Introduction:

The global mobile gaming industry has witnessed explosive growth, with the mid-core gaming segment emerging as a sweet spot between casual and hardcore gaming. These games cater to a wide audience, blending strategic depth with accessibility, which drives high engagement and monetization potential. However, despite India’s growing prominence as a mobile gaming market, its contribution to globally successful gaming IPs remains minimal. This leaves a significant opportunity for homegrown studios to create world-class games that resonate globally.

Gape Labs is addressing this gap by building IP-first mid-core mobile games designed for global audiences. Their first title, Arcado Champs, is a strategy game currently live on Android and iOS, boasting over 100,000 users worldwide. The game has demonstrated strong early traction, generating monthly revenues of ₹2 lakh, with 80% coming from in-app purchases (IAPs). With a focus on creating engaging and monetizable games, Gape Labs is setting the foundation to position itself as a leading Indian gaming studio on the world stage. 

Naren Budhwani

, the founder and CEO, brings extensive product experience from leading gaming and fintech companies like Dream11, ZestMoney, and Tapzo. His deep understanding of gaming and content creation, coupled with prior entrepreneurial experience, equips him with the expertise needed to scale Gape Labs effectively.

Market Opportunity:

The global mobile gaming market was valued at $116 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $169 billion by 2027, with mid-core games accounting for a significant share due to their balance of engagement and monetization. India, as one of the largest markets for mobile gaming, is poised to play a crucial role in this growth. By 2025, India’s gaming population is expected to exceed 600 million users, fuelled by affordable smartphones, widespread internet penetration, and increasing disposable incomes.

Despite this rapid growth, Indian gaming studios have yet to establish a strong presence in the global IP-driven gaming ecosystem. International markets, especially in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, present untapped opportunities for games developed with a global-first mindset. Mid-core strategy games, like Arcado Champs, have proven their ability to attract a loyal player base and drive higher ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) compared to casual games.

Gape Labs’ focus on creating high-quality IP-driven games positions it uniquely to capitalize on this opportunity. The company’s ability to generate 80% of its revenue from IAPs reflects strong user engagement and monetization potential. With a robust foundation in strategy-based gameplay and an ambitious roadmap for future titles, Gape Labs is poised to capture significant market share in both domestic and international gaming markets.

100X.VC Thesis:
Gape Labs is creating a new type of addictive Game for the global market, which is already seeing early love from customers. Naren, as a founder, has his pulse on the gamer mindset, and a vision for how to build and scale the game. The 100X  team has been playing “Arcade Champs”, their first game, non stop. 100X believes the founder’s skin in the game, product roadmap, and knack for growth will lead Gape to building the next Supercell from India.

Conclusion:

Gape Labs is redefining the Indian gaming landscape by creating world-class IP-first mid-core mobile games designed for a global audience. With their flagship title, Arcado Champs, already demonstrating strong traction and monetization, the company has validated its ability to create engaging and profitable gaming experiences. By combining strategic depth with user-friendly mechanics, Gape Labs is tapping into the high-growth mid-core gaming segment with a differentiated offering.

Under the leadership of Naren, whose product expertise spans leading companies like Dream11, Gape Labs has the potential to emerge as a global leader in mobile gaming. With early traction, a proven monetization model, and a massive addressable market, Gape Labs is a compelling investment opportunity for those looking to support India’s next big gaming IP success story.