Mobile Premier League or MPL, the new-age gaming unicorn based on skill, has invested strategically in Surat-based game studio XSQUADS through its new publishing arm, Blast. This becomes the new publisher’s first investment in a game studio as it sets out to scout and help find fresh talents creating innovative games from both global and indie developers, with the introduction in India set to exponentially expand the gaming ecosystem for India’s rapidly growing user base.
XSQUADS Valuation at $10 Million
XSQUADS, founded by Jemesh Lakhani, recently secured $2 million in funding. It is close to an equity acquisition of 20 percent by Blast. It has gained popularity for its debut game ScarFall, which is inspired by real-life locations like Mumbai and the Andaman Islands. Traction in survival and team deathmatch modes has helped. This collaboration positions XSQUADS well to leverage the 75 million-strong player base of MPL and further expand its reach. This fits with the strategy at MPL to empower independent gaming studios, and most importantly, to scale them both locally and globally.
Blast’s Vision and Free-to-Play Focus
Blast wants to build a strong ecosystem for indie game developers and publish and grow those games in India. Free-to-play titles like GameDuell succeeded quickly enough to indicate that users will accept them. Investments in free-to-play games are part of MPL’s overall efforts to enrich its gaming portfolio.
MPL’s Growth Amid Challenges
During the last five years, MPL has purchased four startups – Good Game Exchange, GameDuell, GamingMonk, and Crevise Technologies. Regulatory obstacles notwithstanding, MPL had improved operational revenue to ₹1,068 crores in FY24 and achieved a growth of 22.2%. Losses decreased to 21% at ₹375 crores. The company declared a positive cash flow at ₹157 crores at a time when most of its peers faced a cash crunch.
Boasting India’s Gaming Industry
This bet on XSQUADS underlines MPL’s leadership in shaping India’s gaming ecosystem. With indie studios and innovative titles such as ScarFall, MPL is fostering growth in India’s gaming industry while strengthening its stronghold in the skill-based gaming space. The key move for the company not only grows its pace but also throws open the doors to potential collaborations across emerging gaming studios in India.
Future Prospects and Strategic Growth for XSQUADS and MPL
With rising success in ScarFall and sound investment being backed by MPL, XSQUADS is all set to soar high on the graph. The partnership will try to bring more exciting and thrilling levels of experience in gaming, focusing primarily on increasing the exposure of survival as well as battle royale games. The support from the Blast platform by MPL further opens up opportunities for XSQUADS to leverage India’s leading gaming company and tap into all of its resources and expertise. This strategic investment gives XSQUADS a shot at scaling both locally and internationally through the massive user base of MPL.
High-quality mobile games and skill-based gaming titles would be what the future holds in the Indian gaming market, shaping things as the ecosystem for games advances. XSQUADS will be able to ride this wave with upcoming titles and continuous game development into its build, offering more diverse gaming experiences that resonate with players. Meanwhile, the efforts by MPL to support indie game developers send out the longest-term benefits of developing the next big talents of gaming. India could go from being a mere player in the global scene to one of its leading lights on this map. In the next couple of years, XSQUADS and MPL will be expanding portfolios while adapting offerings to the ever-increasing mobile and online gaming entertainment needs across India and the world.
This partnering not only helps further strengthen MPL’s hold in the gaming market of India but also reflects a far more comprehensive vision cast to drive growth through innovation, collaboration, and strategic investments.
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