Next Wave Multimedia to create a mobile cricket game incorporating KFC Big Bash League IP

Mumbai, September 16th, 2018 – Next Wave Multimedia Private Limited (Next Wave Multimedia), a Chennai-based mobile gaming company and a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies Limited (Nazara), has announced its association with Cricket Australia to launch a new ‘Big Bash Cricket’ game, leveraging their popular mobile cricket gaming platform. The KFC Big Bash League (BBL) and Rebel Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) are professional Twenty20 cricket leagues in Australia.

Cricket Australia has signed a three-year license with Next Wave Multimedia to develop unique mobile games for fans of the Big Bash leagues across the globe. This is a significant step for Next Wave Multimedia in its quest to expand its mobile cricket gaming platform globally. Next Wave is already known for its World Cricket Championship (WCC) game.

The Big Bash leagues are played annually throughout the Australian summer between teams representing Australian cities, with the Adelaide Strikers (BBL) and the Sydney Sixers (WBBL) the current reigning champions. The BBL was established in 2011 to attract new fans (youth, families and female audiences) to the sport of cricket and to protect the future of the game, with the WBBL introduced in 2015. Since its inception, the league has been a resounding success throughout Australia and the global cricket community.

“I’m really excited to take our mobile game ‘Big Bash Cricket’ to the next level in collaboration with Next Wave Multimedia,”

“We look forward to offering Big Bash fans in Australia and around the world an even more realistic representation of the game they love with improved graphics and gameplay as well as all new features including a multiplayer option.

“Considering Next Wave Multimedia’s mobile gaming pedigree and the quality of their existing cricket games, we can’t wait to see what their team does with our teams and players.” says Patrick Horan, Cricket Australia’s Digital Gaming Manager.

Commenting on the association with Cricket Australia, Mr. P.R Rajendran, CEO, Next Wave, said: “We believe that mobile games around cricket enable millions of Indians to vicariously live the ‘on ground’ experience virtually and with the BBL’s legion of fans, this offers a perfect setting for this partnership. With ‘Big Bash Cricket’, the game will boost engagement with existing fans and also appeal to a larger audience.

“We are confident that this partnership will build a strong and vibrant community of cricket fans around the globe.”

Manish Agarwal, CEO, Nazara Technologies, says “We at Nazara believe that cricket fans around the globe have been missing a high-quality gaming experience on their mobile devices unlike their counterpart soccer fans. This partnership with Cricket Australia gives Next Wave an opportunity to offer a console-quality cricket gameplay experience on their mobile devices and attract younger audiences to virtual Big Bash games.

Nazara has invested in mobile gaming companies in the sports genre such as Mastermind Sports Limited, Moonglabs Technologies Private Limited, HalaPlay Technologies Private Limited. Nazara has taken a majority stake in Next Wave Multimedia Private Limited and NODWIN Gaming Private Limited last year and offers gaming subscription services in over 61 countries globally including, Africa, Middle East, South East Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.

With Nazara’s strong cricket pedigree that includes work with Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers Bangalore, NextWave’s World Cricket Championship (WCC), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and now Cricket Australia’s Big Bash Leagues, it is now in a position to further strengthen its foothold in the cricket gaming space.

About Next Wave Multimedia

Next Wave Multimedia is focused on developing highly engaging games in the sports genre and building a happy community of gamers. Next Wave has achieved over 100 million downloads of its games. It has also demonstrated a strong capability in multiplayer technology.

WCC has consistently topped the Google Play store download rankings among Indian sports games between July 2015 and December 2017. The WCC franchise with its twin game offerings had over approx. 15 million monthly active users as of Nov 2017.

About Cricket Australia

Cricket Australia is the national Australian association responsible for the organization of elite cricket competitions and the development of the game of cricket in Australia. It owns and runs the BBL and WBBL competitions.

DISCLAIMER

Nazara Technologies Limited is proposing, subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, to make an initial public offer of its equity shares and has filed a draft red herring prospectus dated January 31, 2018 (“DRHP”) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. The DRHP is available on the website of the SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in as well as on the websites of the lead managers, ICICI Securities Limited and Edelweiss Financial Services Limited. Investors should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and for details relating to such risk, see “Risk Factors” of the Red Herring Prospectus, when available. Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP for any investment decision.

The Equity Shares of the company have not been, and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”) or any other applicable law of the United States of America and unless so registered, and may not be offered or sold within the United States of America, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the Equity Shares are being offered and sold outside the United States of America in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Equity Shares have not been and will not be registered, listed or otherwise qualified in any other jurisdiction outside India and may not be offered or sold, and bids may not be made by persons in any such jurisdiction, except in compliance with the applicable laws of such jurisdiction.

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