Nodwin Gaming, a subsidiary of diversified gaming and sports media firm Nazara Technologies, is foraying into licensed merchandise with the acquisition of comic, pop culture and superheroes merchandising retailer Planet Superheroes for Rs 4.9 crore.
The company said this acquisition will help them offer global merchandise through popular intellectual properties (IPs) such as NH7, DreamHack, India Premiership, and Valorant Conquerors Championship (VCC).
Nodwin will also expand the offerings of Planet Superheroes by exploring partnerships with global publishers like Krafton, Gameloft, and Riot Games, to create locally relevant merchandise and licensing offerings on games such as Battlegrounds Mobile India, Valorant, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds PC (PUBG PC), Asphalt, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
“The Indian gaming and esports industry has witnessed a meteoric rise in its fan base in recent years. The acquisition of Planet Superheroes will enable Nodwin to have another strategic touch point with fans that celebrates a common love for all things gaming, pop culture and esports.” said Nodwin founder Akshat Rathee.
"We believe in increasing the existing offering of global brands to include mega tournaments, games and popular talent and players like Mortal (Naman Mathur), Samay Raina, Tanmay (Bhat), Ankit Panth and others," he added.
Started in 2015 by Jaineel Aga, Sumit Shah and Karan Rai, Planet Superheroes offers official licensed merchandise from brands such as Marvel, Warner Bros, Disney, Viacom Networks, Cartoon Network, Fox Studios, Hamleys and Toys R Us, on its own website, e-commerce marketplace Amazon and a network of self-branded physical retail stores across India.
The merchandise offered includes action figures, collectibles, toys for kids, fashion & home accessories, stationery and apparel. The company counts DSG Consumer Partners and Akatsuki Entertainment Technology Fund among its customers and claims to have shipped over 5 lakh orders to over 2 lakh customers since its inception.
The Mumbai-based startup had a turnover of Rs 4.99 crore in FY21, down from Rs 8.17 crore in FY20 and Rs 7.43 crore in FY19. As of October 31, 2021, the startup said its turnover was about Rs 2.79 crore.
"There is huge untapped monetisation potential for gaming companies via merchandising and we share a common vision in realising this potential with Planet Superheroes joining Nodwin," said Planet Superheroes CEO Jaineel Aga.
He said this deal will provide a large consumer base for its existing IPs along with a new supply of licences and partnerships in the gaming industry.
Planet Superheroes said it has also built a proprietary social commerce engine that it will integrate with Nodwin's in-house assets to create a first-of-its-kind ‘Influencer-First’ merchandising engine, which is expected to launch in the next financial year.
In December 2021, Nodwin had picked up a strategic 10.26 percent stake in digital media firm Rusk Media for Rs 10 crore. The firm had also acquired the gaming and adjacent IP businesses of OML Entertainment for Rs 73 crore in September 2021, including the popular NH7 Weekender music festival.
The esports industry is expected to grow over fourfold to Rs 1,100 crore by FY25, from Rs 250 crore in FY21, according to a recent EY report.
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