Gameskraft bucks layoff trend: pays three months’ advance salary to all employees, launches ideathon

Bengaluru, September 1, 2025 (IST): While several online gaming firms in India have announced layoffs, Bengaluru-based Gameskraft has taken a contrarian step—advancing three months’ salary to all employees to ease near-term uncertainty and keep teams focused on future pivots.

“The regulatory environment for India’s online gaming sector has undergone a fundamental reset. Any pivot will require time and reflection. To ensure this, we actioned three months’ advance salary to all Krafters,” a company spokesperson said, adding that immediate financial concerns often distract from long-term problem solving.

Key takeaways

• No layoffs announced: Instead of downsizing, Gameskraft paid 3 months’ salary in advance to all employees.
• Internal ideathon: An in-house challenge drew 300+ employee ideas on new directions; these are now being evaluated.
• Team size: Approximately 600–700 employees across portfolios and functions.
• Redeployment-first approach: The company says it has historically avoided layoffs by creating roles in new initiatives.

Context: industry turbulence

India’s online gaming space has seen job cuts at multiple firms in recent days. In contrast to peer actions, Gameskraft is betting on employee stability + internal innovation to navigate policy shifts and revenue model changes.

What’s next at Gameskraft

• Idea evaluation: The 300+ ideathon submissions and other strategic inputs will inform the company’s next pivot.
• Focus on execution: With short-term finances cushioned, teams are expected to concentrate on building sustainable products and compliance-ready models.

Product & portfolio notes

Gameskraft has operated skill-based titles such as Rummyculture and Playship. The company previously exited certain offerings—fantasy sports (Sept 2023) and later Ludo Culture (Sept 2024)—and has shut real-money operations following changes in law, as per the company’s account.

Why this matters

Amid sector-wide belt-tightening, an advance-salary buffer is an unusual mechanism to retain talent confidence while a company reorients. If the ideathon yields viable directions, Gameskraft’s approach could become a case study in employee-first crisis management.

Disclaimer: Details above are based on the company’s statement and sector updates shared at the time of publication. Readers should follow official company communications for subsequent changes.