Bombay play raises $1.5 mn in pre-Series A funding

Bombay Play, India’s fastest growing gaming company, has raised $1.5 million in pre-Series A funding from Venture Capital firm Leo Capital and angel investor Ramakant Sharma, Co-Founder of Livspace. The funds will be used to hire the most talented game makers in India and grow internationally.

Abhas Saroha and Oliver Jones, two highly experienced entrepreneurs in the gaming space, founded Bombay Play. Oliver Jones previously co-founded Moonfrog labs and directed games at Glu mobile and Zynga. Abhas Saroha led engineering at Zynga, Moonfrog Labs, and Makemytrip.

Bombay Play creates multiplayer games designed to bring friends and family together. During the Covid-19 pandemic, online games and communication have seen huge growth as people look for fun ways to socialize from home.

The company amassed 10 million downloads in its first year for its signature game ‘Card Party’. Last December, the Pokémon Company also announced that it would partner with Bombay Play to publish games on Facebook.

Oliver Jones, CEO of Bombay Play, said, "India is on a rocket ship trajectory to becoming one of the top game development hubs of the world. We are building a team that has the vision and energy to deliver world-class titles that will compete with the best. We are happy to have raised this funding from Leo Capital and Ramakant Sharma."

Abhas Saroha, CTO of Bombay Play, stated, "We have had a front-row seat to the growth of mobile gaming around the world for around 10 years, and the excitement has still not diminished. India today has the tech and creative talent to produce world-class content for global audiences."

Dinesh Singh, Venture Partner, Leo Capital, added, "India has emerged as one of the top gaming hubs of the world within a matter of years. In a young country with half of the population below the age of 25, a company like Bombay Play has the potential to bring in fresh and exciting gaming content. We hope that this investment will help them in bettering their capabilities and collaborating with the best gaming talent around the world."

Ramakant Sharma, Co-Founder of Livspace, also said, "Bringing friends and family together has become even more pertinent in the wake of the pandemic and lockdown. The content offered by Bombay Play shows us how games will evolve to become a more integrated part of our social lives. Bombay Play has proven itself to be one of the most innovative game-makers in India and I am extremely happy to be a part of their journey to becoming leaders in gaming globally."

Bombay Play's most popular titles include Pokemon Tower Battle, Card Party, and 29 Card Game. They are now gearing to launch a Battle Royale Game 'lockdown brawl' later this month.