets
Mumbai: VerSe Innovation on Tuesday announced its foray into the global market, with the launch of the local language content platform Dailyhunt in the Middle East (ME) countries. Media veteran Shekhar Iyer has been appointed as director and general manager of VerSe Innovation, MENA.
VerSe Innovation has rolled out its offering of Dailyhunt in the Middle East countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait with its headquarters in Dubai. Dailyhunt has launched in the ME region with over 5,000 content partners catering to the UAE market. The local language content platform will soon be partnering with news publishers including MENA Newswire, Al Khaleej, The Brew, Chalk Media, Brandknew, KKompany, Mudgal Kreations, Buzzing, Gulf Today, among others.
Commenting on the global expansion, VerSe Innovation co-founder Umang Bedi said, “UAE is one of the world’s most vibrant economies and is experiencing an exponential phase of growth. As a part of our global expansion strategy, we are excited to bring Dailyhunt to audiences in the Middle East market. Dailyhunt has constantly strived to deliver content that has informed, enriched, and entertained audiences in different languages. There is a tremendous opportunity to tap into the unmet content needs of the Middle East market, given the rich linguistic diversity and an extensive news consumption behavior of the market. In this strategic growth plan, we will soon expand Dailyhunt in MENA countries including Iraq, Iran, Israel, and Egypt, and support languages like Hebrew, Farsi, and Arabic.”
The digital media landscape is very promising in the MENA region and is poised for rapid growth. Hence, strengthening VerSe Innovation’s leadership in MENA, Shekhar Iyer’s appointment as director and general manager of VerSe Innovation, MENA, will act as a change catalyst. In his previous stints, Shekhar has worked with Abu Dhabi Media (Radio Mirchi), Percept Gulf (MAME), Zee Entertainment, Indian Express, and Khaleej Times and in his new role, he will spearhead strategic and business development in the region.
VerSe Innovation, MENA director and general manager Shekhar Iyer said, “I am thrilled to join VerSe Innovation and I am convinced that Dailyhunt will deliver outstanding results to our partners and advertisers. It is interesting to witness the end-user content growth in this region, and we are excited to see the impact that Dailyhunt creates in MENA.
In addition to helping brands drive awareness, acquire users, and generate revenue, we are confident in enhancing the overall customer experience and deepening brand relationships. I look forward to building the largest local language content discovery platform for the MENA region.”
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
