Hitwicket raises $3mn from Prime Venture Partners
Clocks over 3 million gamers from 100 countries with more than 30% users from outside India
image for illustrative purpose
Hyderabad: Hitwicket, India's top rated multiplayer cricket gaming app, raised $3 million in funding from Prime Venture Partners to create a strategy driven gaming studio and deliver world class cricketing action to over a billion cricket fans globally. It has also announced the launch of Hitwicket Superstars, the most immersive multiplayer cricket strategy game.
The Hyderabad-based startup will use the fresh funds to add more features that revolve around multiplayer access where gamers can strategise in real-time and play against each other. Hitwicket founders were the winners of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge in the gaming category in 2020.
Hitwicket combines the global-appeal of cricket with the accessibility of mobile gaming and aims to become the first Mobile Esports IP in the Cricket Games category from India. Founded by Keerti Singh and Kashyap Reddy, the startup requires gamers to plan their strategy in order to win instead of a swipe-action, where gamers play on every "ball" and score accordingly.
On the occasion, Jayesh Ranjan, Secretary - IT, Government of Telangana, said: "It is amazing to see a vibrant gaming ecosystem evolving in Telangana. With the phenomenal talent in India and the booming startup sector, the time is ripe for the country to lead the way in building games for a global audience. The gaming industry has the potential to be a huge source for employment and education for people."
Shripati Acharya, Managing Partner, Prime Venture Partners, said: "India is witnessing a massive growth in the gaming industry. Users between the ages of 20 and 40 form the bedrock of gaming and esports communities worldwide and India is one of the most interesting global gaming markets. Hitwicket is pushing the envelope on innovation in gaming by hosting Esports Mobile Gaming Cricket Tournament."
Hitwicket has over three million gamers across 100 countries with more than 30 per cent users from outside India and from over 200 cities in India. It logs 1.3 million minutes of game play each day, with an average user session lasting 45 minutes as opposed to the global average of 23 minutes. Challenging the stereotype of the male gamer, 17 per cent of Hitwicket gamers are women.
According to a report by KPMG, India's gaming industry is expected to triple in value and reach $3.9 billion by 2025. Additionally, the total number of online gamers in India has grown to 390 million in 2021, as per a report by EY and FICCI, with estimation that the number of gamers is expected to cross 450 million by 2023.
Hitwicket is looking to venture into NFTs & blockchain gaming and plans to make India a prime hub for e-sports championships.
