Nazara expands into short-form video with $250K ReelSaga investment

Nazara Technologies is expanding its reach into the burgeoning short-form drama market with a $250,000 investment in ReelSaga, a new serialised video app. The 3.57% stake reflects Nazara's strategic move to capitalize on the convergence of gaming and digital entertainment, anticipating significant growth in this rapidly evolving sector.

ReelSaga targets India's mobile-first youth with short, serialized video series. The app will offer bite-sized entertainment, with episodes lasting one to two minutes, and monetize through per-episode microtransactions and subscription options for high-spending users.

Nazara Technologies and its esports arm, Nodwin Gaming, have a history of investing in mobile-first digital media, notably backing Rusk Media in 2021. This partnership extends to content creation, with Nodwin and Rusk collaborating on the successful gaming entertainment show "Playground," now in its fourth season on Amazon MX Player. Rusk Media, known for its serialized video IPs for young adults, boasts a portfolio of over 25 productions across major streaming platforms.

Nazara Technologies continues its strategic expansion, acquiring a 10.77% stake in influencer marketing platform Kofluence for Rs 32.4 crore. This move follows Nazara's 2021 acquisition of OpenPlay from Kofluence's co-founder and CEO, Sreeram Reddy Vanga, for Rs 186.4 crore. The companies also plan to launch an influencer-driven game discovery platform.