Qila Games raises $1m to develop hybridcasual games tailored to Indian players
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Hybridcasual developer Qila Games has raised $1 million in pre-seed funding.
The Bengaluru-based startup will use the funds to develop new IPs, expand its game portfolio, improve design capabilities and strengthen its overall technology.
The round was led by Chimera VC with further participation from Visceral Capital, Atrium Angels, Ventatana Ventures, 91 Ventures, Untitled Ventures and angel investors.
Disrupting the hybrid casual space
Qila Games was founded in 2024 by Dhananjai Hari and Neeraj Mishra.
Now the CEO of Qila Games, Hari previously worked as VP of product management at Dream Game Studios where he helped launch mobile cricket game Dream Cricket.
Mishra, meanwhile, spent over eight years at Zynga across various roles – most recently as lead game designer in India.
Next, they’re aiming to pioneer the hybridcasual genre in India via Qila Games, by creating accessible, engaging games that “bridge the gap” between casual and midcore.
The investment will support this mission, as Qila Games will focus on developing socially driven experiences tailored to Indian players.
“India and other emerging markets are at the cusp of a major shift in mobile gaming, and hybridcasual is set to be the next big category,” said Hari.
“We are proud to see our investors entrusting us and our vision to disrupt the hybridcasual gaming space and with this funding, we are doubling down on building engaging, high-quality games that resonate with these audiences.
“Our approach of being consumer-centric and listening to our audiences before we design and develop our product gives us confidence to remain optimistic about the future.”
