JetSynthesys builds mobile game on Sachin’s innings

(L-R) Kris Gopalakrishnan, non-executive chairman, JetSynthesys, Sachin Tendulkar and Rajan Navani, MD and vicechairman, JetSynthesys

JetSynthesys, a Pune-based gaming firm backed by Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan, has built a mobile game on cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, hoping to tap millions of cricket fans of the former Indian captain and the game across the country.

JetSynthesys, which manages the digital properties for Tendulkar, has seen nearly a million users pre-register to download the game ahead of the launch on Thursday, where the star batsman was present, and hopes to see over five million users downloading and playing the game on their smartphones.

Over two days, the firm has captured Tendulkar playing his natural game in its studios and recreated them in the mobile game, SachinSaga Cricket Champions, that operates on a freemium model. It has in-app purchases for users who are keen to go to higher levels.

“There is a revenue share with Tendulkar’s agency,” said Rajan Navani, managing director and vice-chairman for JetSynthesys. The firm, which did not disclose financials, however, said that it had over 30 million users globally and planned to reach over 100 million in the next few years.

“Monetisation is a challenge now. The aim is to earn $6-7 revenue per user. Once we reach scale, it is possible,” Navani said.

The firm has invested in a platform that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to improvise the game for users who can play it on low-end smartphones.

“I wanted to ensure that everyone got a chance to play this game, no matter what phone they had, hence our team has really worked hard to bring this game to every mobile device. I really hope the game helps cricket enthusiasts to become champions in the digital games arena with their talent andmy experience,” said Tendulkar.

Gopalakrishnan, who is an investor and non-executive chairman at JetSynthesys, has shared technology insights with the game developers for the mobile game so that it has visuals as effective as in a console game.

“Our global game development team at JetSynthesys has leveraged state of the art technology to create an engaging experience for gamers around the world, in a sport that is a religion in India, brought to life with the iconic Sachin Tendulkar,” Gopalakrishnan said.