WinZO, in Partnership with DPIIT’s Startup India, Announces Gaming Startups Representing India at Gamescom, Latam

The company aims to invest in opportunities highlighting Indian creativity and technological prowess.

Bengalore, 28th May 2024 : WinZO, India’s largest vernacular interactive entertainment platform, in partnership with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s (DPIIT) Startup India, has announced the selection of 18 gaming startups to represent India at Gamescom, Latam. These winners were meticulously chosen from a competitive pool of over 100 participating technology and gaming companies and technology colleges by an esteemed panel of industry veterans, including Rohit Kumar Singh, Former Secretary to the Government of India; Suresh K Reddy, Indian Ambassador to Brazil; Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Co-Founder, Info Edge; Rajesh Raju, Managing Director, Kalaari Capital; and Dr. Umesh Mukhi, Associate Professor of Management at FGV – EAESP.

The selected games cover a broad spectrum of genres, from cultural and historical narratives like “Tanhaji – The Maratha Warrior” and “Chola Empire,” to diverse categories, including cricket, mythology, puzzles, racing, physics-based challenges, and chess. These innovations originate from major urban centers such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Kolkata, as well as smaller cities like Nashik. Among the winners is a Backstage Pass Institute of Gaming and Technology student group in Hyderabad.

This initiative is part of WinZO’s flagship Bharat Tech Triumph program, designed to create a global platform that brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, visionaries, and other stakeholders committed to fostering innovation and promoting technological exports from India. These winning companies will be sponsored by WinZO to showcase their innovative products at the first-ever India Pavilion at Gamescom – LATAM, which will be inaugurated by the honorable Indian Ambassador to Brazil in Sao Paulo next month. This exposure will enable game developers to explore and launch their games in Brazil, the largest economy in Latin America and the fourth-largest mobile gaming market, with approximately 4.6 billion annual mobile game downloads. WinZO successfully exported over 100 games to Brazil following its launch last year.

Rohit Kumar Singh, Former Secretary to the Government of India, stated: “By investing in opportunities highlighting Indian creativity and technological prowess, WinZO is setting new benchmarks in the global gaming industry. This is truly the decade of India. With a foundation built on world-class inventions and a commitment to fostering homegrown talent, India is set to lead the way in technological innovation. WinZO exemplifies this trajectory, harnessing the power of Indian creativity and technology to impact the global stage significantly.”

Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, DPIIT, added “Programs such as Bharat Tech Triumph are a welcome initiative where the industry joins forces with the government, catapulting the startup ecosystem forward. It gives me great pleasure to see that this program supports budding game developers, providing them with global exposure and the opportunity to represent India at Gamescom LATAM, created and sponsored by WinZO and IEIC. The India Pavilion at Gamescom LATAM will be fundamental in showcasing our tech prowess, IP, Indian culture, storytelling and heritage on a global scale. India’s foray into LATAM represents a new horizon for our technology entrepreneurs, driven by the export of technology and IP. By joining this initiative, developers chase dreams and fuel India’s rise as a leading force in technology exports.”

Paavan Nanda, Co-Founder WinZO, commented: “India has long been a cradle of innovation, producing groundbreaking solutions and inventions that have not only addressed local challenges but have also gained global recognition. Our innovations have stood as a testament to India’s ingenuity and resourcefulness. WinZO aims to bring these traditional games and pieces of Indian heritage, along with new Indian gaming IP, to the international stage through platforms such as Gamescom and initiatives like Bharat Tech Triumph.”

These groundbreaking games showcase India’s prowess in technology and gaming and represent a significant step towards establishing a global footprint for Indian developers.

The Bharat Tech Triumph initiative reflects WinZO’s dedication to the vision outlined by the Honorable Prime Minister and President for ‘Made in Bharat for India & the World.’ Aligned with initiatives like Digital India, Startup India, and Make in India, this collective effort aims to propel Bharat as a powerhouse of technological innovation, shaping the next era of technology and contributing to the vision of achieving a $1 trillion digital economy by 2030.

The winners of the Bharat Tech Triumph initiative include:
1. Gods Of Cricket: A cross-platform AAA cricket game with 11v11 multiplayer, real player interactions, and community events.
2. Unsung Empire: The Cholas: A narrative-driven 3D action-adventure game featuring Rajendra Chola’s historical journey.
3. Kamla Indian Exorcism: A first-person survival horror game where players perform rituals to exorcise a possessed woman.
4. Frontier Paladin: A unique blend of melee combat, quest-driven narrative, and action tower-defense gameplay.
5. My Dream House (MDH): A casual Match3D+Decor game with strong engagement metrics, targeting the global female audience.
6. Mr Racer: A thrilling car racing game with online multiplayer, multiple challenge levels, and customizable supercars.
7. Tanhaji The Maratha Warrior: A role-playing game designed to instill values of patriotism, sacrifice, and responsibility.
8. Spook-A-Boo: A whimsical couch co-op game where players capture mischievous ghosts using various tools and teamwork.
9. Kurukshetra: Ascension: An epic strategy card battler game set in the universe of the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
10. Tale of Honor: A dynamic real-time chess game that transforms traditional strategy with unique execution mechanics.
11. Laser Tanks: A fast-paced top-down shooter game battling alien monsters with diverse weapons and an endless mode.
12. Timmy’s Toy Rush: A fun tile-matching game, blending Mahjong-style gameplay with challenges for sharpening cognitive skills.
13. DetectiveIQ: A challenging puzzle game packed with brain teasers, riddles, and logic puzzles to test and improve mental agility and detective skills.
14. Bharat Cricket Premier League: An action-packed cricket experience inspired by the IPL, focusing on storyline and strategy to engage fans.
15. Mumbai Gullies: An open-world adventure game set in Mumbai, where players take on the role of protagonist Vangya to explore the city and complete thrilling missions.
16. Elemental Escape: A hypercasual action game where players control spaceships, collecting molecules while dodging overload-inducing molecules.
17. Tea Garden Simulator: Lets players explore the intricacies of tea production, from selecting terroir and clones to mastering processing, offering a creative journey to grow and manage their own tea empire.
18. Shri Ram Mandir: A simulation/arcade game enabling players to construct the iconic temple.