For Indian gamers, 2020 is a mixed year. The Indian government banned PUBG Mobile India in September 2020 as part of the “digital surgery strike” carried out by the Indian government on Chinese apps. The failure of PUBG Mobile India was a huge shock to gamers. However, expectations are built around the announcement that FAU-G (Fearless and Joint Guard) will be released on January 26 and some action games will be played. However, one game surpassed PUBG Mobile India, FAU-G. This is a simple board game that has been played for generations, but when it appeared on mobile devices, it had a huge impact. During the coronavirus pandemic, this game is a salvation for many people. That game was Ludo King.
The coronavirus pandemic has made Ludo King attract family, cousins, friends and people from all over the world to indulge in this super addictive game. The download volume of this board game worldwide has also exceeded the 500 million mark. With the new year, Ludo King has added new features to the game. Although it may seem like a sudden success, Ludo King has actually grown organically in the past four years. Most people already know this game because their family and friends are already playing it. The blockade provides people with a new opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, as well as with complete strangers online.
In this game, users in India, the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia have also seen amazing growth. Countries such as Canada, Brazil, Turkey, Spain, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia are also emerging as new markets.In an exclusive interview DNA, Vikash Jaiswal, CEO of Gametion Pvt. Ltd talked about how the idea of bringing board games into the digital world caused them to feel like a quarantine.
What is the idea of getting a childhood favorite like Ludo on your phone?
Ludo has played in every generation of their childhood. This is a simple board game, but usually has a strong emotional connection, especially for Indians. We are often nostalgic and remember the good time we spent with our family. At Gametion, we hope to make this experience a reality again. We believe that Ludo should be revived in the digital multimedia era and provide people with the Ludo experience they desire. This is the birth of the Ludo King multiplayer game concept. With Ludo King, application players can play their favorite games online with family and friends from all over the world.
Are you surprised by the rapid rise of Ludo King during the coronavirus pandemic?
The 2020 pandemic surprised us all, and the subsequent blockade made us unable to function. People must follow strict social distancing principles, be isolated at home, and have limited activities. During the isolation period, inactivity and boredom due to reduced social interactions began to increase anxiety. Ludo King helped many people here. They played Ludo online with friends and family to keep in touch with them.
In addition, the online interaction through the Ludo game is very interesting; a way of entertainment that avoids boredom and depression. Ludo King can connect people to the Internet remotely, which actually reduces the pressure of isolation, which is why a large number of Indians use isolation during the pandemic. It is no surprise that Ludo King has become the subject of quarantine in India.
How did you react when Ludo King broke the 500K download mark?
Since 2016, Ludo King has crossed multiple milestones and the app has been downloaded 500 million times worldwide, making it the most popular Indian game app to enter the mobile gaming league. In addition, Ludo King has ranked first in the Google Play Store for 3 consecutive years. Ludo King will become the number one free game in India in the Apple App Store in 2020.
Can you talk about the innovation of Quick Ludo and Six Game Ludo?
We launched a 6-player game so that users can enjoy a long game with more players and a longer audience. This is the most needed feature in the “Multiplayer” option. We introduced a fast Ludo mode to provide a fast Ludo game experience-a fast 5-minute game where players do not need to participate in a complete Ludo game. This mode can be played during commuting, quick rest, waiting in line or any time of the day.
Why do you want to use voice chat in Ludo King when there is already text chat?
We have brought the voice chat function to increase the fun of Ludo outside of text chat. In the past, people could only have custom text chats while playing games. However, through Ludo King voice chat, people can talk to each other, make jokes, share jokes, laugh and enjoy “good times” while playing Ludo games with friends and family. Voice chat enhances the Ludo King experience, and the game is more entertaining than ever.
What is the future of Ludo King?
We plan to add tournaments and many other game modes in the next year of 2021.
