Nazara Publishing, the publishing arm of India’s leading diversified gaming and sports media company, Nazara Technologies, has officially made its foray into the rapidly expanding virtual reality (VR) gaming landscape with the global launch of Pokerverse VR. This immersive multiplayer poker experience is now available worldwide on Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro, marking a significant strategic step for Nazara into metaverse gaming.
Developed by Hyderabad-based studio YesGnome, Pokerverse VR is a free-to-play title designed to offer a truly social, intuitive, and skill-based poker experience within a virtual environment. Players can engage in real-time multiplayer games, utilizing natural VR controls for actions like dealing, raising, and folding. The game offers flexibility, allowing users to play in a futuristic virtual casino or leverage augmented reality (AR) to bring the game into their own physical space. Players can also practice their skills against smart AI bots.
Nitish Mittersain, Joint Managing Director & CEO of Nazara Technologies, expressed the company’s vision, stating, “With Pokerverse VR, we’re taking our first step into immersive gaming experiences at Nazara Publishing. As platforms like Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest gain traction, we see exciting possibilities in this space. We are actively exploring future titles with developers who want to build for the next era of gaming.”
Sridhar Muppidi, Founder of YesGnome, added, “We wanted to reimagine poker as an immersive, social experience that felt tactile, intuitive, and global from day one. It’s been an exciting journey building Pokerverse VR, and we’re thrilled to partner with Nazara Publishing to bring this vision to players across platforms.”
Pokerverse VR features include live multiplayer tables for seamless global synchronization, AR/VR modes, intuitive gesture-based VR controls for actions like checking, calling, or peeking at cards, custom betting options via a Raise Panel, a floating menu for quick access to settings, and a progression system that allows players to earn XP, level up, and unlock rewards. Daily rewards also provide free chips to keep the action going.
Nazara Publishing, launched in October 2023, has been actively building a portfolio of diverse game titles across various platforms, including mobile, web3, and PC. This move into VR aligns with Nazara Technologies’ broader strategy to invest in cutting-edge technologies and support both Indian and global game developers, further cementing India’s position as a burgeoning hub for gaming innovation. The company had previously invested in Bangalore-based VR gaming studio Instasportz in 2018, indicating a long-term interest in the VR space.
The launch of Pokerverse VR underscores Nazara’s commitment to delivering engaging and immersive experiences, catering to the evolving demands of gamers worldwide and exploring the vast potential of the metaverse.
Key Highlights:
- Nazara Publishing, a division of Nazara Technologies, has officially entered the VR gaming market with the global launch of ‘Pokerverse VR’.
- ‘Pokerverse VR’, developed by YesGnome, is a free-to-play, immersive multiplayer poker game available on Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro.
- The game offers real-time multiplayer, natural VR controls, AR/VR modes, and aims to provide a social and skill-based poker experience in virtual environments.
- This launch signifies Nazara’s strategic move into metaverse gaming, exploring new opportunities as VR platforms gain traction and supporting developers in this emerging space.