Ludo, anglicised version of a board game played 1,400 years in India named Parchmi, has found a new lease of life in the form of a mobile avatar.
Indian companies have rediscovered the game using the technology – making the board and token-style games, new features, and online multiplayer options.
And they are most passionate players not only in India, but also the Mediterranean countries such as Spain and Morocco, the South America such as Colombia and Mexico, and even Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Vikash Jaiswal’s Ludo King has been among the 10 most downloaded mobile games globally since April this year, according to market research firm sensor towers.
There Ludo Club Moonfrog Labs, which is now available also on Snapchat App US-based Instant Messaging.
IIT graduates Afsar Ahmad and Govind Agarwal’s Gameberry Labs, founded in 2017, at more than 6 million daily active users from 15 countries in the two games Ludo.
And the newer players emerge.
Ahmad from GameBerry said mobile game development takes off in India partly because the number of gaming machines are now available.
Game machines, such as Unity or Unreal, is a software tool that allows one to build a video game.
“They make it easier for developers to build aspects of gameplay – how it will be played on the phone – after about art, animation and design, and making them work seamlessly in multiplayer format,” he said.
They decided to work on Ludo when they found out that game Ludo that are not designed properly.
Gameberry art style has become a main attraction.
“We use colors such as Violet and Gold gave the game a kingdom, and appealed especially in places such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan,” said Ahmad.
Voice chat feature in Ludo is also a big attraction in countries like Saudi Arabia where many regular voice applications is prohibited.
Jetsynthesys Pune-based Rajan Navani, has built Mobile Ludo Ludo game called Ludo Zenith which incorporates additional strategic levels.
“We use a different character in the game.
For example, if you choose a rabbit, you can jump extra spaces.
If you choose a rhino, you can defend yourself.
Ludo Zenith looks like a relaxing game simple, but it really is a game that is very competitive which makes users to return, “he said.
Others also offer features that allow you to cancel your turn, or where one of the four token is a token king – if it dies, the player will have to leave, and when it reached the house, it was enough for the player to win.
Many features monetised.
Ahmad also said the design of the game is the key to keep people playing.
He says you have to plan what you want to do the players on the first day, the 10th and even the 30th day.
“Then you have to provide fresh content throughout the year, based on the season, festivals, national events,” he said.
Navani said backend engineering is also very important.
“We have 200 engineers working for the last six years just to build the module technology and efficiency around Leveraging Tech.
If you want the best user experience, you not only need the content, but also technology seamlessly attached to them.
The architecture, programming, product design, testing all need to understand the technology, “he said.
It was an experience Siddharth Mishra too.
Co-founder and CEO of Mumbai-based studio Gamenagri, Ludo Mobile launched the game last year.
“We are an independent studio with just eight people, and we must build a network capabilities for users wanting a multiplayer option.
To build multiplayer functionality that is not too difficult,” he said.
Ludo popularity and expertise in India are also used by foreign companies to make their gaming into the country.
Snapchat has done it.
Square Enix, Behemoth Gaming Japan which has developed some of the franchise in the world’s most widely played as the Final Fantasy series, has done so.
It has teamed up with Jetsynthesys for Ludo Zenith.
Cibin George, senior manager of product marketing at Square Enix, said betting on games like Ludo Zenith is an easier way to enter a very crowded market.
“We are trying to enter the Indian market in 2013 but had to turn off our surgery after one year.
Then in 2019, we came back with a very different strategy and choose Ludo – to learn something and then write our strategy for another game,” he said.