Whalesbook
Hike's founder Kavin Bharti Mittal announced the shutdown of its real-money gaming platform, Rush, after layoffs impacting over 100 employees. The closure is attributed to India's Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (Proga), which has decimated the RMG sector. Many gaming startups have vanished, while others are pivoting to esports, free-to-play games, and content. Proga has led to significant job losses and financial impact, even as the government aims to curb addiction and financial harm. Esports is now seen as the primary growth avenue.