🚀 Medial Secures Investment on Shark Tank India - Fueling the Future of Professional Social Networking. 🔥
Login

News on Medial

WinZO forays into micro dramas, enters US after RMG ban

EntrackrEntrackr · 6m ago
WinZO forays into micro dramas, enters US after RMG ban
Medial

WinZO forays into micro dramas, enters US after RMG ban WinZO, the social gaming and entertainment platform, is expanding its playbook beyond real-money gaming (RMG) with a foray into micro dramas and subscription-led services, as it looks to navigate the government’s blanket ban on RMG in India. The company has also widened its global presence with a US debut, marking its third international market after Brazil. As part of its content push, WinZO has introduced WinZO TV, a new feature that serves up bite-sized drama shows for its 250 million users. The format delivers one to two-minute serialised videos, with initial episodes free to watch and later ones priced at Rs 2 each. With this, WinZO will face competition from Flick TV, Kuku FM’s Kuku TV, ShareChat’s QuickTV, Reel Saga, Reelies, Chai Bisket’s Chai Shots, and Eloelo. WinZO has raised over $100 million from marquee investors including Kalaari Capital, Griffin Gaming Partners, Makers Fund, and Courtside Ventures, and was last valued at around $340 million. While its RMG business faced significant headwinds due to regulatory changes and higher GST, the company has been seeking alternative monetisation avenues through subscriptions, in-app entertainment formats, and international expansion. WinZO’s expansion into the US comes nearly two years after its Brazil foray, aimed at reducing dependence on India following the introduction of a 28% GST regime on RMG apps. According to co-founders Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda, the US launch will also allow Indian developers building culturally relevant games to reach a new global audience. For the fiscal year ending March 2024, WinZO reported a 70% year-on-year surge in operating revenue to Rs 1,055 crore, while its profit after tax (PAT) rose 2.5X to Rs 315 crore. The company outpaced its peers in revenue growth, compared to Nazara’s 4%, Zupee’s 34.9%, and MPL’s 22%. The government’s RMG ban is prompting many firms to explore alternative avenues. For context, Dream Sports, which owns Dream11, has ventured into wealth tech with Dream Money, letting users invest in digital gold and fixed deposits.

8

Related News

RMG ban pushes Zupee to cut 170 jobs

EntrackrEntrackr · 6m ago
RMG ban pushes Zupee to cut 170 jobs
Medial

Real-money gaming (RMG) platform Zupee has laid off around 170 employees, or about 30% of its workforce, as the company restructures operations following the government’s ban on RMG platforms. “This has been a tough call for us, but was necessary to adapt to the new regulatory framework. Our colleagues who are leaving us have been an integral part of Zupee’s journey and we will always remain thankful for their contribution in building Zupee into what it is today. We are providing comprehensive support to help our colleagues step seamlessly & with confidence into their next roles,” said Dilsher Singh Malhi, Founder & CEO of Zupee. As part of the separation package, Zupee is offering affected employees severance pay of up to six months, extended health benefits, and a Rs 1 crore medical support fund. The company has also promised priority rehiring for those impacted. The layoffs at Zupee come weeks after other RMG companies, including Head Digital Works (A23), MPL, Baazi Games, and Games24x7, cut hundreds of jobs following the ban. A23’s parent company recently let go of nearly 500 employees, or two-thirds of its staff. Founded in 2018 by Malhi and Siddhant Saurabh, Zupee had been among the leading players in the RMG space, claiming over 150 million registered users. With RMG now off the table, the company is pivoting to social and casual games, while also experimenting with subscription products such as Zupee Plus and original short-form content under Zupee Studio. Zupee’s revenue from operations grew by 35% year-on-year to Rs 1,123 crore in FY24 from Rs 832 crore in FY23. Moreover, it also turned profitable during the same period, posting a net profit of Rs 146 crore. Its FY25 report has yet to be released. The RMG ban has triggered a wave of layoffs across the sector, forcing companies to explore ad-driven and subscription-led monetisation models. Like Zupee, WinZo has forayed into microdramas, while Dream11’s parent has entered the wealth management space with its new app Dream Money.

Online gaming continues to grow, but GST change to “moderate” monetisation: report

Economic TimesEconomic Times · 1y ago
Online gaming continues to grow, but GST change to “moderate” monetisation: report
Medial

A report by Winzo and IEIC suggests that the recent increase in goods and services tax (GST) in India will "moderate" monetization per user in the gaming industry. Pay-to-play games have historically been the largest revenue source in the Indian gaming sector, but high tax burdens are expected to impact user monetization. The report predicts that the gaming industry will continue to grow in terms of user base, but this growth will not translate into equivalent monetization due to recent tax policies. The report also highlights the rise of non-real money gaming (RMG) games, with battle royale games gaining popularity in the country. The Indian gaming ecosystem is projected to reach a revenue of $6 billion by 2028, with non-RMG games occupying a larger share of the market.

Microdrama platform MiniPix raises Rs 2.4 Cr led by PedalStart

EntrackrEntrackr · 2m ago
Microdrama platform MiniPix raises Rs 2.4 Cr led by PedalStart
Medial

url: https://entrackr.com/snippets/microdrama-platform-minipix-raises-rs-24-cr-led-by-pedalstart-10980902. Content: Microdrama platform MiniPix raises Rs 2.4 Cr led by PedalStart. The round also saw participation from Venture Catalysts and angel investors Sandip Gupta and Rajdip Gupta, founders of Route Mobile, through SanRaj Family Ventures Pvt. Ltd. Bengaluru-based MiniPix, a mobile-first entertainment platform focused on short-form regional micro-dramas for Bharat audiences, has raised Rs 2.4 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by startup accelerator PedalStart. The funds will be used to strengthen product-market fit, scale high-quality regional content creation, and build a core execution-focused team. Founded in June 2025, MiniPix is building a premium platform centred on short, vertical micro-dramas designed for audiences in tier-II and tier-III India. The startup operates in the fast-growing short-form digital entertainment space. According to Redseer Strategy Consultants, India’s micro-drama and interactive content formats are expected to grow at a 50–70% CAGR, driven by rising smartphone penetration, low data costs, and increasing preference for regional-language content. Within six months of launch, the platform has crossed 100,000 app downloads, onboarded over 20,000 paying subscribers, and recorded more than 3 million episode views, translating into over 35,000 hours of content streamed. According to the company, it has achieved an annual recurring revenue of over Rs 3 crore. Currently focused on Bhojpuri micro-dramas, MiniPix plans to expand into five additional regional languages over the next two years. The company is also exploring selective use of AI-led tools to improve efficiency across content production and platform operations, while targeting ₹6 crore in annual recurring revenue by March 2026 as part of its growth roadmap.

Exclusive: Games24x7 to acquire 24% stake in stock broking app Wiseowl’s TIQS

EntrackrEntrackr · 14d ago
Exclusive: Games24x7 to acquire 24% stake in stock broking app Wiseowl’s TIQS
Medial

Online gaming firm Games24x7 is set to acquire a minority stake in stock broking company Wiseowl Securities, the parent entity of Butterfly Broking (TIQS), according to regulatory filings accessed by Entrackr. The board of Games24x7 has passed a special resolution to approve the purchase of a 24% stake in Wiseowl Securities for Rs 9.1 crore, filings sourced from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) show. Games24x7 has also secured board approval to extend a short-term loan of Rs 18 crore to Wiseowl Securities, as per filings. Wiseowl Securities operates a stock broking business and is registered as a mutual fund distributor with Association of Mutual Funds in India and BSE. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, it runs the Butterfly Broking platform, offering access to NSE and BSE. The platform enables trading in equities, derivatives, commodities, and currency. The development comes at a time when several real-money gaming (RMG) companies are exploring new verticals amid a blanket ban. A number of gaming platforms have either restructured operations or diversified into adjacent consumer internet categories. For instance, Dream Sports, the parent company of Dream11, has entered wealth-tech with its Dream Money app. WinZO has experimented with products such as ZO Gold, while Zupee has expanded into content and lifestyle-led verticals beyond its core gaming offerings. Games24x7’s potential investment into Wiseowl Securities reflects a broader pivot among gaming firms toward regulated financial services. As the RMG landscape faces policy headwinds, diversification into capital markets could offer new revenue streams and reduce regulatory risk.

Download the medial app to read full posts, comements and news.