Rising gaming startup Qila Games has raised $1 million in a pre-seed round to fast-track its vision of leading hybrid-casual gaming in India. The round was headed by Chimera VC and included contributions from Visceral Capital, Atrium Angels, Ventana Ventures, 91 Ventures, Untitled Ventures, and a few other strategic angel investors.

Creating the Future of Hybrid-Casual Gaming
Qila Games was founded in 2024 by Dhananjai Hari and Neeraj Mishra as a company with a dream to build a bridge between casual and mid-core gaming experiences—of a developing genre of hybrid-casual gaming. Hybrid-casual games integrate the simplicity of casual mobile games with retention features of mid-core gameplay like character growth, in-game strategy, and social interaction.

With this new infusion of capital, the startup looks to create fresh original IPs, upgrade game design and tech infrastructure, and add more games to its portfolio to leverage the rising demand for deep gaming experiences from Indian consumers.

A Resounding Confidence Vote by Investors
Krish Anurag, Chimera VC’s Managing Partner, highlighted Qila Games’ special place in India’s gaming ecosystem:

“Qila Games has hit the right note between bite-sized fun and meta-progress, delivering a rich experience that has the power to influence users meaningfully. The Indian gaming ecosystem is giving birth to phenomenal IPs, and it has been a pleasure to enable these founders in turning their dreams into a reality.”

The vote of confidence reflects increasing investor faith in the hybrid-casual vertical, which is increasingly being adopted as the next horizon of innovation in global mobile gaming.

Debut Title: Ludo Hero
Qila Games entered the market for the first time in February 2025 with the release of Ludo Hero, a new spin on the traditional Indian board game. The game is a mix of nostalgia and innovation, adding hero powers, strategic victories, and interactive battles, giving players a richer and more immersive experience compared to standard Ludo apps.

The launch of Ludo Hero has been encouraging, with initial players giving thumbs-up to the gameplay, visual storytelling, and social multiplayer aspects, an auspicious first step in the studio’s trajectory.

Catching the Tide of Mobile Game Expansion
India’s gaming industry has been experiencing explosive expansion, fueled by ubiquitous smartphone penetration, cheap mobile data, and digitally native youth. With more than 500 million gamers, India is already the world’s largest mobile gaming market—and hybrid-casual games are coming out as one of its most promising sub-categories.

Qila Games seeks to ride this wave by developing content that is specifically designed for Indian tastes but still scalable globally.

“India and other emerging markets stand at the threshold of a massive mobile gaming transformation, and hybrid-casual will be the next gigantic category,” said Dhananjai Hari, co-founder of Qila Games. “With this round of funding, we are doubling down on developing engaging, high-quality games that appeal to these audiences.”

What’s Next for Qila Games?
After its fundraising success and launching Ludo Hero, Qila Games will:

Create several new titles in the hybrid-casual space within the next 12-18 months.

Grow its development team by recruiting game design, art, and backend engineering talent.

Invest in proprietary gaming technology to further develop game engine capabilities and user interaction.

Investigate international markets, beginning with other high-growth areas in Asia and the Middle East.

As hybrid-casual gaming rapidly emerges as a profitable niche, Qila Games is planting itself at the forefront of this new trend.