Flipkart acquires Mech Mocha to enhance its gaming portfolio

Flipkart has acquired the intellectual property rights of Bengaluru-based mobile gaming company Mech Mocha Game Studios for an undisclosed amount. In October, Flipkart launched a mobile-first video content platform as a hook to bring more customers to its platform. Currently, Flipkart GameZone offers arcade games such as Snake Smash and fantasy sports such as My11Circle, as well as Supercoin rewards that can be redeemed in-app.

As a part of the acquisition, Mech Mocha’s gaming team will join Flipkart. Co-founded by Arpita Kapoor and Mohit Rangaraju, the Bengaluru-based startup’s team will focus on scaling Flipkart’s gaming efforts under the leadership of Prakash Sikaria, Vice-President at Flipkart.

Kapoor, Co-Founder and CEO, Mech Mocha, said, “We look forward to being a part of the Flipkart ecosystem and leveraging the Flipkart Cloud Platform, Super Coins, Reward store and Flipkart Ads platform to strengthen the platform for our users.”

Available in seven Indian local languages, Mech Mocha develops and publishes freemium games including popular multiplayer games such as Ludo, Carrom, Snakes & Ladder and Cricket. The gaming platform targets users that are coming online for the first time from tier II and tier III cities. The app also allows users to interact with each other through its in-game video and voice chat feature.

Through this move, Flipkart will target first-time e-commerce users and casual gamers who come online through online gaming platforms. Mech Mocha’s IP and team acquisitions by Flipkart have come at a time when consumption of casual gaming has shot up since March due to pandemic.

Flipkart, along with Blume Ventures, had backed Mech Mocha during its $1 million seed round in 2015. Till date, the six-year-old startup has raised $5 million in Series A round from the likes of Accel Partners and Shunwei Capital and was in talks to raise around $10 million in Series B round.